Bonanza’s gamble pays off in 20-14 victory over Spring Valley

Bonanza head coach Dion Lee calls himself a gambling man.

Friday night against Spring Valley, his fourth-down gamble paid off when Bonanza quarterback Cannon Reid hit R.J. McCarter on a 35-yard scoring strike with 4:55 remaining in the game to lift the Bengals over the host Grizzlies in the annual Banner Game, 20-14.

“We’ve been in two other games like this, which just hadn’t gone our way, but tonight it did,” Lee said. “You know, these seniors, they wanted it bad, and our defense stepped up today, I don’t care what you want to say, our defense came together.”

The win improves the Bengals to 2-4 overall and 1-3 in Southwest League play. It also keeps their hopes alive for the league’s fourth playoff seed.

“Our young quarterback was able to open up and get the ball to R.J., who is probably one of the best receivers in town,” Lee said. “But it is Bonanza, and when you lose all the time, nobody respects the players that are out there, but they finally got it.”

Lee also took a gamble when he took points off the board. Placekicker David Beck drilled a 46-yard field goal late in the third quarter, but the Grizzlies were flagged for roughing the holder and Bonanza decided to go for it. That bet busted as the Grizzles defense forced another field goal attempt, but a bad snap ended that scoring opportunity.

“I took three points off the board, but it was the right call,” Lee said. “I thought of it like this. If we don’t score, they have to go 80 (yards). I would put it in the hands of my defense all day.”

The Bengals defense did its part when Spring Valley drove to the Bonanza 18-yard line with 12 seconds remaining in the game, but for the fourth time in the second half, the Bengals forced a stop on a fourth down in the red zone.

Senior linebacker Ammon Montenegro led the Bengals defensive effort. He killed the Grizzlies first red-zone opportunity in the second half with a tackle for loss.

“Our defense did really well in this game, and we held them tight,” Montenegro said. “We came over a lot of adversity. Just the feeling of winning and getting this banner back is amazing. I love my team so much.

“They’re really a passing team, as an inside linebacker, I just have to trust that our corners and outside linebackers are covering their guy and our d-line is getting pressure on them. That’s what kept them out of the end zone.”

Reid threw for 159 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Bengals offensive effort. Josh Wilson caught a 15-yard scoring strike from Reid on the Bengals first possession of the game. Running back Ricardo Hill ran for 159 yards on 29 carries. Receiver Joey Fox scored on a 45-yard reverse for the Bengals.

“Ricardo is our guy, so we put it on him tonight,” Lee said. “He’s the person that everyone has got to stop. The game plays around him.”

Quarterback K.C. Moore threw for 227 yards and a touchdown to lead the Grizzlies (1-5, 0-3). Receiver Noah Williams caught seven passes for 121 yards and ran for a 3-yard score. Receiver Marquelle Diggs caught two passes for 33 yards and a score.