Vandals Win Big for Second Straight Week

Keeping the ball primarily on the ground, Eureka rolled up 300 yards rushing in posting a 56-6 win at Whittell last week.

Vandals coach Fred Minoletti said the Warriors are “really down this year from what they have been in the past. A pretty young team with only 11 players and one senior.”

The Vandals overwhelmed Whittell in the first half, scoring three times in both the first and second quarters for a 42-0 halftime lead.

Six Eureka running backs carried the ball. Chris Drayton rushed nine times for 44 yards. Danny Lee ran it six times for 43 yards and one touchdown. Quarterback Clayton Shoda gained the most yards with 111 on five carries and three touchdowns. Ashton Sanders ran the ball four times for 35 yards and one touchdown.

Shoda only passed three times, completing all three for 53 yards, including two to Byron Weeks and a touchdown.

“We were working most of the week on getting better in executing our blocks. But with Whittell being down as they are, we started putting the subs in even in the first half and let them play quite a bit in the second half,” Minoletti said. “Overall, it was a good team effort.”

Eureka only scored once in the second half and Whittell got their only touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

Drayton had four tackles with Sanders and Tristin Auch each getting three solo tackles.

It is the second straight win for the Vandals over Whittell. They won last year, after having suffered three straight losses to the Warriors.

This week’s scheduled game with Round Mountain has been canceled as the Knights have cancelled their football season.

So, the Vandals will have a week off then play a non-league game at Pyramid Lake Sept. 20. The teams haven’t played each other since 2016 when Eureka won 56-0 in Eureka.

Meantime, the girls volleyball team did not have any matches this past week. They are preparing for meetings with Round Mountain and Tonopah this weekend in Eureka, then a mid-week match Sept. 18 with Carlin.