Basic shuts out Boulder City to retain Jug

By Anthony Fenech

Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009 | 12:03 a.m.

Friday’s buzz around the latest installment of the Basic-Boulder City Jug Game took the rivalry back to the olden days, when friendly pranks were a norm.

The talk was of a blue paw print surfacing on the Eagles’ field.

Come game time, the field was unscathed.

But the Wolves had their paws all over Boulder City during the game and on the Jug after a 26-0 victory.

“It meant a lot for our kids not to give the Jug back to them,” head coach Jeff Cahill said.

Senior quarterback Tyler Dobbins, who watched last year’s rivalry game as a backup, jump-started Basic’s offense with two long touchdown runs of 34 and 54 yards.

“This was big,” Dobbins said of the victory. “It’s our legacy here.”

Dobbins finished with 99 yards rushing on 15 attempts and added 140 yards through the air, going 11 for 20.

“I told coach I wanted the ball in the first half. He gave it to me, and I ran with it,” Dobbins said.“

Both touchdown runs were of the play-action quarterback keeper variety, a play Cahill kept handy in his back pocket.

“That’s one of our staples, one of our best plays, and it worked to our advantage,” Cahill said.

Owners of the Jug since 1999, Basic was ecstatic when the trophy made its way from the locker room onto the field.

“We’re bringing it home, baby!” shouted senior linebacker Quinn Richardson.

Basic’s first touchdown, courtesy of Dobbins, came late in the first half, one play after a high snap deflected off Eagles quarterback Ross Lamarca and running back Devin Combs and was recovered by the Wolves.

In addition to pitching a shutout, Basic’s defense harassed Lamarca all game, racking up eight sacks and recovering two fumbles.

Junior Rayshawn Gulley’s 50-yard touchdown run with five minutes remaining all but sealed the deal for Basic.

Boulder City head coach Alex Kazel knows all too well the rivalry at hand, having coached and played at Basic before joining the Eagles staff two years ago.

Although being on the losing end, Kazel was pleased with his team’s performance.

“This was a great game for us,” Kazel said. “We are a 3-A school with less than 700 kids, and we hung with last year’s regional champions in 4-A.”

“No matter the outcome, we got challenged, we got pushed and we got to see how to play football,” he said.