Eagles lose heartbreaker to 4A foe

Boulder City High School football tested themselves against 4A Somerset Losee, nearly pulling off the upset, before a 20-19 defeat on Aug. 30.

“I was happy with the way we played,” head coach Bubba Mariani said. “I told the kids after the game, I wasn’t mad that we lost, just bummed. I thought they played good enough to come away with a win. This was a big test for us, playing against a higher opponent and I believe they responded well.”

Making plays all over the field, senior playmaker Easton Welbourne gave the Eagles hope late in the fourth quarter, returning an interception 98 yards for a touchdown to put Boulder City ahead 19-14.

Earlier in the quarter, Welbourne linked up with junior quarterback Cameron Matthews for a 6-yard touchdown.

Welbourne caught three passes for 42 yards and a score, while making three tackles.

“Easton is an amazing athlete,” Mariani said. “Over the last two years, he’s had a knack for making big plays time and time again.”

Making his first start at quarterback, Matthews completed eight of 19 passing for 113 yards, one passing touchdown, one rushing touchdown and an interception.

Playing both ways, Matthews also made eight tackles on the night with a pass deflection.

“He did very well for his first start,” Mariani said. “We knew he was going to have to play both ways so we didn’t want to throw too much at him. Moving forward we’re hopeful to lessen his role on defense and give him more of the offense.”

Playing nearly lights out defensively, the Eagles suffered a breakdown late in the fourth quarter, allowing a game-sealing 47-yard touchdown run to close the game.

Despite the costly error against a higher-classed opponent, Mariani praised his unit for their efforts throughout the night.

“Our defense is coming along,” he said. “We made four errors on the night, but other than that, they played great. We’re making plays when we need to and only getting better.”

Leading the way defensively, junior Caleb Porter made 15 tackles with a sack, while senior Sam Bonar and sophomore Ghayvn Cartier both added eight tackles apiece.

Looking to challenge themselves, the Eagles will look to get back on track on Friday at 5A Sunrise Mountain.

Contact Robert Vendettoli at robvendettoli@yahoo.com.