MCDERMITT - The McDermitt High School football teams knows what Owyhee is experiencing right now.
The Bulldogs did not have as team in 2012 and came back as an independent last year on a minimal schedule. The Braves failed to field a squad last year and are back this season under the same circumstances.
The two rivals got together Friday afternoon, with McDermitt scoring 46 points in the first 18 minutes of the contest en route to a 62-14 rout over the Braves.
"About the only thing that went wrong for us were penalties," said MHS coach Richard Egan. "It was a good day and we will take it. It was a good deal for us and we were able to get everyone in and get them some playing time. That experience will help down the road."
The outcome was never in doubt, as McDermitt scored on every possession of the first quarter. The Bulldogs looked to have a touchdown on an interception return by Sonny Crutcher on Owyhee's first possession, but that was called back on a penalty.
The miscue did not matter, as the Bulldogs drove 39 yards in a little under four minutes and took an 8-0 lead on a 13-yard pass from Crutcher to Saul Lopez on fourth and seven. The two also connected for the 2-point conversion.
McDermitt (2-2) did get its defensive touchdown on the Braves' next drive as Alex Rincon picked off a pass and ran it back 28 yards for the touchdown and a 16-0 advantage after the 2-point conversion.
It went from bad to worse for Owyhee, who fumbled on the second play of its next possession. McDermitt quickly capitalized one play later, as Frank Muratore scored on a 7-yard run. Duane Horse added the 2-point conversion for a 24-0 lead with 5:01 left in the opening quarter.
The Braves saw their next drive end on downs and the Bulldogs answered with a 43-yard drive in less than two minutes. Runs by Muratore and Horse brought the ball inside the 10-yard line and Crutcher did the rest, scoring on a 7-yard scamper for a 30-0 advantage with 31 seconds left in the first quarter.
The McDermitt defense stopped Owyhee once again on downs, early in the second quarter and the Bulldogs needed to go just 16 yards, when Horse scored on a 7-yard run to make the score 38-0.
Owyhee mishandled the ensuing kickoff and on its first offensive play from the 3-yard, the quarterback was sacked for a safety. The Bulldogs got the ball back and scored four minutes later on an 8-yard run by Muratore to put McDermitt in front 46-0.
The Braves provided their best possession of the first half with a late drive in the second quarter, but it was stopped by a fumble.
Under the NIAA 45-point mercy rule, the second half was played with a running clock. The Bulldogs took the opening drive of the first half and drove 52 yards, scoring on a 5-yard run by Crutcher.
Owyhee finally found the scoreboard with 28 seconds left in the third quarter on a 4-yard run by Brevyn Raining Bird. McDermitt added its final touchdown on a 13-yard pass from Crutcher to Lopez for a 62-6 lead. The Braves tacked on one last score with 25 seconds to play.
After playing three straight games at home, McDermitt begins a three-game road trip on Friday against Eureka at 7 p.m. The Bulldogs will travel to Carlin and Wells in consecutive weeks, before coming playing its home finale on Saturday, Oct. 25.
"We have some tough games coming up, but I think we are ready for the second half of the schedule," Egan said. "If we keep the mistakes down, those are teams that we can beat. It's always tough to go on the road. We need to bring our A game and stay focused. The goods thing for us is that we are pretty much injury free. We don't have the bumps and bruises we did after the Wells and Carlin games."
McDermitt 62, Owyhee 14
Owyhee 0 0 6 8 - 14
McDermitt 30 16 8 8 - 62
First Quarter
M - Sonny Crutcher 13 pass to Saul Lopez (Crutcher pass to Lopez) (7:11)
M - Alex Rincon 28 int return (Crutcher pass to TJ Smith) (5:21)
M - Frank Muratore 21 run (Duane Horse run) (5:01)
M - Sonny Crutcher 7 pass to Saul Lopez (conversion failed) (:31)
Second Quarter
M - Duane Horse 7 run (Muratore run) (10:43)
M - Safety (10:21)
M - Frank Muratore 8 run (conversion failed) (6:36)
Third Quarter
M - Sonny Crutcher 5 run (Crutcher run) (8:22)
O - Brevyn Raining Bird 4 run (conversion failed) (:28)
Fourth Quarter
M - Sonny Crutcher 13 pass to Saul Lopez (conversion good) (4:21)
O - Brevyn Raining Bird 17 run (conversion good) (:34)
Division IV Standings
Wells 2-0 3-2
Carlin 1-0 2-2
Eureka 0-1 2-2
McDermitt 0-2 2-2
*Owyhee 0-0 0-1
*Owyhee is playing as an independent this year.
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