Junior scores twice to lead Red Devils

WAPATO -- Two touches.

Two touchdowns.

One big win for East Valley football.

Those were the sparse yet highly effective contributions of Kyle Fulks, whose 90-yard game-opening kickoff return propelled the Red Devils to a 13-0 victory over Wapato on a slippery, rain-swept Dan Doornink Field on Friday night.

The junior wide receiver also hauled in a 32-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter -- East Valley's only completion of the night -- as the Red Devils overcame three turnovers and Wapato's ball-control offense.

Perhaps not a thing of beauty, but a week after falling 68-0 at top-ranked Prosser and slipping back in the CWAC's playoff chase, Fulks and crew will certainly take it.

"We definitely needed this," Fulks said. "It gets us back in there (at 2-2 in conference) and hopefully gets us on the right track."

Fulks was on the right track with the opening kickoff, finding a lane along the left sideline -- right past his cheering teammates -- and using a perfectly timed cutback 30 yards out to finish off the scoring return.

The Red Devils' ground game produced 222 yards and three big plays from three different backs -- Joanthan Buchanan's 32-yard slash up the middle in the first quarter, quarterback Jordan Cameron's 36-yard sweep in the second period and Jesse Schindler's 39-yard burst in the third quarter.

But none of them could find the end zone.

That was left to Fulks and Cameron, who converted a third-and-20 play with an inside slant route in the third quarter. Fulks was well covered but Cameron, who shook off two previous interceptions, put the ball in the ideal spot despite the rain.

"Jordan's been my quarterback since we were freshmen so it was nice to hook up like that," Fulks said. "The ball was perfect."

Wapato went scoreless for the third time in five games, but the Wolves had plenty of drives, picked up 14 first downs and got inside East Valley's 40 six times.

"I keep telling the kids once they score the flood gates will open," said Wapato coach Lenny Abrams. "It's very frustrating because we're right there. We've just got to figure out how to finish."

Wapato's hard-working running back Kenny Garza picked up a game-high 98 yards and battled for every yard of it, carrying the ball a hefty 29 times. Quarterback Cody Nickoloff turned in his best game of the season despite the weather, completing 12 of 23 passes for 116 yards.

Both teams return to conference play next Friday with East Valley hosting Othello and Wapato visiting Quincy.

East Valley 7 0 6 0 -- 13

Wapato 0 0 0 0 -- 0

EV -- Kyle Fulks 90 kickoff return (Andy Clayton kick)

EV -- Fulks 32 pass from Jordan Cameron (kick failed)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING -- EV, Jonathan Buchanan 10-96, Jesse Schindler 10-77, Cameron 8-41, Clayton 4-8. Wapato, Kenny Garza 29-98, Cody Nickoloff 11-(minus 1).

PASSING -- EV, Cameron 1-7-2-32. Wapato, Nickoloff 12-23-1-116.

RECEIVING -- EV, Fulks 1-32. Wapato, Willie Blodgett 4-32, Garza 4-23, Miguel Ceja 2-32, Zack Lamebull 2-29.

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