Senior’s big 2nd half extends Silverado win streak to 26 — PHOTOS

With the team’s starting quarterback out with an injury and fatigue setting in, Silverado’s football team needed a big play.

Senior Marcus Council came up with several.

Council scored three second-half touchdowns, picked off a pass and had a pair of tackles for loss to lead the Skyhawks to a 30-22 home win over Basic on Friday night. It was Silverado’s 26th consecutive victory.

“It was a rough half,” Council said. “We had to come back as a team. Just a lot of mistakes. We still made (some) mistakes in the second half, but we came back, fixed ourselves and got the (win).”

Silverado led 24-22 when Council came up with perhaps his biggest play. He intercepted an Anthony Vega pass at the Basic 15-yard line, and returned it to the 6. Four plays later, Council scored on a 2-yard plunge with 2:44 to play to seal the win.

“I just saw it, and I picked it,” Council said. “I wish I could have got the touchdown, but I saved it.”

The Skyhawks (2-0) intercepted three passes, recovered two fumbles and kept constant pressure on Vega and Basic (0-1).

“Luckily we made it out and they fought back,” Silverado coach Andy Ostolaza said. “The interception at the end by Marcus Council obviously was the big play of the game.”

Jayland McGlothen had two sacks, and Tau Epenisa recovered a fumble that set up Silverado’s go-ahead touchdown, a 9-yard sidearm sling from Raul Soto to Council that made it 24-22 with 5:51 to play.

“Defensively, I thought we played super well tonight,” Ostolaza said. “We gave up some plays off our own turnovers. Our front four, constant pressure. Marcus, one of the linebackers, and Noah Mendez (made) big, giant plays down the stretch. I think that’s what got us the win there.”

Soto played most of the second half after starter Dwain Elliot left with an injured throwing elbow. Soto completed 8 of 14 passes for 61 yards and two TDs, both to Council.

“We exchange during practice, so we’ve got the chemistry together with both of them,” Council said. “So it’s pretty much the same.”

Elliot keyed the offense in the first half with his strong arm, completing 4 of 7 passes for 172 yards and two TDs. He had an 84-yard scoring strike to Tristan Hudson and a 41-yard touchdown toss to D’Angelo Hagans. Elliot finished 9-for-15 for 236 yards.

Hagans had seven catches for 136 yards, and Council caught five balls for 47 yards to lead Silverado.

Zuri Whiters had eight catches for 125 yards and a touchdown, and Chrey Traylor caught two TD passes for Basic.

Silverado won the last two Class 4A state titles and hasn’t lost since 2019. But the Skyhawks face a less certain future this season after moving up to Class 5A Division I. Silverado dressed only 29 players Friday and had several key players playing both ways.

“We knew we’d be in this issue, because ever since we got in this league, our numbers kind of went down,” Ostolaza said. “We’re not getting any bigger than that, so we’re going to have to do with what we’ve got.”