Valley stuns rival Dowling in final minute with 2-point conversion in Class 5A semifinal

The Maroons hammered the Tigers 35-3 four weeks ago

By Nick Petaros | Photos by Matthew Putney 

CEDAR FALLS – Sometimes the best-designed football play is no match for improvisation.

Such was the case for Valley on Friday night against its fellow West Des Moines rival Dowling Catholic. 

Instead of attempting an extra point to tie the score following Ayden Price’s 2-yard touchdown run with 30 seconds remaining, Valley coach Gary Swenson stuck with a decision he made last weekend following LSU’s upset of Alabama. Swenson played for the win.

In fact, Valley attempted the same play that LSU executed to win that SEC battle. Swenson joked the only difference in his team was size. Tigers quarterback Michael Provenza, however, checked off his first option and Xzavion Robison raced in off the back side for the catch to knock off top-ranked Dowling, 22-21, in the semifinal round of the Class 5A state playoffs.

“We put the play in Monday and worked it every day,” said Swenson, a 47th-year head coach, who has guided Valley to five state titles. “Us against them in overtime is not a good matchup. We either had to win it in regulation or we were going to go home.”

Dowling – 10-2 and the top-ranked school in the all-class SBLive Power 25 –defeated the Valley, 35-3, just four weeks ago at Valley Stadium. The Maroons had won the past four meetings in this series of large school powers. They appeared poised to play for their program’s 11th state title with the strong arm of Penn State commit Jaxon Smolik and a speedy and powerful defense leading the way.

Smolik set the tone early Friday night. His first pass was a bullet to Hank Brown for a 38-yard gain as part of a seven-play, 75-yard scoring drive on the Maroons’ initial series.

Each team’s defense quickly settled in and took control aside from a pair of big plays.

Dowling’s only other score of the first half came on a 55-yard completion from Smolik to Cooper Nicholson. That TD was answered by Valley’s lone first half big play. Price found separation and turned a short out route into a 50-yard touchdown reception, cutting the deficit to a manageable 14-7 at halftime.

The Maroons put Valley in a 21-7 hole after needing to cover just 21 yards following Vinnie Bergtagnolli’s blocked punt with 4:49 left in the third quarter.

Valley kept its composure, refusing to fold. The Tigers defense dug in and eventually the offense found its footing.

“Our defense won this game for us tonight,” said Price, who caught seven passes for 89 yards. “Offense, we couldn’t get anything moving until the end. We had one big play in the first half, but other than that they were shutting us down. Our defense kept us in this game, so that we were within striking distance at the end.”

Dowling’s Smolik, a Penn State commit, faced consistent pressure and was held to 9-of-19 passing for 205 yards. The Maroons managed just 123 yards rushing on 36 carries.

“We missed tackles in the first game,” Swenson said. “We busted some coverages. They made some plays. Their quarterback is big time. He put a clinic on against us in the first game and we had no answer for him. Tonight, we got to him a little bit.”

With Valley’s defense containing the Maroons, the Tigers’ offensive line eventually began to assert itself.

Valley’s junior running back Damon Head, who ran for 93 yards on 17 carries, capped a seven-play, 68-yard drive with a 12-yard touchdown through a hole up the middle. That play cut the Tigers’ deficit to 21-14 with 5:01 remaining.

The Valley defense came up with another quick stop and Provenza had 3:31 to work with in regulation from his own 42. A 26-yard completion to Price advanced the ball to Dowling’s 30. Robinson later hauled in a 6-yard reception on a fourth-and-3 comeback route to the Dowling 6. Two plays later, Price found the end zone off a pitch out wide and the rest is history.

Provenza finished an efficient 17-of-23 passing for 167 yards capped by a closing drive he’s not likely to soon forget.

“After week 3 no one even thought we’d make the second round of the playoffs,” Provenza said, reflecting on a 1-2 start. “Now we’re in the finals. It took the whole year for us to finally click. It’s just so satisfying. The whole time we knew how good we could be and we’re finally doing it.”

Valley (7-4) 0 7 0 15 – 22

Dowling (10-1) 7 7 7 0 – 21

DC – Jaxon Smolik 1 run (Andrew Schumacher kick)

DC – Cooper Nicholson 55 pass from Smolik (Schumacher kick)

Valley – Ayden Price 50 pass from Michael Provenza (Rico Alvarenga kick)

DC – Ra’Shawd 5 run (Schumacher kick)

Valley – Damon Head 12 run (Alvarenga kick)

Valley – Price 2 run (Xzavion Robinson from Provenza)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING: Valley: Damon Head 17-93, Michael Provenza 11-24, Darius Mason 4-15, Ayden Price 3-1. DC: C.J. Phillip 14-72, Ra’Shawd Davis 12-58, Jaxon Smolik 10-minus 7.

PASSING: Valley: Provenza 17-23-0, 167 yards. DC: Smolik 9-19-0, 205 yards.

RECEIVING: Valley: Price 7-89, Hendrick Nimely 5-38, Robinson 4-30, Head 1-10. DC: Cooper Nicholson 5-103, Beau Gamble 2-54, Hank Brown 1-38, C.J. Phillip 1-10.

Matthew Putney, SBLive Sports