It’s a simple equation with season-defining stakes for the Fernley High School football team this week as it hosts Dayton with both teams in the same situation: win and keep playing, or lose and turn in the pads.
The 3A Northern League postseason will effectively start a week early this Friday when Fernley and Dayton square off at 7 p.m. with the final playoff spot on the line for the Lyon County rivals.
Both squads enter the regular-season finale sitting at 3-6 overall and 2-5 in league play. For two teams that have endured a turbulent autumn, Friday night offers an opportunity for immediate redemption.
“It’s like a get on the horse and get to work and go reap the rewards of your hard work, like the fruits of your labor type situation,” Fernley coach Anfernee Sloan said.
The Vaqueros enjoyed the fruits of their labor last week, beating Lowry 26-7 to keep their playoff hopes alive and set up the win-and-in scenario this week.
It didn’t come without hardship though, as the Vaqueros were unable to convert on three scoring opportunities. Fernley’s first drive ended with a fumble at the Lowry 20-yard line, and the third ended when a runner fumbled just before crossing the goal line.
Another drive inside Lowry territory ended when the Vaqueros couldn’t convert on fourth down.
“I thought we were playing well, it was just a matter of finishing the drives,” Sloan said. “We easily could have been up 21-0 or 28-0 at the half.”
The Vaqueros finally got on the board in the closing seconds of the first half, on a 33-yard touchdown pass from Elijah Devold to Keaunue Tolliver.
Sloan said that score was an emotional lift and created momentum into the second half for the Vaqueros.
“After that it was like peeling a banana, essentially,” he said. “Those guys were just making it look effortless.”
A 15-yard touchdown run by Jayse Jones in the third quarter made it 13-0.
On Lowry’s next possession, Julian Bill-Ramirez intercepted pass that Jayden Esparza deflected. His return to the 4-yard line set up a touchdown run by Esparza to make it 20-0 after a two-point conversion run by Esparza.
After Lowry drove for a score to make it 20-7, Esparza’s 8-yard touchdown run made it 26-7 with 3:18 left in the game.
Esparza finished with 178 yards rushing on 22 carries, and the Vaqueros had 313 total rushing yards. Devold completed 2-of-5 passes for 60 yards, including the 33-yard touchdown to Tolliver.
Now the Vaqueros hope Continue the way they played in the second half, when Sloan said they looked more like the team they’re capable of being.
“I keep telling everyone that we’re the scariest 3-6 team you’ll ever play and Coach Ivens at Truckee will attest to that,” Sloan said. “Our record doesn’t reflect the type of team we are.”
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