• Silver Star Tailgate will take place prior to next week’s 6 p.m. kickoff against the Wolves
The Braves picked up the program’s 17th straight win as they dealt with whipping winds, cold temps and rain in a 40-14 win over the Evanston Red Devils. Playing their final road game of the regular season, Star Valley had to overcome a spirited effort from the Devils who tied the Braves twice before Star Valley scored the game’s final 26 points.
Star Valley fans didn’t have to wait long for the Braves to put points on the scoreboard as Bryson Nield took the opening kickoff the full 100-yards for the score. Kristoff Buehler tacked on the PAT and just seconds into the contest, the visitors were up 7-0.
The Devils answered with their best drive of the game which included a pair of fourth down conversions and a big 37-yard passing play to Clayton Cook. Braunson Sims ran in Evanston’s first touchdown from nine yards out to tie the game.
The Braves offense responded as Smith McClure connected on big plays to both Cooper Lancaster and AJ Hale. The drive culminated on a one-yard score from Tayson Titensor and the 14-7 lead after the Buehler PAT.
Both offenses were stymied on their next possessions and with the Braves attempting tot punt out of their own end, the Devils push picked up a block and a sizable return to set up a short field. Sims again scored, this time from just one yard out to tie the game 14-14.
From there, the Braves tacked on points throughout the rest of the game while the defense pitched the shutout. McClure hit Hayden Morgan from 17-yards out for a tocuhdwoon and a 21-14 lead. The Star Valley QB found Lancaster on another touchdown pass before the half, this time from 29 yards out. After a missed PAT, the score rested at 27-14.
The third quarter was more of the same as McClure notched this third passing score, this time to Roman Erickson from 11 yards out. The Devils picked up a blocked PAT as the score sat at 33-14. The game’s final score came in the fourth quarter as Damien Burgess moved from his center position on the offensive line into the backfield and scored from two yards out and a PAT made the final 40-14.
The Devils did have a 71-yard touchdown pass from Sims to Cook negated due to an ineligible man downfield penally in the final minutes.
Despite the challenging conditions, McClure completed nearly 75-percent of his passes for a total of 211 yards and three passing touchdowns. He rushed five times for 20 yards. Wyatt Martiny led the team on the ground with seven carries for 43 yards. Lancaster led the team in receptions and yardage with six nabs for 68 yards. Bryson Nield finished with five catches for 39 yards. Roman Erickson had a trio of catches for 45 yards.
Star Valley now returns home to face the Green River Wolves in the final regular season contest before hosting the winner of Buffalo and Lander who will face off next week. In fact, the next trip the Braves will play ,barring a loss, is the trek to Laramie where they have been playing to gain the program’s first three-peat since the 1960’s.
PLAYOFF POSSIBILITIES HEADING INTO THE FINAL WEEKEND BY WYOPREPS –
Friday Night Roundup (Scores courtesy of WyoPreps.com)
The Powell Panthers defeated Jackson 34-14, knocking the Broncs out of post-season consideration. Riverton beat Torrington, 28-12 in a key 3A East battle. Douglas put themselves in position to claim the East’s top spot with a 19-3 win over Buffalo while Lander crushed Rawlins 54-13. The Cody Broncs unsurprisingly bounced back from their loss in Afton last weekend with a 72-0 drubbing of Green River.
In the 2A West, an upset will throw a wrench into the final week of the regular season as the Thermopolis Bobcats held top-ranked Mountain View to just six points in a 13-6 shocker. Lovell cruised past Kemmerer 34-13 and Lyman defeated Pinedale 30-20. Finally, in a battle of two historically unlikely conference foes, Cokeville handled Worland on the Panther Homecoming by the score of 22-7.
