Vandals Win Big in Opener

A three-touchdown second quarter blew open Eureka’s first game of the season Aug. 24 with visiting Smith Valley for a 44-8 rout.

The Vandals, like their fierce namesakes of old, swarmed all over the field, racking up 304 yards on the ground and spreading around time with the ball to six different running backs.

Garrett Todd and Wyatt Anderson had nine carries each, with Todd piling up 144 yards and one touchdown. Anderson had 46 yards rushing and one touchdown.

Sophomore Brandon Lee and junior Gage Hayward both had two touchdowns in their seven carries.

Coach Fred Minoletti had sophomore quarterback Wyatt Anderson attempt only four passes, but only had one completion, a 27-yarder to Clayton Shoda.

Todd and Chris Drayton were both credited with 8 tackles each. Todd also had a 60-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

“It wasn’t bad for our first game, a young team as well are,” Minoletti said, A bit sloppy at times with a number of silly mistakes and penalties. We didn’t turn the ball over, so that was good.”

The Bulldogs got their only score in the fourth quarter. “They are a young team themselves, mostly sophomores.” Minoletti said.

On the defensive side of the ball Minoletti said, “The team played really well, didn’t allow Smith Valley too much.”

Stats for Smith Valley were not available. “We did pretty good on the pass coverage with some of our young guys stepping up,” he said.

Up next for the Vandals this Labor Day weekend is one of the three day games this have this season, Sept. 1 at the Coleville Wolves.

Last year’s game was a most unique one in the normally high scoring 8-man game. The final was Coleville 8 Eureka 6.

Average scores for 8-man games are usually at least 20 points or more for one team.

Coleville opened the season with a 56-28 win over Excel Christian of Sparks despite a 315-yard performance by Excel’s Joshua Fixel.

The NIAA record for most rushing yards by an individual in a single game is 494 yards by Shedrick McClenton of Mountain View in 2002.