Panthers run over Grizzlies

Spring Valley opened the third quarter with an impressive, clock-eating drive, marching more than 85 yards, and forcing the defending Sunset Region champs back on their heels.

Then the Grizzlies dropped the ball.

Instead of cutting the Palo Verde lead to 21-14 entering the fourth quarter, Spring Valley handed the ball back to the Panthers, and it was all Palo Verde from there, as the Panthers beat the host Grizzlies 35-7 on Friday night in the season opener for both teams.

"I was really proud of our defense forcing that turnover and getting the ball," Palo Verde coach Darwin Rost said. "And then we kind of did our stuff."

Spring Valley drove the ball 86 yards to the Palo Verde 11, but quarterback Anton Stallworth fumbled the ball as he dropped back to hand off and Palo Verde's Thayer Coon pounced on it at the 12.

"We've got heart," senior Tyrone Blake said. "That's all it takes right there. You can't be a little pushover. When things get bad, you can't just stop playing. That's what made that big play right there."

After the turnover, Palo Verde marched 88 yards, capped by a 15-yard TD run by Chappell Thomas that made the score 27-7 with 10:33 to play.

"Usually that's what we do to other people, eat up the whole third quarter," Rost said. "But that's what they were doing to us.

"Once we got the ball back, I thought we settled down and went down and scored off it."

With the exception of one play, Palo Verde dominated the first half.

The Panthers scored on their first three possessions on drives of 65, 60 and 52 yards.

Centennial transfer Brandon Wright had the first two touchdowns, scoring on runs of 20 and 4 yards.

Blake added a 16-yard TD run with 6:15 to go in the half to put the Panthers up 21-0.

A Palo Verde fumble gave Spring Valley the ball at the Panthers 29 with 4:12 to go, and the Grizzlies scored on the next play with Stallworth hitting Brandon Lopez on a 29-yard TD pass.

Spring Valley had one first down in the first half and managed just 38 yards of offense, with 29 coming on the touchdown play.

Palo Verde racked up 234 first-half yards. For the game, the Panthers outgained Spring Valley 365-200.

"Tonight we showed everybody we can be physical and we are a physical team," said Blake, who capped the scoring by catching a 24-yard TD pass from Sean Mears. "We let everybody know that we can hit and we will bring the pain."

Blake led the way with 95 yards on 12 carries. He also caught five passes for 66 yards.

Wright added 90 yards on 10 carries.

"Brandon Wright contributed very well tonight," Blake said. "I was very surprised and amazed at what he did. He helped us out a lot, and I appreciate him for that, because I was winded."

Mears completed all seven of his pass attempts for 76 yards.

"I thought he played a great game," Rost said. "Opening game, and he's never started a varsity game. ... He was comfortable in the pocket and made some really good throws."

Contact Prep Sports Editor Damon Seiters at dseiters@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4587.