Nevada opens season on short end of hectic finish

NEVADA -- Nevada played with a good bit of skill and even more heart in a game against Holden that went just six seconds too long at Logan Field Friday night.

After an exhaustive back-and-forth scrap-all game, the Tigers came back to take the lead on a 55-yard pitch from quarterback Alex Payne to wingback Dalton Hendren, who broke two tackles and almost fell down before carrying the ball into the end zone to ecstatic cheers from the standing-room-only home crowd.

Head Coach Wes Beachler went for the win and it seemed he had gotten it.

Hendren took Payne's handoff with 48 seconds on the clock and scored the 2-point conversion through the right side of the line behind guard Anthony Mahder, tackle Nick Conner and tight end Andrew Schmidt and Nevada took the lead 28-27.

But the man who bedeviled Nevada all night, Eagles halfback Max Mickey, took a handoff following Sam Ellifrits' kickoff and ran from his 20-yard line to Nevada's 35.

Mickey, who gained 172 yards on 26 carries and scored four touchdowns, busted to Nevada's 25 before quarterback Jeff Miller ran left to the 14, tackled hard by the Tigers' Brett Norton with 5.8 seconds left.

The whole crowd no doubt expected Mickey to get the ball again, but Eagles Coach Mike Hedrick lined him up in the slot and called a pass to Jordan Sullins.

The ball looked too high, but Sullins pulled it down in the back right corner of the end zone as time ran out and the scoreboard said, "Holden 33, Nevada 28."

Beachler was heartened by the performances of Payne and Hendren, who gained 139 yards on 12 carries and got three TDs, but said he will run a lot of tackling drills next week.

"I'll be shocked if we give up 33 points again this year," Beachler said.

Asked if he had any hestitation about going for the win, Beachler said, "With the offensive line we have, we're not playing to tie very often."

Beachler said his younger players are still adjusting to the speed of varsity football and that the Tigers' defense will be stronger when all-district linebacker Cole Sanderson recovers from a bruised foot. He added that Bradey Denney is still making the transition from safety to linebacker.

On a cool, overcast night that sprinkled but never rained, the crimson and gray Tigers' complex double wing offense showed promise early as Ellifrits, agile and wide-ranging despite his 6-foot-6, 290-pound stature, worked in tandem with end Lucas Denman, guard Colton Trotter, center Colby Smith, Mahder, Conner and Schmidt.

But the smaller Eagles, showing good team speed, went up 14-0 before Hendren broke through the right side of the line on a 56-yard run down the right sideline at 7:17 of the second quarter.

He broke loose again from 44 yards out with 2:45 left in the first half, then Mickey shook loose and stutter-stepped his way 65 yards to put Holden up by 21-14.

Payne willed the Tigers back into contention with a 33-yard pass to Nathan Colopy late in the third period. The conversion kick missed, but the Tigers were only down 21-20.

Mickey put the Eagles up again 27-20 with a 26-yard burst with 7:37 left before the closing heroics by both teams.

Nevada hosts Willard in the second of three consecutive home games to start the season Friday at Logan Field. Kickoff is again set for 7 p.m.

HOLDEN...... 6 15 0 12 -- 33

NEVADA........ 0 14 6 8 -- 28

H -- Mickey 33 run (kick failed), 3:28

H -- Mickey 5 run (Sullins pass from Miller), 9:05

N -- Hendren 56 run (Denman kick), 7:17

N -- Hendren 44 run (Denman kick), 2:45

H -- Mickey 65 run (Mickey run), 2:01

N -- Colopy 33 pass from Payne (kick failed), 3:54

H -- Mickey 26 run (pass failed), 7:37

N -- Hendren 55 pass from Payne (Hendren run), :48

H -- Sullins 14 pass from Miller (conversion failed), :05