Rattlers top Cheyenne, clinch playoff berth

Mojave took advantage of turnovers, field position, and Tawee Walker’s three touchdowns to clinch a Sunset League playoff berth with a 40-6 road win over Cheyenne on Friday.

Walker scored on a 65-yard run on the game’s first play, then added another 65-yard scoring run late in the first half to give Mojave (6-2, 3-1) a 12-0 halftime lead.

There was plenty of action in the interim, including two Cheyenne drives that were halted by turnovers in the red zone: a first-quarter fumble near the Mojave goal line and a second quarter interception at the Mojave two.

The Desert Shields (2-5, 1-3) finally put it in the end zone on their first drive of the second half, with Joshua Rose hitting Anthony Walker on a 41-yard gainer, then taking a draw play in from 13 yards for the score.

Walker scored his third touchdown on a 2-yard run with 3:00 to go in the third quarter. The Rattlers recoved a fumble on the first play of the next drive, setting up a Xavier DeLong 20-yard scoring scamper wtih 2:03 left in the third.

In the fourth quarter, even more went right for Mojave, as John Harper evaded a potential punt block and instead ran for a 47 yard touchdown, and fullback Ironzi Miller added his own 52-yard rushing score.

Walker finished with 189 yards for the Rattlers. Anthony Walker collected 102 receiving yards for Cheyenne.