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Whittell High School loses tough one

Joe Proudman
jproudman@tahoedailytribune.com
Houston Norton is brought down as the Whittell Warriors took on Silver State Academy on Friday.
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YERINGTON, Nev. – It was a game of numbers in Whittell High Schools football game against Silver State Academy, and the Warriors came up short.

Whittell lost 41-15 to the Rite of Passage school, also loosing two starters at the half, leaving them with 13 players suited up against Silver State’s 30-plus players.

“We just ran out of bodies,” said head coach Jeff Jones. “We had a bunch of freshman playing and they took advantage of that situation.”



The Warriors were down 13-0 going into the second quarter, but Whittell was able to go into the half leading 15-13. They took the majority of the second quarter, driving 70 yards and capping the drive off with a 10-yard touchdown from Shawn Mand, and Houston Norton extra point. Then as time was running out in the second half, senior Jake Williams wasn’t fooled by a Silver State reverse and laid a big hit on the Rams ball-carrier that forced a fumble. A few plays later Williams had a 10-yard touchdown of his own, with Mand running for a two-point conversion.

“We found some formations they weren’t adjusting to and we were able to run the ball to the outside,” said Jones. “And they couldn’t stop it.



“We were able to run the ball and pass the ball.”

But in the second half, the Warriors lost Williams and Mand to cramps, forcing their younger players to come into the game, and taking away two of their biggest play-makers. Norton moved to quarterback for the Warriors. Silver state would score 28 unanswered points in the second half.

“The younger players got to step up and learn the formations and plays and be more than just bodies out there,” said Jones. “I don’t think ROP has any freshman on their team and we do.”

Jones found a lot of positives from the first half of the game, and expects Mand and Williams back next week.

“We’re definitely on the right path to win a football game,” said Jones.

The Warriors head to Pershing County High School next week to face a tough Lovelock team.


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