Badgers take second in WSFL
with 64-35 crushing of
Phoenix College on Saturday
By Robert Stevens
Managing editor
Nov. 16, 2017
PHOENIX, Ariz.—Snow College nailed down second place in the Western States Football League (WSFL) by nearly doubling the score of their opponents, Phoenix College, in a 64-35 clash on Saturday.
In the process of smashing Phoenix, the Badgers made 25 first-downs, net 263 yards rushing, 307 yards passing, for a total of 570 offensive yards.
The Badgers’ passing game netted three touchdowns when QB Shane Johnson made 14 of 26 passes for 278 yards. On the receiving end of Johnson’s arm cannon were Derek Wright, Jeremiah Beverly, and Anthony Turner. Back-up quarterback Nick Robins finished the game with 98 yards and a touchdown pass to Sealun Erskine.
An effective running game came from the Badgers on game day, earning four touchdowns for Snow. D’Arman Notoa claimed three of them, and Jaylen Warren rushed for 133 yards, running one home in the process.
During the game, Badger Daymon Murray returned a fumble 85 yards for a touchdown in addition to cherry-picking an interception. Defensive end Isaac Fotu had two sacks, while Troy Murray had one. Samuelu Elisaia got a pick, and Weslee Moeai scooped a fumble.
The Badgers started off the game with two successful consecutive offensive drives—a touchdown pass from Shane Johnson to Derek Wright, and then a 55-yard touchdown run from Notoa to make it 14-0 Snow. Their opponents answered back in the second quarter, tying up the game to 14-14.
Snow then made a 46-yard touchdown pass from Shane Johnson to Jeremiah Beverly, after which Johnson connected with Anthony Turner for a 37-yard scoring offense.
It was 27-14 Snow at half-time, but the Badgers would boost their lead in the third with an touchdown run by Warren, another by Notoa and a 26-yard field goal by Kekoa Sasaoka to light up the board at 44-14 for Snow as the fourth quarter set in.
Answering another Bear touchdown, Robins hit Erskine for an 8-yard touchdown pass, placing Snow at 51-21.
But the Bears took advantage of converting an on-side kick to score on two consecutive offensive possessions, making things 51-35, Badgers still in the lead.
Snow capped off the game with a single-yard touchdown run by Notoa and an 85-yard fumble recovery by Murray to earn a 64-35 victory.
Snow’s overall record now stands at 9-1 with the win. Their WSFL record stands at 6-1—just behind 7-0 Arizona Western.
