It was there on the first drive, it was there to open the second half and it was there late in the final quarter — when it wasn’t even needed.

Eagle Valley broke for big plays all game in a 37-14 win against Roaring Fork Friday night, moving the Devils to 2-0 before heading into the 3A Western Slope.

Much like last week’s 20-7 win against Summit, Eagle Valley broke off long rushes to power the ball downfield. And Friday, while the first three quarters were filled back-to-back Devils first downs, at no point was the potent offense more apparent than a drive late in the fourth quarter.

Following a fourth-and-goal stop of Roaring Fork at the 18-inch line, the Devils huddled up in their own end zone, called for a run, and saw fullback Pena Woolsey shoot up the gut for a 63-yard gain. Then, even before the home crowd sat down, the Devils’ Nick Whitehead rocketed out to the right sideline and marched 37 yards untouched for a score

“We got on our own goal line and one of our lineman said, ‘Let’s see if we can get one more, boys,’” Devils quarterback Hunter Blevins said. “I said, ‘We’ve just gotta get something started here because we’re about a half yard from our end zone.’ … The play went 65 yards and I couldn’t believe it.”

Woolsey, along with his fellow backs, spent a good part of the night moving through holes made by the offensive line.

“We had our line pushing through — we love that,” Woolsey said. “Our offensive line and lead blockers were awesome.”

Just like last week, two Devils broke for more than 100 yards running against Roaring Fork with Whitehead at 164 and Woolsey at 114.

“It doesn’t matter (who runs),” Woolsey said. “All that matters is we get the ball down the field.”

Roaring Fork, playing most of its kids both ways, had trouble containing Eagle Valley’s offense.

“That offense, — I’ve played against it for a number of years,” said Roaring Fork coach Mike Brinson. “If you don’t execute defensively — and they have good running backs — they can pop a hole and they’re off to the races. And it keeps the momentum going.”

The Rams strung together a nice opening drive that matched that of the Devils, knotting the game at 7-7, midway through the first quarter, but had trouble picking up first downs against a stingy Eagle Valley defense.

By air?
After last week’s running onslaught of more than 400 yards, the Devils took things to the ground on the opening drive Friday. Then, the Devils mixed in some air attack, which was just as effective.

“For the first three plays, we ran, and that opened it up,” Blevins said. “(Roaring Fork) was kind of scared of the run after that. And on passes, our guys were getting open.”
Blevins had two third-down completions on the first drive, which was capped off by a Kevin Mansfield rushing touchdown.

Then, on the second Eagle Valley touchdown, Blevins found Whitehead, who took off for a 52-yard score.

“When Nick breaks open, he’s so good in the field and at reading things and making cuts,” Devils coach John Ramunno said.

Whitehead had another storybook night, averaging close to 10 yards a rush, making nine tackles (including a sack), scoring two touchdowns and returning a kickoff 40 yards.

But there were plenty of others producing for the Devils, which made life hectic for the Rams’ defense.

“What’s so cool is we are not relying on one guy,” Ramunno said. “ You stop Nick, Kevin is going to get you, and those two full backs in there — John (Crawford) and Pena —and we have our passing game developing, too. We just have to give Hunter better time back there.”

Crawford, who rushed for 32 yards and picked up his first touchdown, was a menace for Roaring Fork on the other side of the ball, collecting a game-high 15 tackles.
Blevins finished 5-for-9, including a long strike to Robert Padgett, who was tightly guarded in double coverage.

“I couldn’t believe he came down with that one,” Blevins said.

Woolsey, who only rushed the ball six times and still went over the century mark, had a four-yard touchdown run.

Stuff
While Eagle Valley had little trouble advancing the ball on any down, Roaring Fork couldn’t seem to pick up many yards no matter what down it was.

Aside from a halfback pass by the Rams early in the first quarter and a screen pass in the second half, the Devils defense closed the door. Roaring Fork had nine first downs to Eagle Valley’s 19, and two came on Devils’ penalties.

“Some of our juniors were doing great on defense,” Ramunno said. “Guys like Trent Book and Robert Padgett.”

Padgett had seven tackles, as did Pavel Pavlov, while Mansfield had his workman-like eight. Defensive back Harrison Neal picked off a pass, while the defensive line did a great job of pushing the Rams back.

Out of the trips formation (three receivers on one side, one of them offset), Roaring Fork couldn’t sneak anything by the Devils.

Kicking forward
Last year, Eagle Valley found a solution to what had been a long-trouble kicking game when freshman Manuel Holguin joined the team. Friday, the Devils may have run into what many teams in the Western Slope will never have— a battle for the kicking spot. After junior lineman and kicker Pollo Almanza made the first extra point of the game, junior Parker Rey replaced him, splitting the uprights on three other Devils scores. (A bad snap and hold didn’t let Rey get the final extra point attempt). And Rey closed out the first half with a 22-yard field goal.

“How about that, your second kicker,” Ramunno said. “Parker did a great job. He’s the guy that’s there in practice everyday, working hard. He gets his chance and he shines.”

As the score and highlight-reel plays may suggest, the Devils played solid all around Friday. But Ramunno doesn’t want to be too confident heading into Eagle Valley’s league opener next week against Steamboat Springs.

“I think we can still get better,” he said, citing a few false start penalties and problems with blockers and tackler setting. “We’re getting these guys to believe in three things … they’ve gotta play as a team, unity and one heartbeat.”

Printed with the permission of the Vail Daily.