Passing attack lifts Palo Verde over Legacy

Palo Verde’s Ryan Beaulieu lines up all over the field on offense, defense and special teams.

But his position on the roster probably should just read “playmaker.”

The senior made his plays as a receiver Friday night, catching three touchdown passes to help the Panthers to a 28-16 home victory over Legacy in the Division I Sunset Region quarterfinals.

“He’s made big plays for us all year long as a punt returner, kickoff returner and a receiver,” Palo Verde coach Darwin Rost said. “And he stepped up tonight and made some great plays for us.”

His biggest play may have come at the end of the third quarter when he made a leaping catch over a Legacy defender, then sprinted down the left sideline for a 57-yard scoring play. It was his second touchdown catch from quarterback Parker Rost and third TD grab of the game.

“We saw that their safeties were coming up, and we knew that it was just one-on-one and it was just going to be between me and him and if he can cover me,” Beaulieu said. “I made a play, and that’s how it happened.”

Beaulieu making plays was how it happened all night for No. 6 Palo Verde (7-4). He opened his team’s scoring by making a leaping catch of a short pass from Parker Rost, then cutting back across the field for a 51-yard score with 8:26 to go in the first quarter.

“Parker throws the ball early, but Ryan makes the play,” Darwin Rost said. “He does a great job after he catches the ball. A lot of that was Ryan.”

Beaulieu also made a big play on a pass from running back Lee Griggs, who lined up at quarterback on the play with Rost split out wide.

Griggs took the snap, rolled right and lofted a pass to a streaking Beaulieu, who raced down the left sideline to give Palo Verde a 21-7 lead with 3:42 left in the third quarter.

Beaulieu finished with three catches for 185 yards.

Though known as a running team, Palo Verde never got its ground game going against the Longhorns (5-5). Instead, it was the passing game that made the difference.

Palo Verde rushed for only 138 yards but passed for 252.

“They were really aggressive on the run, so we opened it up and things just started clicking with the offense,” Beaulieu said.

Another key play came when the Panthers rolled the dice at the end of the first half with the score tied, 7-7. Palo Verde had driven to the Legacy 3-yard line, but faced fourth-and-goal with 6.4 seconds remaining.

Instead of kicking an extra-point-length field goal, Palo Verde ran an option, and Parker Rost kept it for a 3-yard TD run that put the Panthers up 14-7 at the break.

From there, the Palo Verde defense took over, limiting Legacy’s strong rushing attack to 86 yards in the second half.

“I thought defensively we played really well, especially when they came out and started optioning against us,” Darwin Rost said. “We settled down and defended that.”

Charles Julian rushed for 131 yards on 19 carries for Legacy, but 111 of that came in the first half. Julian also hauled in a 15-yard scoring pass from backup quarterback Devin Williams with 1:26 to play.

Kashawn Richardson had a 5-yard TD run for Legacy. The Longhorns also got a 42-yard field goal from Julian Castro.

Calvin Beaulieu finished with 93 yards on 12 carries to lead Palo Verde, which will travel to play Bishop Gorman in the Sunset semifinals Friday. Ryan Beaulieu said he was happy to win his final home game.

“It is nice for the seniors,” Ryan Beaulieu said. “This is their last game ever playing on this field. And they really take that pride, and they’re never going to forget this win.”

His coach agreed, but knows his team has its work cut out heading to Gorman.

“We haven’t lost a lot of games here in our black uniforms,” Darwin Rost said. “For them to finish this year on our home field making a win here (is nice). Now we’ve got to go over to the palace and play over there.”