Spring Valley takes ‘Banner Game’ over Bonanza

Marlow Davis made sure that didn’t matter.

Davis returned a pair of interceptions for touchdowns to lead the Grizzlies, No. 2 in the Review-Journal’s Class 4A rankings, to a 42-21 road win over the No. 3 Bengals in the annual “Banner Game.”

“I just came out to win and help my teammates,” said Davis, who also had a sack. “I just wanted to get a good game in and make the record better. That’s it.”

Things didn’t start out well for the Spring Valley (2-0), who fumbled the opening kickoff, setting up Bonanza’s first touchdown on a 30-yard pass from Daniel Perez to Sencere Mitchell with 9:35 to go in the first quarter.

“I felt like it was just butterflies in the stomach,” Davis said of the fumbled kickoff. “Everybody was nervous the first play. We just had to be ready for the game.”

Spring Valley ran just five plays, didn’t pick up a first down and turned the ball over twice in the first quarter, but somehow found themselves up 16-14.

Adrian Oceguera hit Adam Sahouie with a 68-yard TD pass to tie the game at 7. After Perez scored on a 1-yard run to put Bonanza (1-1) up 14-7, Josiah Rivera returned the ensuing kickoff 92 yards to tie the game.

That’s when Davis took over. Perez scooped up a bad snap in the end zone, but Davis wrestled him to the ground for a safety and a 16-14 lead with 47 seconds left in the first quarter.

A bad snap on a punt set Bonanza up with a short field midway through the second quarter, but Davis made sure the momentum didn’t last long. On third-and-goal, Davis stepped in front of a receiver and picked off Perez’s pass, then raced 95 yards down the left sideline for a touchdown and a 23-14 lead with 4:04 to go in the half.

“I was trying to bait the quarterback,” Davis said. “Trying to make him think I was going inside and trying to blitz.”

Two-way lineman Tre Navrkal said that play gave the Grizzlies the momentum.

“When Marlow got that first pick-six, it definitely gave us a lot of energy,” Navrkal said. “We were just hyped. We were ready to ball out after that.”

Davis came through again on the ensuing drive, picking off another Perez pass and racing 35 yards for a score and a 30-14 lead.

Oceguera added a 1-yard TD run, and Cole Baer scored on an 11-yard run to round out the scoring for the Grizzlies.

The win was Spring Valley’s fifth straight in the rivalry with Bonanza.

“Winning a rivalry game, it’s bigger than this team,” Navrkal said. “It’s proving that as a school we are always going to be better than this school. It just feels good. It’s more important than just this year. It’s legacy. You’ve got to leave your own legacy against rivals.”

Damien Speed had an interception and a fumble recovery to lead the Bengals.