FIELDER’S CHOICES: Gorman, Del Sol, Basic will stay alive

If you’re a fan of Southeast League football, this is like heaven on a stick to you.

 

The Sunrise Region semifinals could just as easily be called the “Southeast Showdown.”

 

Four wins over the Northeast last week mean Del Sol, Basic, Liberty or Foothill will win the Sunrise and head to the state title game.

 

On the other side of town, Bishop Gorman and Cimarron will decide Sunset supremacy with that winner heading to Reno next week to play Reed or Galena in a state semifinal.

 

As for me, I’m in the championship game every year. Though my picks last week weren’t championship-caliber. So let’s try again.

 

Isn’t it ironic how Cimarron advanced to the championship game?

 

Here’s the really funny thing. Had the controversial call in Cimarron’s regular-season loss to Legacy gone the Spartans’ way, Cimarron would have been the Northwest’s No. 2 seed and would have played Gorman last week.

 

Instead, both teams are in the Sunset final, and the winner is the clear favorite to win state.

 

The Spartans have speed to burn with James Poole and Stephen Nixon.

 

Notre Gorman is quick, big and at home for this game. There’s even a rumor that Gorman will soon have “Touchdown Jesus” painted on the side of the school and a television contract with NBC.

 

And you want to talk speed to burn? Try the Gaels’ Johnathan Loyd. No one should ever ... ever kick to him.

 

Gorman was finally tested last week and still won. Me thinks they’ll be packing for a trip up north. Gorman by 8.

 

It’s not a real surprise that Del Sol is playing in a Sunrise semifinal. The Dragons are in this position pretty much every year.

 

But Liberty? Um, no.

 

The win over Canyon Springs in last week’s game made the Patriots 1-0 all-time in playoff games. They’ve never been this far before.

 

Not bad for a team that starts a defensive end at quarterback.

 

When these teams met on Oct. 23, Liberty used a fast start and a 55-yard run by Chris Smith to hand Del Sol its only loss of the year.

 

The Dragons’ Dezerick Reed ran for 106 yards in that game, but 93 came on one play.

 

Del Sol has been here before. Liberty hasn’t. Experience is good. Del Sol by 4.

 

The Falcons’ win over Las Vegas last weekend was the biggest playoff stunner this year. The Wildcats are always still playing at this time of year.

 

Not this year. Foothill keeps finding ways to stay alive, including losing the regular-season finale to Basic and still making the playoffs when Silverado lost that night.

 

Foothill held two leads in that 21-13 loss to the Wolves, but couldn’t hold on. A late touchdown run by Tyler Dobbins was the difference.

 

The Falcons didn’t generate much offense in that game — only 135 yards.

 

Basic could help itself by getting off to a better start. The Wolves have a nasty habit of falling behind early.

 

I keep waiting for Dobbins to have a huge game. This might be it. Basic by 6.

Last week: 9-3 (overall), 7-5 (with points).

Season: 91-23 (overall), 81-33 (with points).