Cheyenne boots kicking game in victory

Every once in a while, a team's deficiency turns out to be a positive.

For Cheyenne, the lack of a kicking game turned out to be the key to a 16-14 home win over Legacy on Friday night.

The Desert Shields faced fourth-and-goal from the Legacy 3 with the score tied 8-8.

Most teams would have opted for the chip-shot field goal and the lead, but Cheyenne went for it, and it paid off.

Myloe Lewis took a toss and went around the left side for the touchdown. And even after an illegal procedure penalty moved the ball back to the 8, Cheyenne (1-0, 1-0 Nortwest League) chose to go for two, and Lewis scored on the run to put the Desert Shields up 16-8.

"We're just going to keep going for it," Cheyenne coach David Cochran said. "Inside the 40 on in, we've got to go for it. We don't kick at all if we can help it. We practice it, but we try not to kick unless it's mandatory."

The 2-point conversion turned out to be the game's key play, because Legacy's L.J. McMorris returned the ensuing kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown with 7:33 to play. But the Longhorns (0-1, 0-1) were forced to go for 2 to try to tie the score, and Cheyenne stuffed the run attempt to preserve the lead.

"That's what we practice and preach to the kids," Cochran said. "We try to go for those short-yardage situations. Any type of short-yardage play, we're going for it, win or lose."

Legacy's second turnover of the second half set up the go-ahead touchdown for Cheyenne.

McMorris scooped up a punt at the Legacy 6 but fumbled, and Cheyenne's Devin Tatum recovered at the 5.

After picking up just 2 yards on the first three plays, Cochran called Lewis' number, and the junior came through. Lewis, who missed his sophomore season after breaking his ankle in a preseason scrimmage, said he didn't feel much pressure on the play.

"I like the spotlight sometimes," Lewis said.

After giving up a long first-quarter TD run, Cheyenne's defense performed well in the second half, limiting Legacy to 24 yards of offense and one first down.

"We gave up that big play in the first half, and we knew where the problem was coming from," Cochran said. "So we tried to make those adjustments, and the kids played up to what we were trying to tell them to do.

"They really weren't hurting us with the pass, we just wanted to try to stop the run."

Legacy got off to a strong start, scoring on its second possession when fullback Steffan Webb took it 58 yards with 5:01 to go in the first quarter. Elijah Turner's pass to Randy Ricks for the 2-point conversion made the score 8-0.

Cheyenne tied the score on its first possession of the second quarter, driving 90 yards on 10 plays. Lewis capped the drive with an 8-yard TD run, and Tyler Power hit Kenneth Counts with the 2-point pass to tie it.

Lewis finished with 95 yards on 14 carries to lead the Desert Shields' ground game.

"His sophomore year, he didn't even get to play at all," Cochran said. "Just for him coming back this game and getting back into the groove, he really stepped up his game."

Tyler Spight added 81 yards on 22 carries for Cheyenne, which had 249 rushing yards.

D'Andre Hughes rushed for 83 yards on 13 carries to pace Legacy.

Cheyenne traditionally has been one of the area's top teams, but the Desert Shields missed the postseason last fall. Cochran said the team is using that for motivation.

"Cheyenne had been to the playoffs for years, and for us not to be there, it weighed on the kids coming back and me all through the offseason," Cochran said. "It's a very big win or us. I told the kids coming out here today that this was a playoff game, and that's how we approached the situation, just letting everything out and holding nothing back."

And Lewis said he thinks the strong start is a sign of things to come for the Desert Shields.

"It feels great," Lewis said. "I've got a good feeling about this year."

Contact reporter Damon Seiters at dseiters@review-journal.com or 702-380-4587.