Nullified Score Turns Tide Against Sunny Hills

David Wackerman, Sunny Hills High School tailback, rushed for 182 yards Thursday night against Nogales, but he had a one-yard touchdown run nullified by a penalty in the Lancers’ 24-10 loss.

Wackerman had culminated a 61-yard scoring drive to open the second half with his short run that would have given the Lancers a 13-7 lead. But the touchdown was voided when officials ruled that Wackerman had illegally re-entered the game because he was injured on a previous play. According to high school rules, if play is stopped because of an injury, that player must sit out one play.

Instead of a touchdown, Sunny Hills settled for Juan Rasilla’s 23-yard field goal and never scored as Nogales rallied with 17 unanswered points to improve its record to 3-1. Sunny Hills is 1-3.

“It was kind of disappointing,” said Tim Devaney, Lancer coach. “We had a great drive going on the first series of the second half and the tempo was going our way.

“I didn’t know David had gone back into the game. I think the officials should have told him he couldn’t go back in. I realize we were wrong, but the officials didn’t take control in this situation.”

Everything seemed to go wrong for the Lancers after Wackerman’s touchdown was nullified. Nogales scored on its first play following the ensuing kickoff when tailback Daryll Lewis raced 92 yards to the end zone.