Bobcat football kicks off league schedule at Lake Mead

The White Pine High School football team plays its first Southern 2A game of the season at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 2 at Lake Mead Christian Academy (2-2). The Bobcats enter play with a 2-3 record after taking down the Meadows Mustangs 26-6 at home way back on Sept. 18. The Bobcats should be well rested coming off their bye week.

In his first season as WPHS head coach, Mike Grajek inherited nine returning varsity players from last year’s squad, including senior captains Tanner Stokes and Crichton Swetich. But it’s sophomore Cainen Sedlacek who has led the Bobcats on both sides of the ball, averaging over 140 rushing yards and 16.6 tackles per game. He’s already rushed for over 700 yards and has eight touchdowns. His 83 tackles lead all of Nevada and rank 37th in the nation, according to Maxpreps.

Junior Tucker Evans is second on the team with 40 tackles and three tackles for loss. Senior Chayce Trujillo has four scores and is quarterback Jace Hilliar’s top target, with 15 catches for 186 yards. 

Hilliar, a junior, had his best performance of the year in the Bobcats’ most recent game against The Meadows School, completing six of 11 passes for 74 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions for a QB rating of 105.9. 

The defense also played its best game of the season versus the Mustangs, allowing just six points after giving up 30-plus in three of four games. Holding down the backend of the defense is sophomore Dycen Thompson, who has four interceptions through five games. Classmate Noah West leads the pass rush with seven tackles for loss, two sacks and three hurries.  

The Lake Mead defense looks stifling, allowing one score or fewer in three of four games, so it’ll be a true test for Sedlacek and the Bobcats’ run game. “They have a solid team all around. Coming off a big 40-point game against a strong California team, their offense is clicking just as well as their defense,” Grajek said. “Their running back is a real force. He has great vision, patience, and power. Slowing him down and getting multiple players to the ball on every play is our top job on defense.”

White Pine plays three straight road games before hosting Lincoln County to close out the regular season on Oct. 29.