After practicing against each other for two weeks, the Lowry High School football team had an opportunity to hit someone else on Saturday.
The Buckaroos hosted Division I-A North rival, Elko, in a controlled scrimmage at Jerry Tobin Field. The two teams went through a number of scenarios on offense, defense and special teams.
Each squad did two kickoffs, two kickoff returns, punts and extra points.
Lowry is under the direction of first-year head coach Taua Cabatbat and the Buckaroos return just seven players from a season ago. Lowry went 7-4 in 2014, finishing fourth in the Division I-A North.
Elko started off the day scoring on the second play of the scrimmage on a rushing touchdown and scored once more on a drive that started at the 40-yard line.
The Buckaroos did force a fumble on the third Elko possession.
When the teams were put in a first and goal spot from the 10-yard line, the Indians added one more touchdown.
Brady Lange took the first snaps at quarterback for the Buckaroos. Lange started for the JV squad a season ago. Lowry moved the ball at times, but were unable to score on Elko’s first defense. Nate Nelson also took snaps at quarterback later in the scrimmage.
“There are things we need to work on,” Cabatbat said. “This a young team that is coming up. We learned the speed is a little different at the varsity level. Elko is a good team and they will be right there this year. As the scrimmage went on, we settled down and got better.”
Lowry opens the regular season on Friday, Sept. 4, against Fernley in Winnemucca. The JV game starts at 4:30 p.m. and varsity kicks off at 7 p.m. The freshmen open on Thursday, Sept. 3, at home against Fernley at 5 p.m.
It is the Division North I-A opener for all three teams.
A handful of Lowry teams get under way this weeknd as well.
The Lady Bucks’ varsity volleyball team travels to Yerington on Friday and Saturday. The freshmen and junior varsity teams will be in Truckee on Saturday for a tournament.
The boys and girls junior varsity soccer teams will make the trip to Spring Creek this weekend for the Spring Creek Invitational.
