Quarterback duo guides Las Vegas to 50-14 rout of Cimarron-Memorial

Las Vegas coach James Thurman smiled as he walked away from the postgame handshake line Thursday night and directed his team toward the band.

“This is my favorite part of the night,” he said, as he watched his Wildcats sway to the playing of the school alma mater following a 50-14 victory at Cimarron-Memorial.

“The kids played well,” Thurman said. “They scored twice and I would have rather it be 50-0, but beggars can’t be choosers.”

Short of a shutout, it’s hard to ask anything more of the Wildcats (2-0). Zach Matlock started at quarterback, passing and running for the game’s first two touchdowns before DiQuan Brown broke loose for a 38-yard score.

After that, Ronnie Broadhead relieved Matlock at quarterback and threw a passing touchdown of his own.

Then the first quarter ended. After 12 minutes of play, Las Vegas had a commanding 27-0 lead.

“We smashed them in the mouth,” Matlock said. “A couple of runs, a couple of big plays. Overall I think we did great.”

Thurman said both quarterbacks are still competing for the starting job, and Broadhead was coming in regardless of the score. It’s what the Wildcats did in their first game against Palo Verde, and Thurman said he is unsure if they will do it again against next week.

“He can run, I can throw, he can throw too, I can run too,” Broadhead said. “It’s a good duo.”

Both quarterbacks performed well enough to get a starting nod. Matlock finished 6-for-8 passing for 70 yards and a touchdown and ran for 84 yards and two scores. Broadhead completed 2 of 6 throws for 83 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. He rushed for 22 yards on three carries.

It was a game where no one jumped off the stat sheet for Las Vegas — Matlock’s 84 yards rushing led the team, and running back Elijah Hicks caught two passes for a team-high 69 yards – because no one had to. The Wildcats dominated field position. Kicker Ricardo Ortega forced a touchback in all but two of his kickoffs, and the defense did not allow sustained drives from the Spartans.

After the first quarter, Cimarron (1-1) had yet to record a first down and amassed just 22 total yards from scrimmage.

“That’s what really set up the whole game,” Matlock said. “Defense really locked them down.”

Any hope Cimarron had at a comeback was dashed in the third quarter. The Spartans were unable to convert on a fourth down near midfield, and Las Vegas responded by going right down the field to score its seventh touchdown of the night.

Next week, the Wildcats take on their biggest challenge yet when they head home to take on Centennial. When asked about the game, it brought a grin to Broadhead’s face.

And if the Wildcats can take home the victory, maybe the postgame alma mater will have a lyrical component.

“By the end of the year I make them learn the words,” Thurman said with a laugh.

Justin Emerson can be reached at jemerson@reviewjournal.com. Follow on Twitter: @J15Emerson