Monticello football tops Whitehorse

by David Boyle
News Director
After learning that Dolores was forfeiting their game with Monticello this past week, both the Buckaroos and Whitehorse High School agreed to change their schedules to meet each other on Friday, August 26 in Monticello.
The result was a high-scoring affair with Monticello defeating Whitehorse 64-20.
On the Buckaroos’ first offensive play of the game quarterback JD McDonald found receiver Easton Young on a route across the middle for a 56-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead.
After another stop, Young returned a punt 85 yards to extend the lead to 13-0. The Bucks scored next when McDonald found receiver Landon Ewart for a ten-yard TD followed by a Javlin Robison score on a 24-yard rushing touchdown.
On the next defensive series Young returned an interception 37 yards to give Monticello a 33-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. Early in the second, quarterback Jackson Keyes hit Chandler Henderson for a 39-yard touchdown to make the score 39-0. The Raiders controlled scoring in the latter part of the quarter.
Whitehorse quarterback D’Wayne Nakai threw the ball 40 yards through the air to Tristan Black for a 97-yard score. Nakai added two more touchdowns in the quarter, a 50-yard run and a 15-yard run to make the score 39-20 at halftime.
On the first play of the second half Young scored again for Monticello on a 90-yard kick-off return. Later in the quarter McDonald returned an interception 25 yards for another Monticello score.
Much later in the quarter, Tavon Black scored on a two-yard run, and at the start of the fourth quarter Landon Shumway added a five-yard touchdown run.
The teams elected not to play the time remaining in the game which made the final score 64-20.
After the game Monticello coach Reed Anderson said the Bucks’ focus was to come out fast and play sharp. That was exemplified by Young who scored in four different ways.
“Every time he’s on the field you just know something special could happen,” said Anderson
Anderson also had high praise for Nakai. “He’s quite the athlete. He throws a good ball, he’s a big kid, he’s tough to tackle, he’s a threat to be reckoned with for sure, and he made some great plays.”
Both teams play next on September 2. Monticello plays at Mancos. Whitehorse plays in Ogden against Utah School for the Deaf & Blind.