Silverado routs Coronado, advances to 4A state title game

That Silverado defeated Coronado on Friday night isn’t surprising. That the Cougars scored, well, that is.

“Yeah, I mean, we’re going to give up points,” Skyhawks senior Donvayn Pellot said. “It happens.”

Just not often.

Silverado surrendered points for the first time since Sept. 9, but still rolled to a 57-17 home victory in the Class 4A state football semifinals to clinch a berth opposite Shadow Ridge in the championship game at Allegiant Stadium.

Pellot, a UCLA commit, rushed for five touchdowns as a fullback and picked off a pass as a defensive back, and Skyhawks running back Caden Harris added 27 carries for 197 yards and two scores.

The two help comprise a senior class of more than 25 that powered the Skyhawks to the state title last season and has designs of a repeat victory over the Mustangs, whom they trounced 61-27 last year in the final.

“Some of these guys have been playing varsity since they first got to school here,” Silverado coach Andy Ostolaza said. “We didn’t have to push them. They do it themselves.”

The Skyhawks (11-0) have won 23 consecutive games, thanks in part to an overpowering offensive line that overwhelmed the Cougars yet again. They coasted to a 43-0 win Sept. 16 over Coronado (9-2) and opened a 21-0 lead Friday via two scores from Pellot and one from Harris.

But Cougars sophomore quarterback Aiden Krause responded with scoring strikes of 71 and 4 yards to seniors Brady Kennedy and Michael Floyde, respectively. Coronado added a field goal in the final minute of the first half before succumbing in the second to the physicality of Silverado’s relentless rushing offense.

“We had a great week of practice,” Pellot said. “Our coaches prepared us very well. We had a game plan and executed it.”

Defensive back Shyne Johnson and linebacker Bryson Tunnell had interceptions, and quarterback Brandon Tunnell added a 7-yard rushing score to help the Skyhawks finish with 53 rushes for 324 yards.

Defensive lineman Jayland McGlothen punctuated another impressive defensive effort with two sacks.

“In the end, this was the real Silverado. Old school. We just line up with our front seven and just go,” Ostolaza said. “The whole school is behind us. Everyone is pulling for us to keep winning. It’s just a remarkable group of kids who have come through here since they were freshman. … This senior class has really carried us.”

Contact Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter.