Plains shows its homecoming pride

For two quarters of football, they battled it out. Eagles versus Horsemen. Homecoming pride for Plains and a chance to show they have improved since the first of the year.

All were accomplished this past Friday night during Plains’ Homecoming football match with the Valley Christian Eagles. And while the Horsemen did not taste the victory they long for in their 40-14 loss, they may be on the right track as the season crests the halfway point.

A week’s worth of festivities had proceeded the game, encouraging displays that the victory drought had not robbed the school or it’s sports teams of the spirit it takes to succeed.

Take for example, the defensive struggle they were locked in with the visitors, who like Plains cam into the game 0-3.

Valley Christian scored the first points of the game well into the second quarter after both defenses fought to a first quarter stalemate.

Defense wins championships.

But offense is a good thing to have also. Still, it took most of the first half for either team to cross the goal line and the Eagles did so via a five yard scoring run and point after touchdown try that gave them an 8-0 lead.

That score may have been the spark the VC team needed as they kept it rolling into the third quarter. There they scored once on another five yard run, then pulled off a stunner with a 62-yard touchdown sprint that put them up 22-0 heading into the final quarter.

Another sign of a team that has not given up is how they respond in the last quarter of a game in the face of a big, but not overwhelming deficit.

So it was probably not a surprise that this defensive struggle deteriorated into a mini scoring festival over the final 12 minutes of play.

In the opening moments of the final frame, Plains junior Aden West snagged a 27-yard catch and run pass from Horseman quarterback Darren Standeford, one of the plethora of sophomores on this young Plains roster that hints at good things to come.

West crossed the goal line for six points and erased the possibility of being shutout on home turf...during Homecoming. The PAT try was no good, but the score made it 22-6 with most of the quarter left to play.

However, thoughts of a dramatic Homecoming comeback were probably dashed on Plains’ next defensive stand, which came to an abrupt end thanks to a quick strike 42-yard Eagles passing touchdown..

With half the final quarter to go, Valley Christian held a 28-6 lead.

But the young colts kept coming and on their next possession, Standeford broke through the Eagles’ defense and galloped 65 yards for a score. The two-point PAT run was good and the Horsemen had pulled within two scores, trailing the Eagles 28-14.

However, in this fourth quarter of explosive plays, Valley Christian rebuilt their lead in dramatic fashion when they put the game out of reach via a 46-yard touchdown run. The visitors would then tack on an insurance score a short time later, this one a six-yard scoot by Elijah Fisher. That made it 40-14 and time would run out on any further comeback attempt by the home team.

Plains fell to 0-4 with the loss, while VC got it’s first win of the year and improved to 1-3.

Next up for the Horsemen is a trip to Arlee this Friday evening where they will take on the Warriors, who stand at 2-3 on the 2022 season.