Tigers take 13-0 victory in defensive struggle

by Joey Crandall

Sports Editor

The Douglas defense keeps ending up in the right place at the right time.

Such was the case Friday night, as it has been for most of the season, as the Tiger defense held Damonte Ranch to just 152 total yards and intercepted three passes while the Douglas offense did just enough to pull off a 13-0 win over the Mustangs at Galena High School Friday night.

"We're doing just enough to win," Douglas coach Mike Rippee said. "(Damonte Ranch coach) Tony (Amantia) got his team prepared and they came out and played hard.

"They were big underdogs heading into tonight and they came out and wouldn't give an inch."

After the Mustangs ran 41 offensive plays in the first half alone, outgaining the Tigers 118 to 65 heading into the locker room, the Douglas defense clamped down to allow just 19 total yards in the second half.

Along the way, they picked off three passes and forced a fumble while sacking Damonte Ranch quarterback Brock Frank five times for a total loss of 33 yards.

"The defense was out there enough," Rippee said. "They had plenty of time to do a nice job, that was for sure. You have to give them credit for playing tough and keeping them out of the end zone.

"Damonte moved the ball on us and did some good things. Their staff prepared them well."

While the Douglas defense was just fine, the Tiger offense struggled to find any sustained rhythm throughout the game.

To its credit, the offense didn't turn the ball over in the game, marking the first time that has happened this season. It managed 160 yards on the ground and 31 through the air.

The team was without starting running back Reese Kizer, who is out for at least two weeks with a chipped bone in his leg.

Tyler Tinstman filled in admirably, carrying the ball 21 times for 137 yards and taking the game's opening punt return 65 yards for the score and the early 6-0 lead.

"Tyler had some nice runs and did a good job for us," Rippee said. "We missed Reese and he'll be back, but we do have experience at running back and Tyler showed that tonight.

"That punt return was a good way to start. I thought that would jump start us and get us going but we just never got on track offensively in the first half, or really for a lot of the game."

Douglas stalled Damonte on its first drive at the Mustang 34 and Tinstman took the punt back for the score. The Tigers again stopped Damonte on the second drive, this time at the Tiger 40 and Tinstman returned the punt to the 33.

After allowing just one sack through the team's first four games, the Douglas offensive line gave up two on its first drive of the night, both coming within four plays of each other.

Neither team threatened to score until Douglas' Sean Peralta recovered a fumble at the Mustang 5 late in the first half.

Douglas went four-and-out from there and Damonte drove back down to the Douglas 31 on the ensuing drive before Brent Koontz hauled in his fourth interception of the year, allowing the Tigers to run out the clock on the half.

Neither team got anywhere close to the other's goal line for the next quarter and a half before Will Sheerin carried twice for seven yards, Tinstman carried once for 10 yards and Ryan Pruitt carried three consecutive times for 14 yards, setting Douglas up at the 1-yard line.

Quarterback David Laird punched the ball in on a keeper on the next play with 11:04 left in the game, essentially sealing the game up.

Pruitt finished the game with 20 yards rushing and Laird passed for 31.

Defensively, Douglas got two sacks from Sean Molina, Anthony Alvitre and Cody Hannah and one from Forrest Scott. Peralta and Niko Saladis each intercepted a pass.

Damonte Ranch was led on offense by Brian Walsh, who carried the ball 27 times for 117 yards.

Douglas next travels to North Valleys Friday for a 7:30 p.m. game.

"Next week, we have got to improve in a lot of aspects of our game right now," Rippee said. "We just have to play better. Damonte played hard and that's what you have to do to stay in games and have a shot to win."

n Joey Crandall can be reached at jcrandall@recordcourier.com or at (775) 782-5121, ext. 212.