Monticello football team remains undefeated with hard-fought homecoming win over Dolores

by David Boyle
News Director
The Monticello Buckaroos battled for a hard-earned homecoming win over the Dolores Bears on September 4 by a final score of 26-21. The Buckaroos improved to 3-0 with the win in a home win with only three home games offered this season.
Monticello got the game off on the right foot with a four play drive going 66 yards. The Bucks capped the drive with a 41-yard touchdown pass from Cache Young to Cash Mack. Arturo Gutierrez added the two point conversion on a run to make the score 8-0 with 10:40 left in the first quarter.
Monticello’s defense gave up one first down on the first Bears possession but the Bucks were able to push Dolores back and force a fourth and long. A low snap for the punter resulted in a scramble that didn’t get much beyond the line of scrimmage with John Leber making a tackle and giving Monticello the ball at the Dolores 32 yard line.
Gutierrez said after the game it’s a blast to work with the team’s leading tackler Leber.
“He works hard every day. He goofs off and has fun but that’s what we want as a team captain out in the defense.”
Two plays later Cache Young threw a pass to Brandt Mack who lost one defender and went 32 yards for the touchdown. Young threw a two-point conversion pass to Gutierrez to make the score 16-0 with 8:30 left in the first quarter.
Gutierrez added that leadership from Young has been exactly what the team has needed.
“He’s getting along with everyone and teaching us how to do stuff. He needs to be big, and he is big.”
Monticello’s defense again gave up on first down and then forced a Dolores punt. The offense moved the ball down the field but on fourth down were unable to complete a pass to turn it back over to Dolores.
The Bears then drove the length of the field to set up a first and goal at the nine yard line. Facing a fourth and goal at the two yard line the Monticello defense met the challenge with Gutierrez, Leber and Avery Hedrick all combining for the tackle to turn the ball over on downs. 
After the game Leber added that his teammate stood out to him all night.
“Arturo, he’s out there playing, putting his heart into this, having a great time, as is the whole defense.” 
Monticello’s next possession saw a pass take a wild bounce high in the air to be intercepted by Dolores with the Bears returning it near the end zone Miles Coleman was able to force a fumble recovered By Gutierrez in the endzone to give Monticello the ball at the 20 yard line with a fresh set of downs. Monticello was able to move the ball to midfield before the drive stalled out with a turnover on downs.
Dolores was able to put some points on the board with that drive going 49 yards in 8 plays capped by a 24 yard touchdown pass on a fourth down. The Bears added the point after kick to make the score 16-7 with three minutes left in the first half.
The Bucks and Bears traded possessions again with Dolores getting inside the 20 facing a fourth and four at the 19 yard line Monticello’s defense again stood up with Brandt Mack batting away a pass to stop the Bears and preserve a 16-7 lead at halftime for Monticello.
To start the third quarter the Bucks defense forced a three-and-out. The Monticello offense was able to move the ball down the field but the Bears forced a fumble after a catch at the six yard line to take back possession.
The Buckaroo defense once again made a stop with a fake punt being sniffed out and resulting in Monticello getting the ball at the 19 yard line. Facing a third down the Bucks did complete a pass to the one yard line to set up a first and goal but a holding penalty brought Monticello back and they were unable to score on the drive. 
Two plays later Dolores scored on the biggest play of the night with a 69 yard touchdown pass. The point after kick was no good leaving the score 16-13 with three minutes left in the third quarter.
An onside kick attempt by the Bears was recovered by McKay Nielson to give Monticello good field position, but momentum continued to swing with Dolores as the Bears intercepted a pass two plays later and set themselves up at the Monticello 26 yard line.
Five plays later the Monticello defense again faced a fourth down with five yards to go at the 11 yard line. With Grant Wiggington and Leber making a tackle to keep the Bears short of the yardage needed.
Monticello’s offense got to work driving the near entire length of the field before a fumbled snap exchange was recovered by Dolores to stop Monticello just shy of the end zone once again with 10 minutes left in the game.
The Monticello defense kept putting pressure on and five plays later a fumbled pitch was recovered by Avery Hedrick to give Monticello the ball at the 7 yard line. After an offside penalty the Bucks were able to get in the endzone again on a three yard pass from Young to Gutierrez. Gutierrez said he was just ready to add points for his team.
“I just wanted the ball. Get me the ball any way and I’d score. That’s all I wanted.”
Young added the two point conversion with his feet to make the score 24-13 with eight minutes left in the game. While it seemed like Monticello might have some breathing room the next offensive play for Dolores was a 65-yard touchdown pass to put the Buckaroo fans back on the edge of their seats with the two point conversion successful and the score 24-21 with 7:45 left in the game.
Monticello’s offensive possession took just over a minute off the clock but was unable to get a first down resulting in a punt to Dolores all the way back at their own 20. Monticello’s defense again came up big just five plays later with Canyon Christensen intercepting a pass over the middle to give the Buckaroos possession again with 4:20 left in the game.
Leber singled out the play as a huge factor in the win, “Canyon if he doesn’t get that pick they could’ve went down and scored.”
The Buckaroos bled some time off the clock and on a fourth down heaved a ball deep for an arm punt that was intercepted at the five yard line with 2:15 left in the game and the teams separated by just three points. Following an incomplete pass on first down Leber noticed something.
“Coach Anderson taught us this thing a couple weeks ago. Virtual imagery. Before each play I close my eyes and think what’s going to happen and pursue the hole or if they’re going to pass it I’ll be on the quarterback the whole time.”
With that in mind Leber said he noticed that the quarterback had turned his back for just a second on the first play with Leber deciding to make a gamble on the second play.
“I’m just going to blitz, if I get in trouble I get in trouble and it ended up working out.“
The Bears quarterback dropped back into the endzone to throw on second down and pressure from Hedrick and Leber forced an intentional grounding flag in the endzone resulting in a safety to make the score 26-21 and with just two minutes remaining Monticello was able to kneel out the clock and earn a hard-fought homecoming win.
All homecoming wins are special but this one was particularly important to Gutierrez who suffered a season ending injury in last years 56-7 loss to Dolores.
“It feels good. We worked hard. It means a lot. I had to work hard during the offseason. We should’ve won last year, we just gave up. It feels good for homecoming.”
The Buckaroos were able to earn 234 yards through the air and 40 yards on the ground.
Young completed 17 passes on 35 attempts for three touchdowns and two interceptions. Brandt Mack led the team with four catches for 97 yards and a touchdown. Cash Mack had six catches for 57 yards and a touchdown and Gutierrez had four catches for 54 yards and a touchdown.
Coleman had 41 yards rushing on seven carries while Gutierrez had three yards on three carries.
Defensively the Bucks were led by Leber with 20 tackles, including two tackles for loss. Coleman had 11 including one for loss, while Gutierrez had eight and Christensen had six.
Coleman had a forced fumble, while Christensen had an interception and Hedrick and Leber were both credited with the safety.
With such a close contest Gutierrez credited his whole team and the coaches for a win in such a back and forth battle.
“The sideline hyped us up throughout the game. If we don’t have a sideline we don’t have a game, shoutout to our sideline and coaches.”
Leber agreed, saying “The win was thanks to the whole team and the offense for doing great tonight and putting in all the hard work this week.”
Monticello is on the road to play Norwood, Colorado on September 11. Kickoff is at 7:00 pm and if you can’t make the game you can watch it on StreamUtah.Live.