Wolves come up short Friday night

The Wolves were hoping to start their season at 2-0 against their second non-conference foe this season, but Rawlins hung on for a close 16-14 victory. 

For the second week in a row, both teams have new coaches with Rawlins running a new and difficult to defend Wing-T offense, which is very deceptive with each play looking the same for the first few steps and though Green River was aware of this relatively rare high-school offense it proved to be a tough running game to defend at times.

Wolves received the ball and after Anthony Johnson fell on the ball at the 15-yard line the Wolves went to their senior running back Kyle Ivie on three straight plays, but Rawlins crowded the line and forced a punt on three and out.

Despite a nice 47-yard punt, Rawlins started with good field position when they returned the punt 16 yards. On the first two plays, Rawlins ran the ball and were held to just 4 yards by a swarming Wolves defense led by senior middle linebacker Anthony Mitchell. However after making a big play, Mitchell reached out and seemingly patted the Rawlins runner on the helmet, which drew a flag for a 15-yard personal foul and Rawlins moved into Green River territory. Rawlins then ran the ball with Caison Straw, Tito Mena, Jose Sanchez and Taylor Jensen among those limiting Rawlins to short gains. Rawlins went for it on fourth down and one and picked up 2 yards to the Green River 12-yard line.

The Outlaws then had three penalties for 20 yards in their next five plays with the Wolves again playing tough run defense led by Mitchell and James King. Rawlins then got back 16 yards on a reverse, but on forth down and two they were held to less than a yard gain.

Green River took over and mounted a running attack of their own with Ivie having the big play in the series on a run, but then a fumble turned the ball right back to Rawlins just before the first quarter ended with score even at 0-0.

To start the quarter, Rawlins went with the run again with a 16-yard pickup breaking tackles all the way and Rawlins was up 6-0.  Rawlins went for two-point conversion and the Outlaws were up 8-0.

After a 17 yard kick off return, Serrano dropped back to pass on the first play from scrimmage. Rawlins pressured Serrano who scrambled and got away and launched a long pass to Anthony Johnson for a 34-yard pick up. Serrano connected with Anthony Mitchell who made a tough run after the catch for 16 yards setting up a fourth and four.  The Outlaws went right back to their power running game with solid run defense by the Wolves including tackles by Thomas Harvey, Straw, Erik Gwaltney, King and Mitchell.  Rawlins lined up and appeared to be going for it on fourth down, but quickly kicked the ball to Anthony Johnson for 32 yards which Johnson returned 10 yards.

The Wolves came up with some solid defense this time led by Payton Tucker, Kyle Ivie, Gwaltney and Riese Allison. Rawlins came up with fourth and goal, but were stopped by Tucker, Mitchell and a host of Wolves defenders.  Green River got the ball back for a quick series ,but went nowhere and the half ended with Rawlins leading the Wolves by a score of 8-0.

After a halftime, the Wolves came out fired up and kicked off to Rawlins. On the first two plays Mitchell and Tucker again led the defense with Rawlins making only minimal gains until they broke through on a 57-yard run and again went for and made the two-point conversion and the Wolves were down 16-0.

Green River started their next drive on their own 35-yard line as the kick off went out of bounds. Serrano's first pass of the series was knocked down, but then Ivie picked up 6 yards followed by two tough runs by Mitchell for 17 yards. A half back pass from Anthony Johnson to Riese Allison for a big 36 yard gain was the next play. Mitchell followed with another crushing run for a 9 yard gain. On the next play, Serrano had to scramble away from good pressure applied by the Rawlins defense, but he got away and launched a long pass which Johnson who out-leaped the Rawlins defenders and secured the catch for Green River's first score of the night.  The Wolves also went for a  2-point conversion when King took the ball in for the score, taking the game to 16-8.

Rawlins stuck with the running game and then tried one of their very few passes of the night, but it was intercepted by Michael Anderson. The Wolves moved the ball, but had to punt.

The Wolves defense once again stopped the Outlaws this time with a big play from senior Russell Ferrell. 

Finally, late in the fourth quarter Serrano again had to scramble, but eluded the Rawlins defense and completed a pass to Ivie for a first down. After an incomplete pass, Serrano dropped back to pass, but his receivers were covered and he took of with a 19-yard run for a touchdown to take the score to 16-14.  The Wolves went for the two point conversion to tie the score, but Rawlins defense came up with the big stop and the score remained 16-14.

The Wolves had one last chance and tried the on-side kick, but it was recovered by Rawlins who ran out the clock for a hard fought close victory on the road

"We got of to a slow start. The offense didn't sustain drives and kept putting the defense back on the field," coach Marty Wrage said. "The players worked hard, but we were not very consistent." 

Wrage said the team had penalties at the worst possible times.  

"We will continue to improve as a team," he said.  The Wolves will travel to Torrington this Friday.