Game Summary/Box Score
April 28, 2007 Bear River Valley Rockets at Vipers @ Weber High School

VIPERS 35 BEAR RIVER VALLEY 27

PLEASANT VIEW – A game between two of the RMFL AA’s top ranked teams, expected to be a defensive struggle throughout… became one… in the second half, as the Vipers recovered from a 21-7 first quarter hole to take a 28-27 halftime lead and then hold on for a nerve-racking 35-27 victory over rival, Bear River Valley Rockets.

After Viper tailback, Devon Holbrooks 3-yard touchdown run, the only score of the entire second half after 55 points were scored in the first half, the Rockets had one final opportunity to get the win. However, as the Rockets drove, Rocket quarterback, Mike Jenkins would find Daniel Grant over the top, however, as Grant struggled for the end zone, he lost the football near the Vipers 2-yard line with less than a minute to go in the game, extinguishing the Rockets final hope to beat the Vipers for the first time ever.

The Vipers rushing game was in rare form, throughout, getting 319 yards on 39 carries.  Holbrook rushed for 148 yards on 18 carries and the one touchdown rushing and Josh Christensen rushed for 121 on 15 carries, including a 38-yard touchdown burst late in the first quarter to cut into the Rockets 14-point lead at the time, pulling the Vipers to winthin 21-14. Holbrook, who scored three total touchdowns on the day (2 rushing, 1 receiving) would haul in a 28-yard toss from Viper quarterback, James Flynn to knot the game up at 21-21 on the Vipers next possession early in the second quarter.  Then, in the see-saw game, the teams traded big touchdown pass plays later in the quarter as a Rocket decision to fake the extra point… that failed… was the difference in the game until there was only about 4 minutes to go in the game.

Rocket quarterback, Mike Jenkins, had an all-star game effort, leading this team in rushing with 74-yards on 12 runs and he passed for 324 yards and 4 touchdowns against only one interception to keep the Rockets offense moving.  The Rockets out-gained the Vipers 425 to 385 in total net yards, however, the 35 to 27 statistic ended up being the most relevant in the end.

Two Rocket receivers would go over 100 yards, including tailback, Mike Messinger, who caught the big 54-yard pass play to pull the Rockets to within 28-27 and the other was Dave Williams with 2 receptions for 101 yards, largely due to the 79-yard catch and run for score that got the Rockets on the board early in the game, following up the Vipers who scored first on an Andy Schingler 27-yard interception return for a touchdown… the only interception that Jenkins through all evening.

With both teams’ stellar defenses finally tested, big players emerged to make big plays.  For the Rockets, Eric Jones lead all with 9 tackles and 2 sacks. Tyler DeBry recorded 7 tackles and Adam Whitaker had two interceptions of Viper quarterback, James Flynn.  For the Vipers, the Christensen boys lead the day, once again.  Mike Christensen recorded 5-1/2 tackles, including 1-1/2 sacks and Matt Christensen had 5 tackles as the Vipers shut the Rockets out of the end zone the entire second half to secure the victory and the early edge for home field advantage through the 2007 AA playoffs.

Bear River Valley Rockets

21 

6

0

0

27

Vipers

14 

14

0

7

35

 


Scoring Summary:


First Quarter:

VIPERS: Andy Schingler 27-yard interception return (Kennington kick) 14:11
BEAR RIVER VALLEY: Dave Williams 79-yard pass from Jenkins (Spencer kick) 12:31

BEAR RIVER VALLEY: Justin McDermeit 12-yard pass from Jenkins (Spencer kick) 9:01

BEAR RIVER VALLEY: Kody Merritt 10-yard pass from Jenkins (Spencer kick) 6:07

VIPERS: Josh Christensen 38-yard run (Kennington kick) 2:16


Second Quarter:

VIPERS: Devon Holbrook 28-yard pass from Flynn (Kennington kick) 10:57
VIPERS: Colby Cook 33-yard pass from Flynn (Kennington kick) 8:26
BEAR RIVER VALLEY:  Mike Messinger 54-yard pass from Jenkins (kick failed) 4:22


Fourth Quarter:

VIPERS: Devon Holbrook 3-yard run (Kennington kick) 4:07

 

 

 

 

BEAR RIVER

VIPERS

 

First Downs

16

12

 

Rushes-Yds

29

134

39

319

 

Passing

 

6--12--3

 

Passing Yds.

324

95

 

Sacked-Yds

6

33

3

29

 

Net Passing Yds.

291

66

 

Total Yds.

425

385

 

Punts - Avg.

6-43.3

3-54.3

 

Penalties -Yds

14

122

9

80

 

Fumbles - Lost

2

1

3

3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Individual Stats:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rushing:

 

 

 

 

 

Player -Team

Tot. Att.

Tot. Yds

TD's

2 pts.

 

Mike Jenkins - Bear River Valley

12

74

0

0

 

Dave Williams - Bear River Valley

5

41

0

0

 

Mike Wilson - Bear River Valley

8

17

0

0

 

Mike Messinger - Bear River Valley

4

2

0

0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Devon Holbrook - Vipers

18

148

1

0

 

Josh Christensen - Vipers

15

121

1

0

 

James Flynn - Vipers

2

31

0

0

 

Rashad Kennedy - Vipers

4

19

0

0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Passing:

 

 

 

 

 

Player

Comp.

Att.

Yds

TD's

Int.

Mike Jenkins - Bear River Valley

17

37

324

4

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jarmes Flynn - Vipers

6

12

95

2

3

 

 

 

 

 

 

Receiving:

 

 

 

 

 

Player

Recepts.

Yards

Td's

2 pts.

 

Mike Messinger - Bear River Valley

7

149

1

0

 

Dave Williams - Bear River Valley

2

101

1

0

 

David Grant - Bear River Valley

4

36

0

0

 

Cody Merritt - Bear River Valley

2

20

1

0

 

Justin McDermeit - Bear River Valley

2

18

1

0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Colby Cook - Vipers

3

45

1

0

 

Devon Holbrook - Vipers

1

28

1

0

 

Josh Christensen - Vipers

1

15

0

0

 

Brannon Stacy - Vipers

1

7

0

0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Defense:

 

 

 

 

 

Player

Tackles

Sacks

Intercepts

TD's

 

Eric Jones - Bear River Valley

9

2

0

0

 

Tyler DeBry - Bear River Valley

7

0

0

0

 

Adam Whitaker - Bear River Valley

6

0

2

0

 

Cody Anderson - Bear River Valley

5.5

1

0

0

 

Dallan Robinson - Bear River Valley

5.5

0

0

0

 

Jason Best - Bear River Valley

4

0

0

0

 

Travis Fuit - Bear River Valley

4

0

0

0

 

Clark Funk - Bear River Valley

3

0

0

0

 

Mike Watson - Bear River Valley

2

0

0

0

 

Bryan Freeman - Bear River Valley

1.5

0

0

0

 

Nick Meyer - Bear River Valley

1

0

0

0

 

Colter Hamilton - Bear River Valley

1

0

0

0

 

Nick Green - Bear River Valley

1

0

0

0

 

Earl Taylor - Bear River Valley

0.5

0

0

0

 

John Walker - Bear River Valley

0.5

0

0

0

 

John Larsen - Bear River Valley

0.5

0