Palo Verde running back Rockney Ricafrente (3) tries to fend off a tackle attempt by Cheyenne linebacker Capone Austin on Friday in the Panthers' 37-0 victory in the Sunset Regional title game at Cheyenne. Photo by Ralph Fountain.

As the final week of the regular season approached, Palo Verde was dangerously close to missing the playoffs.

Four weeks later, the Panthers have captured the Sunset Regional championship.

Palo Verde's defense held Cheyenne to 101 yards Friday night on the way to a 37-0 road victory in the Sunset title game. The Panthers (9-3) will play at Galena (9-3) in a Class 4A state semifinal game at noon next Saturday.

"Defense wins championships, and this was a championship game," said Palo Verde linebacker Albert Reynolds, who had one of the team's five interceptions. "I don't know what to say. I'm shocked, especially against a great offense like that."

The strong defensive play began on the game's first possession. Cheyenne drove to the Palo Verde 14, but safety Eric Hearn tackled quarterback D.J. Campbell for a 9-yard loss on second-and-7. After a 1-yard run, David Griffin intercepted Campbell in the end zone.

The Panthers had survived three fourth-quarter trips into the red zone against Shadow Ridge in the Sunset semifinals.

"We stick it out in the end," Reynolds said. "We never give up in the red zone. It's all about weight room and being physical."

Campbell injured his right ankle during that first possession and missed the next series. By the time he came back into the game, Palo Verde had taken a 16-0 lead.

The Panthers got a 33-yard touchdown pass from J.D. Buonantony to Ryan Patterson, then got a safety on the ensuing kickoff when Cheyenne's Terence Brison fumbled the ball through the end zone.

Palo Verde got the ball at the Cheyenne 34 after the free kick, and seven plays later Rashan Lawrence scored on a 15-yard run to make the score 16-0.

Campbell came back into the game, and Hearn picked off Campbell's next pass attempt, returning the ball 40 yards for a touchdown and a 23-0 advantage.

"He threw it over the receiver's hands and I just picked it off and ran as fast as I could to the end zone," Hearn said.

On the next possession, Palo Verde's Mike Loyd made a leaping one-handed grab to intercept Campbell again, and the Desert Shields' quarterback wouldn't return to the game.

"He's definitely their team leader and is the kid that they all look up to," Palo Verde coach Darwin Rost said of Campbell. "It's huge whenever you lose your team leader like that."

Campbell's replacement, Jacorey Lefear, fumbled on the first play of Cheyenne's next drive. Reynolds scooped the ball up and returned it to the Cheyenne 3, setting up a 1-yard plunge by Buonantony that gave the Panthers a 30-0 halftime advantage.

"I'm real proud of our defense for stepping up and doing what they had to do," Rost said.

Palo Verde needed a 42-7 win over Mojave on the final night of the regular season to make the playoffs. The Panthers have come back to outscore three playoff opponents 101-26 to advance to the state semifinals.

"It's a chance of a lifetime," Reynolds said. "It's amazing."