Interception Return Puts Marina on Top

Josh Roberts returned an interception 30 yards for a touchdown with 11 seconds left in the third quarter to lead Marina to a 20-14 victory against Las Vegas Eldorado Friday night at Westminster High School.

Roberts, a sophomore defensive back, stepped in front of Ryan Richardson’s attempted screen pass and raced down the right sideline for the score.

“I thought that was a pretty good call by the defense,” Marina Coach Dave Thompson said. “We went man-to-man when we thought the screen was coming.”

Eldorado (0-2) took a 14-0 lead in the first 14 minutes of the game on a 6-yard touchdown run by Broderick Ivery and a 16-yard touchdown pass from Richardson to Ricky Ross. Marina, however, tightened its defense and shut out Sundevils the rest of the way.

Marina (1-0) scored on 3-yard pass from Travis Anderson to Matt Thompson late in the second quarter, but the extra-point attempt was blocked. The Vikings tied the score early in the third when Anderson went around right end for seven yards and Aron Bergman hit Thompson for a two-point conversion.

The Viking offense played ball control most of the second half. Marina held the ball for nearly 17 minutes in the final two quarters.

Anderson and tailback Mike Byers led the Marina offense. Anderson completed nine of 13 passes for 102 yards and Byers rushed 17 times for 96 yards.