By Greg Lee, NWPrepsNow.com
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Ben Cochran saw the rainbow hanging high above Albi Stadium.
The Rogers football coach noticed it just as his team scored a touchdown to pull within 20-19 with 4:46 remaining Thursday.
Cochran called a timeout to set up a two-point conversion play. Quarterback Cole Shafer rolled right with the option to pass or throw, and when he got to the perimeter he put his head down, diving into the end zone to lift the Pirates to a 21-20 win over the West Valley Eagles.
The rainbow faded into the clouds seconds later.
“I saw it. I said ‘It’s meant to be guys,’” Cochran said. “We told the guys to enjoy the challenge. We told them (before the game) a story about guys who were picking up rocks and putting them in their pockets and they were sad they didn’t get more because they turned into diamonds. So we told them to enjoy the challenge.”
Shafer praised his linemen and receivers for their blocking.
“They (the Eagles) were getting good pressure all night, so I knew if I could get to the edge I had options and I could run it,” Shafer said. “(The win) means we’re making a difference to our school and to our program. We’re changing our history.”
The Pirates (2-1) had to overcome themselves and opportunistic West Valley (1-2).
Late in the third quarter, WV took a 20-7 lead when quarterback Hunter Wright scored on a sneak from a yard out.
Rogers appeared as if it would answer the score but turned the ball over on downs at the Eagles’ 5-yard line.
Moments later, Rogers recovered a fumble at the 5 and was in business. The Pirates needed four downs before Shafer found running back Eric McKay on a 3-yard connection to pull Rogers within 20-13 with 10:02 to go.
The eventual winning score came when Shafer found speedy Kahlil Winfrey on a slant. Winfrey split two defenders and high-stepped his way in from 45 yards out.
Rogers played without four starters out with various injuries. Cochran said all will return.
“What you’re seeing is the results of the kids believing,” Cochran said.
The teams exchanged possessions in the first half before WV scored the game’s first touchdown, and it came on fourth-and-7 when Wright hit Tevin Duke on a deep out route. Duke dragged a Pirates defender the final 10 yards to complete the 37-yard scoring play.
The Eagles probably should have had two touchdowns. But Rogers’ Winfrey recovered a fumble at the 8 with the Pirates’ backs to the end zone.
Wright had a good opening half, completing 10 of 14 attempts for 114 yards.
It’s the first time Rogers has won two games – including back-to-back victories – since 2011.
