FERNLEY - Only seconds after the final buzzer sounded, they swarmed the field as if they just won the state title.
Just when it seemed that Spring Creek would lose another game in the Northern 3A, its two leading seniors stepped up on the last drive and helped the Spartans hand Fernley its third loss in a row Friday night.
"That can be a season-changing win. It's only one win," Spring Creek coach Joel Jund said. "We're going to enjoy it until Monday. Then we have to go back to work with Truckee."
Michael Royer found Jacob Moser wide open for a 47-yard, game-winning touchdown with 1:35 left as Spring Creek nipped Fernley 19-18.
"I couldn't be any more prouder," Jund said. "That's what happens when you stick together. We never quit believing when we got down."
Spring Creek improves to 2-1 in the Northern 3A after losing to Sparks last week, while Fernley remains winless in league at 0-3 after opening the season with four straight wins.
"It's tough. You got this strong wind and it's going to affect what you do," Fernley coach Mark Hodges said about his team's last drive.
Though the Spartans took the lead on Royer's long pass, Fernley still had time to fester a comeback with 1:28 left.
Quarterback Bryce Baker and running back Neil Kendricks rotated running the ball, and Austin Wilson helped the Vaqueros reach Spring Creek's 35 yard line. Baker threw his fourth interception of the game as time expired.
"They're a good team. They were steamrolling us offensively," Jund said about the last drive.
Fernley scored two unanswered touchdowns in the second half to take an 18-13 lead with 2:24 left in the game.
After forcing Spring Creek to punt in the third quarter, Baker launched a 40-yard pass to Cory Jansen, and then followed with a 1-yard keeper to cut the deficit to 13-12 with a minute left in the quarter.
Recovering a Spartan fumble in its own territory, Fernley began the drive on the 10 yard line and marched 90 yards in five minutes for its second touchdown of the half. Baker scored on a 1-yard run to give the Vaqueros their first lead since the first quarter.
Two interceptions led to the Spartans' first score and prevented the Vaqueros from tying the game in the second quarter.
"Our defense did a great job keeping us in the game," Jund said.
Down 6-0 in the first quarter, Baker threw an interception and Joey Marquis returned it 43 yards down the right side line to give Spring Creek a 7-6 lead with 4:02 left in the quarter.
The second interception hurt the Vaqueros worse when Baker threw on second down from Fernley's12 yard line to Marquis in the end zone with 2:10 left in the second quarter. Baker, though, threw his third pick of the half as time expired with Fernley threatening from its own16.
A key run helped Spring Creek in its second scoring drive when Jacob Patterson ran for a 24-yard gain, bringing the ball to Fernley's 28 yard line. A 12-yard completion to Marquis on third down set up Royer's first touchdown pass, a 10-yard score to Moser with 4:28 left in the second quarter.