Pair of quarterbacks help Sierra Vista beat Silverado

Sierra Vista made a big play on Friday night.

At a big moment for a big victory.

The Mountain Lions connected on a middle screen pass that turned into a 78-yard touchdown midway through the fourth quarter of its 26-16 Southwest League victory over Silverado.

“These next couple of games are going to be tough competition,” Sierra Vista senior quarterback Jordan Solomon said. “We’ve gotta have momentum going into those.”

Solomon was part of a two-quarterback game plan — along with freshman Jayden Maiava — and both signal-callers shined.

Solomon completed 10 of 20 attempts for 192 yards and two first-half touchdowns that got Sierra Vista (4-3, 3-0 Southwest) the lead. Maiava was 12-for-18, also for 192 yards and two scores, including the middle screen to Bryan LaGrange that put the game out of reach.

It just took a while to get there.

“We’d like to win these games by a larger margin,” Sierra Vista coach John Foss said. “But winning these closer ones gives us the idea that we can. We can win close games.”

Silverado (2-4, 0-3) took advantage of a special teams miscue to get back in it midway through the second quarter.

The Skyhawks, who had just 18 yards of total offense through their first five possessions, punted. Sierra Vista’s Dionte McNair called for a fair catch, but the ball went through his arms and was recovered by Silverado just beyond midfield.

The Skyhawks immediately went backwards three yards on their first two plays, bringing up a third-and-13 at the 50. But Breven Palpallatoc bailed Silverado out.

The junior running back shook off a would-be tackler in the backfield, jumped over a pile of bodies and raced 50 yards, getting the Skyhawks to within 13-10 with 7:02 left in the first half.

It would stay that way until the final 26 seconds of the second quarter.

Jayden Maiava’s 13-yard strike to Tristen Jimenez expanded Sierra Vista’s lead to 20-10 at the half.

Silverado led 3-0 Michael Darin’s 31-yard field goal with 2:17 to go in the first quarter. But Solomon led two quick touchdown drives for Sierra Vista at the end of the first and beginning of the second quarters to put the Lions in front for good.