Monticello football comeback falls short against El Capitan, Arizona

by David Boyle
News Director

The Monticello High School football team fell to 3-4 on the year with a loss to El-Capitan High School on September 29. The Eagles, out of Colorado City, AZ, trailed the Buckaroos at halftime but pulled ahead in the second half to win 34-21.
El Capitan struck first, scoring on a 17-yard passing play in the first quarter. Monticello answered on their ensuing possession on a four-yard Robert Morrison touchdown run. JD McDonald added an extra point to make the score 7-6. 
On the very next series, Mason Atwood recovered an Eagle fumble, giving the Buckaroos possession inside the five yard line. McDonald ran the ball in from the one to give MHS a 13-6 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The Eagles answered with a touchdown in the second quarter but the Buckaroo defense prevented a two-point conversion to preserve a 13-12 lead at halftime. 
Neither team scored in the third quarter but the Eagles regained the lead on the second play of the fourth quarter with a one-yard touchdown run. A two-point conversion made the score 20-13.
El-Capitan scored on their next possession to make the score 28-13. The Eagles scored their final points with 2:30 left in the game to make the score 34-13. 
The Buckaroos got one final score on the following play when Tavon Black returned the kickoff 90 yards to paydirt to make the score 34-19. They added two points when McDonald found Carter Rogers in the endzone, making the final score 34-21. 
The Buckaroos had one more possession but were unable to get into the endzone to complete a comeback.
Monticello stays home this Friday, October 6 to host local rival Whitehorse at 7 p.m. Catch the game on StreamUtah.live.