Pumphrey’s TD seals Sunrise’s All-Star victory

Canyon Springs running back Donnel Pumphrey was a late addition to the 42nd annual West Charleston Lions Club Charity All-Star Football Game.

The Sunrise Region seniors were certainly glad the San Diego State signee decided to play.

Pumphrey rushed for 170 yards and a touchdown to earn the game’s Most Valuable Player award, and the Sunrise Region held on to beat the Sunset Region 32-27 on Saturday at Bishop Gorman.

Pumphrey scored on a dazzling 62-yard run with 10:03 to play, extending the Sunrise’s lead to 29-21. He appeared to be bottled up for a short gain, but bounced outside and deked one defender before cutting back to the middle and outrunning everyone to the end zone.

“Honestly, I just stayed on my feet and saw a hole,” Pumphrey said. “I hit the seam, and it was off to the races.”

Sunset quarterback Jarrett Solomon of Bishop Gorman was 16-for-31 passing for 363 yards and three touchdowns. After Las Vegas’ Jay Mattox kicked his fourth field goal for the Sunrise to make it 32-27 with 1:22 left, Solomon drove the Sunset to the Sunrise 9-yard line. But his fade pass to Gorman teammate Jamir Tillman on the final play was intercepted in the end zone by Liberty’s Kai Nacua.

One play earlier, Solomon, who has signed with Arizona, floated a pass to Deonte Gilkey in the back of the end zone, but the Centennial receiver was unable to get a foot in bounds.

“It’s a little disappointing we came up short,” said Solomon, who was named the offensive Most Valuable Player. “All in all, we came here to have fun.”

Tillman, a Navy recruit, made 10 catches for 208 yards and a score. Faith Lutheran’s Anthony Pryatel-Farmer had three receptions for 71 yards, including a 22-yard TD from Solomon that pulled the Sunset to within 29-27 with 6:47 to play.

Mattox also kicked field goals of 53, 34 and 43 yards, and the Texas-El Paso signee missed on a rare fair-catch kick from 55 yards late in the first half.

UNLV recruit Devonte Boyd of Basic made two catches for 117 yards, including an 80-yard touchdown from Coronado quarterback Kevin Lucero that put the Sunrise ahead 22-21 late in the third quarter. Nacua, who is headed to Brigham Young, earned the defensive MVP and added a 1-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.

Solomon connected with Marquise Evans of Shadow Ridge for a 74-yard touchdown on the third play of the game. Quarterback Bakari Smith of Shadow Ridge ran for 43 yards and capped a 60-yard drive with an 8-yard touchdown run that gave the Sunset a 21-15 lead with 3:43 remaining in the third.

Contact reporter David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidSchoenLVRJ.