GameNight: DV overcomes mishaps to stop Mesquite

Desert Vista football started the week by learning it would have to play without two-way star Devon Kennard -- the state's top college prospect -- for the remainder of the season.

The Thunder ended its week Friday night learning it had yet another two-way star in its midst - this time in the form of senior tight end/defensive end Danny Mullarkey.

• Click here for a slideshow of the win
• Desert Vista football index  

Mullarkey, who has spent the past two seasons racking up his own gaudy statistics while playing opposite Kennard on Thunder's defensive line, carded a pair of touchdown receptions, three sacks and a forced fumble in helping Desert Vista come from behind to defeat Gilbert Mesquite, 28-21, on the road.

With crutches under his arms, Kennard, who had led the Thunder at defensive end and running back before tearing his anterior cruciate ligament last week, was amongst the most vocal figures on the Desert Vista sideline.

"One of the things we talked about all week is when your big dog goes down like that and we're going to win football games, we're going to win them as a team," Thunder coach Dan Hinds said.

Desert Vista's defense seemed to have an answer most of the night for Mesquite's offensive attack, but it was three costly Thunder turnovers - two interceptions and a muffed punt - inside their own 20-yard line that led to all three Wildcat scores. The three Mesquite touchdowns accounted for just 25 yards of total offense, but had the Wildcats up 21-14 at the end of three quarters.

"To give them gifts like that in the first half and keep them in the game, that's a tough deal," Hinds said.

With Mesquite clinging to a 21-20 lead with less than five minutes to play, Mullarkey got to quarterback Matt Westergard for the second of his three sacks, forcing a fumble in the process to gave Desert Vista the ball at the Wildcats' 10-yard line. Anders Battle would later score from one yard out before adding a two-point conversion run to give Desert Vista a lead it would not relinquish.

"We're the fourth-quarter team," said Lee Williams, who recovered the fumble on Mullarkey's late-game sack. "Come the second half, we just seem to come through."

Mesquite defensive lineman Brad Utter notched the Wildcats' first score of the game in the first quarter by returning an interception 16 yards for a touchdown. Running back Mike Taufa scored the Wildcats' other two touchdowns on the ground.

In his second game back after offseason leg surgery, Desert Vista running back Marcus Washington carried the ball 18 times for 78 yards and a touchdown.