Green Valley edges Faith Lutheran, clinches home playoff game

Green Valley needed a win over Faith Lutheran on Friday night to clinch a home playoff game.

Early in the game, the Gators were their own worst enemy.

Green Valley quarterback Josiah Vitale threw two interceptions that were returned for touchdowns in the first quarter, but he rebounded to finish with 270 yards passing and two touchdowns and a rushing score in a 31-27 home victory.

Both of Vitale’s touchdown passes went to Nate Richter and covered 59 and 76 yards as the Gators (7-2, 3-1 Class 5A Mountain League) built a 28-14 lead in the third quarter. Richter finished with four catches for 157 yards, and Jaylen McKnight ran for 156 yards on 20 carries.

Jordan Pollard returned one of the interceptions for a score and ran for a 3-yard TD for Faith Lutheran (2-6, 1-3), which took the fourth and final playoff spot. Vaea Tangitau returned the other interception for a touchdown. Drais Bellamy led the Crusaders with 18 carries for 82 yards and a touchdown.

Arbor View 35, Canyon Springs 7 — At Canyon Springs, Richard Washington ran for 145 yards and three touchdowns and caught a 45-yard pass for a score for the Aggies.

Kyle Holmes threw for 190 yards and a touchdown and ran for a score for Arbor View (7-2, 3-1), which took control after a 0-0 first half.

Canyon Springs (2-6, 1-4) was eliminated from playoff contention.

Legacy 24, Palo Verde 14 — At Palo Verde, Jason Burns returned an interception for a touchdown in the first quarter, and the Longhorns never trailed.

Legacy (3-5, 2-3 Class 5A Desert League) also got a touchdown pass from Curtis Lindsey to Kris Roland in the second quarter and put it away with an Andre Williams run in the fourth quarter. The Longhorns converted 2-point tries after each score. Legacy grabbed the fourth and final playoff berth.

Palo Verde (3-6, 0-5) scored in the third quarter to pull within 16-14, but was eliminated from playoff contention.

Basic 41, Clark 6 — At Basic, Damian Gramajo threw three touchdown passes, two to Treyson Redd in the first quarter, and the Wolves clinched a playoff berth.

Gramajo’s scoring strikes to Redd covered 8 and 65 yards for Basic (4-4, 2-2 Class 4A Mountain League). Joaquin Gunter caught a 10-yard TD strike and ran for a 1-yard score for the Wolves.

Clark (6-3, 2-2) enters the playoffs on a two-game skid.

Chaparral 21, Cheyenne 6 — At Cheyenne, the Cowboys earned their Class 4A Desert League win, and it was enough to reach the postseason.

Chaparral (2-5, 1-3) claimed the No. 4 seed, while Cheyenne (2-7, 1-4) fell out of playoff contention.

Las Vegas 42, Del Sol 0 — At Del Sol, Elijah Espinoza threw two touchdown passes to Alvaro Zetino, and the Wildcats defense did the rest.

Adonis Jackson returned an interception 35 yards for a touchdown and added a 2-yard TD run for Las Vegas (6-3, 4-0 Class 4A Mountain League), which clinched the league title and a first-round bye last week.

Del Sol (1-7, 0-4) was eliminated from playoff contention.

Shadow Ridge 41, Spring Valley 0 — At Shadow Ridge, Jaquieze Holland ran for 121 yards and two touchdowns for the Mustangs.

Shadow Ridge (7-2, 4-1 Class 4A Sky League) ran for 276 yards on 31 attempts and scored on its second play from scrimmage. Coen Nicholas Coloma threw for two touchdowns for the Mustangs, who wrapped up second place in their league and a first-round bye.

Spring Valley (3-5, 2-3) grabbed the fourth and final playoff spot.

Cimarron-Memorial 46, Sunrise Mountain 6 — At Cimarron-Memorial, Michael Sabina threw for 190 yards and five touchdowns, and the Spartans clinched a playoff berth.

Andrew Overland caught two touchdown passes for Cimarron-Memorial (4-5, 3-2 Class 4A Desert League), and E’juwan Carter rushed for 92 yards on 10 attempts.

Sunrise Mountain finished 0-7 and 0-4.

Pahrump Valley 43, Valley 6 — At Valley, Chase Otteson ran for 144 yards and two touchdowns, and the Trojans finished with a nonleague win.

Henry Amaya added two rushing scores for Pahrump Valley (4-3), which wrapped up the Class 3A Desert League title last week and won its fourth straight game.

Valley (3-6) is the No. 3 seed from the Mountain League.

SLAM Nevada 34, Eldorado 12 — At Eldorado, Gabe Delgado and Jamal Barron returned interceptions in the fourth quarter to finish off the Bulls’ win.

Donnell Colbert ran for two touchdowns for SLAM Nevada (7-3, 3-1 Class 3A Desert League) to clinch the No. 2 seed.

Eldorado (3-6, 2-2) grabbed the No. 3 seed despite finishing the regular season with three straight losses.

Boulder City 64, Pinecrest Cadence o — At Boulder City, Bruce Woodbury and Jake Bradshaw returned interceptions for touchdowns as part of the Eagles’ 37-point first quarter.

Hunter Moore and Mick Raabe ran for two touchdowns apiece for Boulder City (4-4, 2-2 Class 3A Desert League).

Pinecrest Cadence finished 0-9 and 0-4 in its first full season of varsity football. Both teams were eliminated from the playoffs.

The Meadows 27, Needles 7 — At The Meadows, Sean Gosse threw for two touchdown passes to John McGill and ran for a score as the Mustangs claimed the Class 2A Southern League title.

Gosse’s TD passes to McGill covered 8 and 40 yards, and both came in the second quarter for The Meadows (8-1, 6-0), who also won the league title in the shortened spring season.

Needles (5-1, 5-1) scored first on a 3-yard Wyatt Oldewurtel run in the second quarter.

Lake Mead 48, Laughlin, 6 — At Lake Mead, the Eagles exploded for 34 second-quarter points to break open an 8-6 game.

Lake Mead (3-4, 2-4 Class 2A Southern League) scored in all three phases in the quarter.

Laughlin (0-7, 0-5) has one game left.

Pahranagat Valley 62, Tonopah 0 — At Tonopah, Paul Lewis scored on a 6-yard run less than a minute into the game, and the Panthers were off to a 40-point first quarter.

Lewis ran for three touchdowns, and Jaren Leavitt and Braiden Maxwell added two rushing scores apiece for Pahranagat Valley (7-1, 4-0 Class 1A Central League), which clinched the league title.

Tonopah (5-3, 2-1) will face Mineral County for second place in the league next week.

Contact Jason Orts at jorts@reviewjournal.com. Follow @SportsWithOrts on Twitter.