Sierra Vista defense shuts down Durango in season opener — PHOTOS
Big performances from Trenton Mitchell and Caleb Green is all Sierra Vista needed to pick up a season-opening high school football victory over host Durango on Friday night.
In their debut in 4A, the Mountain Lions earned a 12-0 win.
In a tight game, it was Sierra Vista’s defense that came through.
The standout performance came from Mitchell, a senior who recorded three second-half interceptions.
Sierra Vista head coach Thomas Raybon had high praise for Mitchell after his big game.
“He knows the inner workings of football, and the work that that kid has put in, it makes me proud,” Raybon said.
In total, the Mountain Lions defense gave up just yards while recording two sacks and a fumble recovery.
Raybon hopes that the hot start for his defense will continue for the rest of the season.
“Can we play like that every week? Seriously,” Raybon said.
On the offensive side for Sierra Vista, the run game dominated.
Green, a junior, accounted for 118 of Sierra Vista’s 201 yards and set up the go-ahead score late in the third quarter.
After a big 32-yard run by Green brought the Mountain Lions to Durango’s 1-yard line, Dom Fletcher finished off the drive with a touchdown to break the scoreless tie.
Green would extend the lead late in the fourth with a touchdown of his own.
It took three quarters for either team to do anything offensively.
In the first half, both teams missed out on prime opportunities to put the ball in the end zone.
Both Sierra Vista and Durango were able to get down to the opposing 1-yard line but ultimately turned the ball over on fumbles.
After going 2-8 last season and being demoted a division, Sierra Vista is on the right path to turning the program around.
“We’re just trying to get better every week,” Raybon said. “We got a big team in St. Pius from California coming in. They got D1 guys, they got a lot of three stars, four stars, five stars committed. So it’s gonna be a challenge.”
