Dragons represent well, but end season in playoff game at Meeker

Dragon football season ended Saturday afternoon, Nov. 6, with a 42-35 loss to No. 6 Meeker in the first round of the 1A playoffs.

The back-and-forth game was a close contest that saw the score tied at the end of the first quarter, at halftime and twice in the fourth quarter.

Meeker led by a touchdown at the end of the third quarter, and Holyoke was able to tie the game again with just over three minutes left in the game. Meeker broke the tie with 19 seconds remaining to win 42-35.

“I was really proud of how they competed,” coach Dusty Sprague said of the Dragons. “It’s a tough place to go win, and we just ended up a few plays short.”

He added that sometimes after a long road trip, it can be easy to give up, but the Dragons did not give up and played hard every minute.

He pointed out that the Dragons still had a shot at the end zone after getting the ball with 16 seconds left in the game, and not a lot of high school teams are able to do that.

He said that the kids competed really well this season, even though the season had its ups and downs.

He said a lot of the kids had to play every down, and he is really proud of the way they handled themselves and how much they grew and learned.

“Football takes a lot of people to pull off a successful season and make it a good experience,” Sprague said. He is thankful to everyone who helped make it a positive experience for the kids, including people who drove buses, ran the sideline camera and supported the team in general.

The Dragons received the opening kickoff and started from their 20-yard line. They moved the ball efficiently, earning three first downs on their way to Meeker’s 27-yard line. Facing a third-and-9, Wyatt Sprague completed a pass to Tyson Mosenteen to move the chains.

Holyoke scored first on a 16-yard touchdown run by Wyatt Sprague. Ivan Ponce’s extra point was good, and the Dragons led 7-0.

After the kickoff, the Cowboys scored on their first play from scrimmage on a 75-yard touchdown run to tie the game 7-7 after making the extra point.

The Dragons again started from their own 20 and were able to move the ball into Meeker territory as the first quarter came to an end.

Facing second down at the Cowboy 19, Miles Sprague got the handoff and got the Dragons a new set of downs. After a Cowboy facemask penalty, Wyatt Sprague scored a touchdown on a 7-yard quarterback keeper. Ponce’s extra point was good, and the Dragons led 14-7 just over a minute into the second quarter.

Meeker gained only two yards on its next possession before the Dragon defense forced the punt. Holyoke got great field position at the Cowboy 31-yard line. Keeping the ball on the ground, the Dragons got a first-and-goal at Meeker’s 5-yard line.

A handoff to Miles Sprague set the Dragons up at the Meeker 1-yard line, and Wyatt Sprague kept the ball on the next play to score another touchdown. Ponce sent the ball through the uprights to give the Dragons a 21-7 lead about halfway through the second.

The Cowboys started the next series at their own 20-yard line. Facing third-and-12 at their own 29, the Cowboys completed a pass that took them into Dragon territory. A 28-yard pass completion set them up at Holyoke’s 1-yard line, and they scored on the next play on a quarterback keeper. The Dragons led 21-14 with less than five minutes left in the half.

Both teams punted on their next possessions, and Cash Weber returned Meeker’s punt 20 yards go give the Dragon offense first down at the Cowboy 31. A completed pass to Mosenteen was good for a Dragon first down, but Meeker intercepted Holyoke’s next pass and ran it back for the touchdown, tying the game at 21-21 at halftime after the extra point.

The full article is available in our e-Edition. Click here to subscribe.