Turnovers prove costly in Pine Creek's 13-10 loss at Ponderosa

PARKER • Add heartbreak to Pine Creek’s gloomy season.

“I thought we had them on ropes,” said Pine Creek coach Todd Miller after Friday’s game against No. 2 Ponderosa. “But it wasn’t to be.”

On this night, the Eagles lost for the fourth time this season by three points or less (including a 2-0 forfeit to Liberty), this time falling to the Mustangs 13-10 at Sports Authority Stadium.

“If we could just get the ball to bounce a couple more times in our favor, maybe it’s different,” Miller said of his 2-6 season. “But it’s not. And the reality is, it is what it is.”

To that point, it’s the little mishaps that are costing the Eagles game after game.

“It’s little things here and there,” Pine Creek quarterback Scott Savage said.

And Friday was no different.

Down 13-10, Pine Creek turned over the ball on its final two drives. First, Lavanson Coffey fumbled at midfield (5:47), a play after it seemed the Eagles had all the momentum, converting a fourth-and-2 on a power run from Savage.

“You can’t turn it over against this good of a team three times (two lost fumbles and an interception) and expect to win,” Miller said. “Those things will bite you in the butt every time.”

Then on the fourth-and-3 from midfield, Savage faked the handoff to Coffey, stepped up and locked on to a wide-open James Fisher 10 yards down the field. The ball slipped through the receiver’s hands, turning it over to Ponderosa with 2:33 remaining.

“I threw that pass way too hard,” Savage said, “I know it.”

The Mustangs then picked up two first downs to kill the clock and keep intact their perfect season (9-0).

All the scoring was reserved for the first half.

In the opening quarter, Ponderosa chipped away on a 5-plus-minute drive to start the game, going 51 yards in 12 plays to take the early 7-0 lead. Corry Williams Jr. scored from 1 yard out to cap it off.

Pine Creek tied it on the following drive with a 7-minute drive.

On the drive, the Eagles rushed for 54 yards and threw for another 19, as Savage punched it in from the 1 on the first play of the second quarter. The drive was kept alive with less than 1 minute in the first quarter when Savage threw his only pass of the drive on fourth-and-2, hitting Dalton Coker down at the 1.

And the offenses kept going.

The Mustangs rode Augustine on their second drive. He ran for 10 yards and added a 38-yard pass to retake the lead. The senior QB scored on a 1-yard sneak, making it 13-7 after Pine Creek blocked the extra point.

Pine Creek closed it to three with 42 seconds left in the half when Knickolas Narvaez drilled a 29-yard field goal after 67-yard drive.

It was 13-10 at half — and that’s how it stayed.

Going forward, the reality is the Eagles are only playing for pride as they face Air Academy and Rampart to end their season.

Miller couldn’t be prouder.

“We’re going to keep fighting,” he said.