Centennial needs a win over a Cimarron-Memorial team that is out of the playoff race to claim its first league title since 2002 and the No. 1 seed in the Northwest League.
Desert Pines
Jovante Barnes rushed for 204 yards and four touchdowns and Rjay Tagataese threw for 309 yards and one score as the Jaguars clinched the Northeast League title.
The Northeast League title is on the line when Desert Pines travels to meet Las Vegas, and the regular season will wrap up in the Southweast and Southeast leagues.
The Chargers have earned all of their three league wins in dramatic fashion by a total of 15 points, but their 49-48 win over Desert Oasis clinched a playoff berth.
Garrett Castro threw a 6-yard touchdown pass, and Hector Barrios-Baez knocked home the game-winning extra point for Green Valley in a 24-23 win over Foothill.
Jovantae Barnes rushed for 122 yards and two touchdowns, and Desert Pines stayed undefeated with a 21-14 homecoming win over Legacy on Thursday.
Palo Verde looks to maintain its unbeaten record in Mountain League play against Centennial in the headliner of this week’s games in the valley.
All of the valley’s football games will be played Thursday this week, which has coaches and players squeezing all they can out of every minute to get ready.
The Aggies scored a late touchdown to defeat Faith Lutheran on Friday night, and Centennial needed a late score to keep pace with a win over Shadow Ridge.
The NIAA announced punishments Tuesday for the Desert Oasis-Durango game that ended after an altercation Friday night.
Chaparral’s Dennis Perez make field goals of 24 and 33 yards in the game’s final three minutes, and the Cowboys claimed a 6-3 Southeast League victory over Basic.
Desert Pines’ Darnell Washington, the No. 8 national football prospect in the ESPN 300, is among several seniors trying to decide where to attend college during the season.
Centennial looks to avenge last year’s 36-7 loss to Faith Lutheran, strengthen its status as Northwest League favorite in one of the valley’s top matchups.
The Crusaders stayed undefeated and moved up two spots to third in the USA Today Super 25, while Eldorado handed the 14th-ranked Las Vegas boys their first loss.
Riley Schwartz took over for the Crusaders, and he threw for two touchdowns and rushed for one Friday to help Faith Lutheran to a 35-0 win over Cimarron-Memorial.