Roundup: Legacy’s offensive firepower clinches playoff berth

Legacy football coach John Isola, who calls offensive plays for the Longhorns, prepares a 16-play opening script for each game.

His team couldn’t have come out and executed that plan better than it did Thursday night at Shadow Ridge.

By the time Isola reached the eighth play on his script, Legacy had three touchdowns. The Longhorns opened the game on offense by scoring TDs on eight of their first nine drives to defeat the Mustangs 54-21 and clinch a playoff berth for the fifth straight season.

“As a coach, when you prepare like that and then your players make it happen, it’s just awesome,” Isola said. “It just feels so good.”

Legacy (6-3, 4-2) clinched the No. 3 seed from the Northwest League with the win, and it will play at Sierra Vista for its first playoff game for the second consecutive year. There was a chance the Longhorns could miss the postseason with a loss, but the team’s opening offensive salvo left no room for doubt.

Legacy scored TDs on all six of its first half drives and headed into the locker room up 41-13. Four of the first-half scores came from senior running back Aubrey Washington, who finished with a season-high 233 rushing yards and five TDs on 13 carries.

“If they don’t make that kid all-league, there has to be an investigation,” Isola said. “I’m dead serious with that.”

Washington’s last carry looked like it would be forgettable, as the running back was bottled up five yards behind the line of scrimmage. The senior kept his legs moving though and escaped from a pile of defenders to run for a 65-yard TD.

His escape act brought his season totals up to 1,096 rushing yards and 18 rushing TDs on 104 carries.

“They said I had one carry left and (it was) go hard or go home,” Washington said. “I kept the legs moving and that’s what happened.”

Shadow Ridge (5-4, 2-4) had a chance to make the playoffs with a win, but ended up missing the postseason for the fourth straight season. Senior Aubrey Nellems rushed for 104 yards and threw a 12-yard TD for the Mustangs, but the team’s defense was never able to keep it close.

Legacy outgained Shadow Ridge 450-291 and now can look forward to building off last year’s postseason, where the Longhorns earned a first-round playoff win.

“They deserve it, and they’re not done,” Isola said. “The second season starts now and we’re not looking to play just one game.”

Centennial 52, Palo Verde 30 — At Centennial, the Bulldogs racked up 500 yards of offense and scored 22 points in the the fourth quarter to pull away from the Panthers for their first win of the season.

Centennial’s Jordan Smith rushed for 207 yards and three second-half touchdowns, including two in the fourth quarter that broke open a tie game.

With the game tied entering the fourth quarter, Smith had touchdown runs of 21 and 24 yards to give the Bulldogs (1-7, 1-5 Northwest League) a two-score advantage. Palo Verde then threw an interception in the end zone on its comeback attempt, and Payton Moody finished the scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run with 15 seconds left on the clock.

It was Palo Verde (4-5, 2-4) though that started the scoring, doing so with a pair of Chamere Thomas 2-yard touchdown runs. Two Centennial touchdowns and a Palo Verde field goal left the Panthers up 16-14, the last time they would hold the lead.

The Bulldogs ended the half with an Ethan Hair 22-yard field goal as time expired to take a 17-16 lead into halftime.

Smith scored the first of his touchdowns to open the second-half scoring, then Thomas ran his third score of the game to tie it up again. That tie would last one play, as Centennial’s Tyree Jefferson hauled in a Vlad Plotnikov pass and ran 77 yards for a touchdown. However, the Panthers would again answer, and again, it was Thomas, who brought in his first receiving touchdown of the game for 24 yards.

Plotnikov threw for 317 yards and two scores on the day for Centennial.

Thomas rushed for 120 yards and accounted for all four Palo Verde touchdowns.

Virgin Valley 52, Del Sol 38 — At Mesquite, Jayden Perkins ran for 147 yards and five touchdowns, caught four passes for 118 yards and threw an 80-yard touchdown pass to help the Bulldogs beat the Dragons and win the Class 3A Sunrise League title.

The Bulldogs (6-3, 2-1) will host Pahrump Valley in their first-round playoff game next week. Quarterback Cade Anderson was 8 of 10 passing for 51 yards, and caught Perkins’ touchdown pass.

Taariq Flowers had 22 carries for 350 yards and three touchdowns to lead Del Sol (2-7, 0-3).

Andre Navares threw three touchdowns, one apiece to Barry Williams, Bryan Juarez and Maalik Flowers, for the Dragons.

Desert Pines 62, Western 0 — At Western, the Jaguars had three scores on special teams, including two by defensive end Darnell Washington, en route to an easy win over the Warriors.

Desert Pines (6-2, 5-0 Class 3A Sunset League) led 35-0 early in the second quarter, triggering the running clock, and out-gained Western 216 yards to 4.

DeAundre Newsome returned the game’s opening kickoff 58 yards down the right sideline for a touchdown, and added a 24-yard TD reception on the second play of the Jaguars’ first possession.

The 6-foot, 6-inch Washington blocked a punt and returned it 16 yards for a score to make it 21-0 with 6:03 left in the first quarter. Washington also blocked a 30-yard field goal attempt and returned it 80 yards for the game’s final score.

Jaguars quarterback Tyler Williamson completed 7 of 8 passes for 131 yards and three touchdowns, including a 9-yard TD strike to Jyden King and a 2-yard TD pass to Jesse Bravin.

Newsome also supplied an 18-yard TD run on his only carry for Desert Pines. Zontrail Brinson contributed a 3-yard TD rush, and teammate Jarred Nuno provided a 1-yard TD plunge for the Jaguars.

Gabriel Lopez had two sacks and a fumble recovery on defense for Desert Pines.

The Warriors dropped to 1-8, 0-6.

Bonanza 21, Desert Oasis 13 — At Bonanza, the Bengals scored a touchdown in each of the final three quarters to mount a comeback and beat the Diamondbacks.

The difference-maker in the game was a fourth-down stop by the Bengals with Desert Oasis on the Bonanza 40-yard line, followed by seven straight rushing gains by Bonanza for a game-icing touchdown by Kyle Allison.

Bonanza (3-6, 2-5 Southwest League) did most of its damage on the ground via 10 ball carriers accounting for 174 yards. Julien Calfayan led the Bengals with 38 yards, and Dylan Heart and Justin Bacon each had 35. Heart also had four receptions for 97 yards, and Bacon scored Bonanza’s first touchdown.

Quarterback Laakea Mulivai rushed for 138 yards on 11 carries and scored the game’s first touchdown for the Diamondbacks (0-9, 0-6). Christian Vaughn rushed for 130 yards on 15 carries for Desert Oasis.

The Diamondbacks scored a second touchdown with nine seconds left, a 44-yard pass from Mitch Moniz to Sylhauss Saumalu.

Eldorado 25, Boulder City 20 – At Eldorado, Jaime Rangel completed 14 of 26 passes for 128 yards and a touchdown as the Sundevils beat the Eagles.

Boulder City got off to a hot start when Briggs Huxford returned the opening kickoff 85 yards for a score. The Sundevils tied the game on a 4-yard touchdown run by Michael Perez with 13 seconds left in the first quarter, and it remained knotted into the third quarter.

That’s when Rangel connected on his touchdown, an 8-yard completion to Rayen Rubio, with 4:32 remaining in the frame.

Eldorado (2-7) extended its lead with a 9-yard touchdown run by Rangel and a 34-yard interception return by Jalen Malone, both taking place midway through the fourth quarter. It was Malone’s second interception of the game and Eldorado’s third.

The Eagles (3-6) cut the lead to two scores on a 6-yard touchdown run by Thorston Balmer, who led the Eagles with 99 yards rushing, with 49 seconds left in the fourth quarter. After recovering an onside kick, Boulder City’s Austin Langley threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Garrett Leavitt with 13 seconds left in the game.

Eldorado was able to recover Boulder City’s second onside kick attempt and run out the clock.

Lincoln County 41, Democracy Prep 0 — At Panaca, Noah Smith had 11 carries for 181 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Lynx past the Blue Knights in a Class 2A Southern League contest.

Smith also had an interception and a team-high nine tackles on defense.

Dean Ottley and Mason Thornock each added a rushing touchdown for Lincoln County (7-3, 6-1), which led 28-0 at halftime.

Kamden Lewis had two interceptions, and the Lynx finished with 349 yards rushing.

Democracy Prep fell to 4-4, 4-3.

Needles 50, Laughlin 0 — At Needles, California, Alex Perez ran for 134 yards and two touchdowns to help the Mustangs roll over the Cougars.

Jayden Yeager threw for 110 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for one more score. Tritan Pletcher ran for 100 yards and a score for the Mustangs (9-0, 7-0 Class 2A Southern League).

Needles will be the top seed in the Southern playoffs.

The Cougars dropped to 3-5, 2-5.

Lake Mead 41, The Meadows 8 — At The Meadows, Jared Regan ran for 180 yards and three touchdowns on seven carries as the Eagles beat the Mustangs.

Mitch Dolinar ran for 103 yards and added 69 receiving yards for the Eagles (6-2, 5-2 Class 2A Southern League), who scored 34 unanswered points.

Lake Mead will travel to Panaca to play Lincoln County in the first round of the playoffs next week.

Peter Hoskins ran for 136 yards and a score for the Mustangs (3-6, 3-4).

Pahranagat Valley 44, Beatty 0 — At Beatty, Preston Higbee had four total touchdowns, two rushing and two throwing, rushed for 189 yards, and had 152 passing yards as the Panthers rolled past the Hornets and clinched the Class 1A Southern League title.

Pahranagat Valley’s Brodey Maxwell rushed for 132 yards on 10 carries with a rushing touchdown, and Hunter Hollingshead had 58 rushing yards with a touchdown. Hollingshead also had 56 receiving yards with a 15-yard touchdown reception and an interception on defense.

Richard Lewis caught a 40 yard touchdown pass in the 1st quarter. Haigen Huntsman had seven tackles to lead the Panthers (9-0, 6-0) defense.

The Hornets dropped to 5-2, 4-2, and finished third in the league.

Spring Mountain 70, Tonopah 40 — At Tonopah, Shawn Shumpert had five touchdown passes and two rushing touchdowns as the Golden Eagles defeated the Muckers.

Jeremiah Jimenez caught all five touchdown passes for the Golden Eagles (6-2, 5-1 Class 1A Southern League).

Dillan Otteson passed for 255 yards and five touchdows for the Muckers, who fell to 5-5, 3-3. Kevin Pope had seven catches for 107 yards and three scores for Tonopah.

Calvary Chapel 34, Mountain View 26 — At Calvary Chapel, the Lions scored a last-minute touchdown to defeat the Saints in a Class 2A Southern League game.

Calvary Chapel improved to 1-7, 1-6.

Mountain View fell to 0-7.