Darrell Moody: Dayton’s taste of victory could bring more

A hearty congratulations to Patrick Squires and the Dayton High football team for breaking its 21-game losing streak.

Two-plus years is a long time to go without a win. Squires predicted the streak would end this year and he proved to be a good prognosticator.

I caution the Dayton fans not to celebrate too wildly. Lincoln was a 2A team, albeit a good one, and the Dust Devils now enter league play against the likes of Fallon, Spring Creek, Elko, and Fernley.

Squires knows he has a tough road ahead, but he also admits this win brings even more enthusiasm among the players. Once you taste victory after a long drought you want more. I think the Dust Devils are capable of winning a couple of league games this year.

The rebuilding of Dayton football is going to take time. It will come in baby steps and not by leaps and bounds.

Personally, I still think Dayton should have officially dropped down to 2A for one realignment cycle and then assess where its sports programs are.

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My heart goes out to Carson quarterback Daniel Morrison. The senior, who only plays one sport, injured his right knee in the opening quarter of Carson’s season-opening 14-13 win over Lewiston at the annual Rocky Mountain Rumble in Idaho

Morrison told me after the game he thinks he tore the ligament in his right knee. He suffered ligament damage to his LEFT knee prior to the start of his sophomore season, which caused him to miss his entire sophomore year, and then re-injured the left knee during summer workouts.

So, his Carson career amounts to a full season of freshman football, a few games last year after Jace Keema was injured, and not even a full quarter this year. I can be jaded at times, but this was a crappy break to a top-notch kid. Hopefully he can now lend a hand to new starter Blake Menzel, who has the task of running the CHS offense.

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And, speaking of Carson football, Abel Carter was sensational on Saturday. He picked up where he left off last season with 256 yards and two TDs. He ran with some power, but he also made people miss.

I don’t know if Idaho State coaches were in attendance, or allowed to be in attendance, but hopefully they took notice. I think Carter could be effective as a running back in the Big Sky.

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Carson was the only area team to come away with a win in the two-day event. Douglas lost 56-32 to Rigby, Rocky Mountain shut out Spanish Springs 43-0 and Highland stopped Galena, 36-10.

Carson and Douglas each brought about 50 fans, and that’s not bad for a long, overnight trip. Neither Rigby nor Lewiston brought many fans.

The event annually pits Idaho teams against teams from Nevada and/or Utah. The two Friday games matched teams from Utah against Idaho teams.

I think the concept is a good one. I’m not sure why Northern Nevada couldn’t get something like this started, getting Carson, Douglas and maybe two other teams involved on a yearly basis. I’d love to see a North-South challenge type of thing. That would make the most sense because all the Nevada schools are on the same schedule.

One thing that would be needed would be a title sponsor, and help from local hotels to offer visiting teams a fair, reasonable rate.