PALO VERDE ON ITS WAY TO RENO
November 29, 2008 - 4:03 pm
It wasn’t as easy as it appeared it would be at halftime, but Palo Verde defeated Las Vegas 42-21 in a Class 4A state football semifinal game at Arbor View High School on Saturday.
Chaz Thomas scored on a 44-yard shovel pass from Kelly Zurowski with 6:53 remaining to seal a berth for the Panthers in the state title game against McQueen next Saturday in Reno.
Palo Verde led 28-7 at the half but had to survive a second-half rally by the Wildcats.
Emir Lopez scored on a 45-yard run on the first play of the fourth quarter to get Las Vegas within a touchdown at 28-21. The Wildcats then forced a punt and had the ball at their own 20 with a chance to tie the game with 9:15 to play.
Palo Verde’s defense forced a three-and-out, however, and Thomas took the short toss from Zurowski down the sideline for the game-sealing score. Torin Harris then added his third touchdown of the game with 1:44 left to account for the final margin.
Harris ran for 129 yards and two scores, and intercepted two passes, running one back for a touchdown.
He also threw a first-half shovel pass that Thomas took in for a score, and had two catches for 25 yards.
PASS-HAPPY
Palo Verde averages less than six pass attempts per game, but the Panthers came out gunning Saturday.
Palo Verde attempted 17 passes, and completed 13 for 194 yards.
Several of the passes were shovel passes behind the line of scrimmage, but the numbers were still shocking from the run-dominated Palo Verde offense.
PRECIOUS MOMENTS
Palo Verde came away from its opening drive of the second half with no points, but the possession was a good one for the Panthers.
With a 21-point lead, Palo Verde killed 5:53 off the clock in the third quarter without allowing Las Vegas to touch the ball.
After a Wildcats score, Palo Verde had another big play when Sidney Hodge converted a third-and-18 play with an 18-yard run.
The Panthers punted four plays later, but the conversion helped Palo Verde run an additional two minutes off the clock.
QUICK STRIKE
When the Wildcats finally did get to run a play, it didn’t take them long to get on the scoreboard. Las Vegas went 68 yards in two plays to cut Palo Verde’s lead to two touchdowns at 28-14 midway through the third quarter.
The quick score came after a three-play touchdown drive by Las Vegas in the first half.
ORDERLY CELEBRATION
The Palo Verde fans were clearly excited about their team’s victory, but they didn’t let the celebration get too crazy.
In what may have been the most orderly storming of the field in recorded history, the Panthers fans walked single-file out onto the field to congratulate the players and revel in the victory.
The most rambunctious fan was nothing more than a man in a suit casually strolling out onto the field carrying a large black flag with a white “PV” emblazoned on it.
FRAZIER HONORED
Longtime Basic High School coach Cliff Frazier was honored at halftime.
He was inducted into the Southern 4A Coaches’ Association Hall of Fame.
BULLOCK SHINES IN LOSING EFFORT
Reggie Bullock wrapped up an outstanding high school career by rushing for 103 yards and a touchdown for the Wildcats.
Bullock played at Western for three years before transferring to Las Vegas for his senior year.