Skyhawks give Shiprock a good shake

Posted by Sunnie R. Clahchischiligi | Sep 7, 2017 | Football |

Navajo Times | Sunnie R. Clahchischiligi
Newcomb’s Brydale Davis (9) carries the ball while teammate Brandon Ramone (53) tries to keep a clear path of Shiprock defenders last Friday. Shiprock picked up a nondistrict 20-6 win.

SHIPROCK

The Shiprock High School football team needed a good shake.

The team thought they were well prepared going into the second game of the season, but the Newcomb Skyhawks proved otherwise when they jumped on the scoreboard first in the second quarter to lead Shiprock, 6-0.

Shiprock head coach Eric Stovall said it was a rude awakening for his team and it was what they needed in order to go on and take the 20-6 win at the end.

“We finally went back to fundamental football after the half. We finally talked to the kids and said, ‘Look, you got two options; you can go home 0-2 tonight or you can go home 1-1 and get back in the winning column, and get ready for Dolores. It’s your choice, it’s your team,’” Stovall said. “So some of those leaders stepped up and they made a difference.”

Both teams had a rough first quarter and closed the quarter scoreless. In the second quarter, with about three minutes left in the first half, Newcomb inched its way to the end zone. They landed a first down with eight yards to the goal before Shiprock was penalized for a facemask. The call put Newcomb within four yards of a touchdown that Newcomb running back Deontay Begay completed to put the Skyhawks up 6-0 with 1:47 left in the first half.

Newcomb made a two-point attempt but was not able to follow through.

Newcomb head coach Shawn Miller said the team knew their opponent fairly well but also knew they could compete, which showed in the first half.

“We’re familiar with Shiprock, their spread offense. We could match what they had as far as speed goes, I knew my boys could play with them,” Miller said. “But we just pretty much had some breakdowns, some lapses from start to finish.”