Moapa Valley pushes history aside in 28-14 win over Hurricane

By Case Keefer (contact)

Friday, Sept. 5, 2014 | 11:55 p.m.

Many players on Moapa Valley’s roster weren’t yet alive the last time the team defeated Utah’s Hurricane.

Longtime coach Brent Lewis was on the junior-varsity staff back then. Upon getting promoted to the varsity, Lewis endured 12 straight losses to the program.

Lewis and the Pirates ended the skid in front of their home crowd Friday. Moapa Valley defeated Hurricane 28-14 for its first win in the series since 1998.

“It was nice to get the monkey off our back against those guys,” Lewis said.

Lewis knew the key to defeating the Tigers was slowing their wing-T running attack. He challenged his defensive line all week, and they responded.

The Pirates’ front four of Dalton Jones, Nate Cox, Tanner James and Jestyn Postma stayed with their assignments and limited the Tigers.

“They just hung in there and matched their guys all night,” Lewis said.

Moapa Valley fell into an early 14-0 hole before junior RJ Hubert returned a kickoff 94 yards to put the Pirates on the board. On the next possession, they blocked a punt and capitalized when Zach Hymas, who went 14-for-28 with 200 yards and two touchdowns, found Cole Mulcock for a 16-yard touchdown.

Mulcock had seven catches for 120 yards overall. Hubert caught five passes for 51 yards. After rushing for just nine yards in the first half, Kaleb Bodily picked up the slack in the second and finished with 72 yards on 18 carries.

Andrew Huerta scored a defensive touchdown when he ripped a ball out and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown.

“We had some close ones with them, but it was good to finally get over the hump,” Lewis said.

Case Keefer can be reached at 948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.