West Valley too big, fast for Pirates
COTTONWOOD — Bigger, faster and stronger, West Valley High's football team proved to be too much for Wheatland to handle Friday night at The Pasture.
The Eagles' larger offensive line plowed over Pirate defenders all night, opening massive holes, and rolling to 374 yards on the ground en route to a decisive 43-13 victory in the Northern Section Division II semifinals.
Top-seeded Sutter topped Anderson 43-6 in the other semifinal Friday, setting up the rematch that West Valley coach Greg Grandell and his No. 2 seed Eagles (9-3) have been waiting for since last season's 21-20 loss in the title game.
Wheatland (9-3), which had won five of six games heading into its contest with West Valley, simply had no answer for the Eagles' three-headed rushing monster of Bobby Guyton, Ben Bradshaw and Derek Serna.
Bradshaw led the group with 110 yards on eight carries and a 16-yard score on the ground and a 13-yard touchdown reception. Serna scored on runs of 11 and 25 yards and finished with 91 yards on 11 carries, while Guyton put West Valley on the board just a minute and half into game on a 32-yard touchdown run and carried nine times for 87 yards.
Pirates safety Malcom Webb said his team could have been more mobile defensively.
"We just tried to sit in the holes too much, and when they (the Eagles) pulled guards, they outnumbered us on the flys," Webb said. "And they were just too big."
Wheatland's offense was slow to get started and never really picked up a rhythm. The Pirates were held to just 89 total yards in the first half, but they did score with 3:20 remaining in the second quarter, cutting West Valley's lead to 22-7.
Webb, at quarterback, found Zach Downing wide open in the back of the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown pass, and Tim Hollingworth added the extra point kick.
A fumble recovery by Trevor Crain set up the Pirates' scoring drive. It was the first of three turnovers Wheatland would force.
Despite cutting the margin to 15, Wheatland allowed West Valley to march down the field on its ensuing possession and score with no time remaining for a 29-7 lead at the break.
It was a back-breaking touchdown, according to Wheatland coach Javier Lopez.
"We made a comeback in the first half, but that play before halftime killed our momentum," the coach said.
Vince Vetrone scored Wheatland's second touchdown on dazzling 70-yard sprint in the fourth quarter. Vetrone took the handoff from Webb on the Pirates' 30-yard line and bolted through the West Valley defense and up the sideline untouched for the score with 5:36 remaining in the game.
Vetrone finished with 116 yards on 10 carries. Wheatland had 207 total yards offensively and turned the ball over just once, on an interception.
