BCHS falls short in gridiron title game

For a second consecutive season, Boulder City High School flag football finished as the 3A state champion runner-up, after falling to rival Virgin Valley 19-6 on Feb. 20.

“Back-to-back state runner-up finishes is a huge accomplishment,” head coach Sandy Cameron said. “It speaks to the hard work and dedication of this team. While we didn’t get the ultimate result we wanted, we’ve set a high standard for this program.”

Much improved from their previous 40-12 defeat on Jan. 29 to Virgin Valley, the Eagles hung tough with the Bulldogs until the end, keeping it a one-score game for the majority of the outing.

“It was definitely a hard-fought game and I’m really proud of the way our team competed,” Cameron said. “The girls were definitely locked in. Even though we didn’t get the result we wanted, we showed a lot of improvement compared to earlier in the season. Our execution was better, we played with more intensity and we’re continuing to grow as a team. We’ll take what we learned from this game, make adjustments, and come back even stronger.”

Doing her best to keep the Eagles offense afloat in her final outing with the program, senior dual threat quarterback Makayla Nelson threw for 130 yards, while rushing for 83 yards and a score on the ground.

Linking up with her favorite target routinely, senior Paige Bothwell ended her career with seven catches for 88 yards.

“Mack was phenomenal on both sides of the ball,” Cameron said. “As a dual-threat quarterback, she kept our offense moving, making plays with her arm and legs, but she also stepped up big on defense. Her ability to read the game, make key stops and bring intensity on both ends was huge for us. She left everything on the field, and her leadership and effort were a big part of why we were able to compete at such a high level.”

Giving the Bulldogs all they could handle on defense, the Eagles held Virgin Valley to a season-low 19 points. Coming into the game, the Bulldogs (21-1) averaged 37.6 points per game.

Leading the charge, Tessa Hess generated five tackles, while Payton Rogers and Nelson each made four.

Rogers also picked off a pass for her fifth interception of the season.

Leaving it all out on the field, the Eagles will continue to build their program toward success, with several key players returning.

“We fought hard, grew together and left it all on the field,” Cameron said. “This season was unforgettable and the foundation for something greater is set. With some key players returning, we have a strong foundation to build on and we’re only going to keep improving. The goal is to take that next step, keep developing as a team and come back even stronger next season.”