Monument Valley Football team earns 44-34 road win over Navajo Pine

Monument Valley earned a road victory over the Navajo Pine Warriors 44-34 on October 6. Pushing their record to 2-5 on the year. The Cougars earned the win with just four starters and many players who aren’t in the regular rotation.
Coach Brad Upshaw shared high praise for the group who fought to find a way.
“I’m still wondering how this team was able to overcome all the odds Friday night. Outmanned, Undersized, Inexperienced, On the rosd. Somehow, some way, they overcame those odds. It’s nights like Friday night that made me want to get into coaching. To see these young players show the mental strength and resilience to overcome was an experience I will never forget.”
On the first defensive possession of the game, Monument Valley junior Tobias Gray recovered a fumble to give the Cougars the ball at mid-field.
After moving the ball into Warriors territory the Cougars ended the drive by throwing a 4th down interception. The Warriors responded with a drive capped off with a 22-yard rushing touchdown to take an 8-0 lead in the first quarter.
On the ensuing kick, Senior Joshua Hicks took the ball up the right side with a great return to the 10-yard line. On the next play, senior Melias Cly ran the ball for the score. The two-point try was unsuccessful however leaving the score 8-6 in favor of Navajo Pine.
The Cougar defense held strong pushing the Warriors back, the punt was returned by Hicks to the 19-yard line where on the next play Cly threw a touchdown pass in the endzone to senior Braxton Goodshield. To give Monument Valley a 12-8 lead which was the score at the end of the 1st quarter.
Pine Hill scored to open up the second quarter giving the Warriors a 14-12 lead
On the ensuing kick-off, Goodshield gave the Cougars the lead again with a 65-yard touchdown return. The score gave Monument Valley an 18-14 lead.
Monument Valley kept making explosive plays when Hicks made an interception returning it 35 yards to the Navajo Pine 15-yard line. The Cougars added another score when Cly placed another pass into the end zone, this one caught by Hicks. The score pushed Monument Valley’s lead to 24-14 in the second quarter.
The warriors drove to the Monument Valley five-yard line but the Cougar defense held strong to force a turnover on downs. Monument Valley’s second play of the drive was another explosive play with Cly throwing a pass to Goodshield who ran 80-yards in for the score. Giving the Cougars a 30-12 lead.
The Warriors responded with a touchdown drive to make the score 30-18.
The Cougars responded with the first play of the drive being a deep pass from Cly to Hicks 35 yards down to the 15-yard line. The Monument Valley drive stalled however when the Cougars threw a 4th-down interception into the end zone.
Hicks however returned the favor catching an interception to end the half with Monument Valley owning a 30-18 lead.
On the first drive of the 3rd quarter, the Cougars drove 55 yards capped off with a 10-yard touchdown run by Cly to extend the Monument Valley lead 36-18 early in the second half. The Cougars then recovered an onside kick and on the next play of the drive, Cly threw a 47-yard bomb to Hicks. On the point-after attempt, Hicks returned the favor, flicking a pass to Cly to complete the two-point conversion giving Monument Valley their final points of the game.
While the 44-18 lead was trimmed to 44-34 the game was well in hand as Monument Valley secured their second win of the season.
Monument Valley closes out the regular season on October 11 in Montezuma Creek. The Whitehorse Raiders and Monument Valley Cougars face off for the 2nd edition of the Battle of the Drum. The game will be broadcast on radio at 92.7 FM and streamed online at StreamUtah.Live. Kickoff is at 6:00 pm.