QB-WR combo helps power Las Vegas High past Desert Oasis
Las Vegas High quarterback Tanner Vibabul made sure Desert Oasis didn’t have much to celebrate on homecoming.
Recording a shutout in the second half, the Wildcats clawed away at the Diamondbacks to secure a 33-12 victory Friday.
Vibabul completed 13 of 21 passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns. The junior also got it done on the ground, rushing for 104 yards on 11 attempts with a pair of touchdowns.
“We know our guys. If we execute, we can be a great team, and that’s what we came out to do,” Vibabul said. “I think it gives us the confidence to keep rolling, but also clean up our mistakes and know we could play to our best abilities.”
After being stopped on its first drive, Las Vegas’ offense quickly caught fire as Vibabul scored on a 17-yard quarterback keeper to put the Wildcats (5-1, 2-0 Class 5A Division III Southern League) up 6–0 with 3:40 left in the first quarter.
The Diamondbacks (4-2, 1-1) began the first play of the second quarter with an answer of their own.
Driving from his 15-yard line, Desert Oasis quarterback Vincent Hales ultimately connected on an 18-yard pass to wide receiver Brenden Adams to tie the game 6-6. Hales completed 18 of 26 pass attempts for 189 yards and two touchdowns.
Vibabul next found senior wide receiver Mychael Walker down the right line for a 20-yard strike on fourth-and-goal to put the Wildcats ahead 13-6 with 8:30 left in the second quarter.
Walker, who totaled 107 receiving yards, appeared to be Vibabul’s main target, as the senior continuously found himself open deep.
“I wouldn’t ask for anybody else to be throwing me the ball,” Walker said. “He’s a great, young quarterback. He’s gonna progress and become really great in the future.”
After a Desert Oasis three-and-out, Vibabul and Walker hooked up for a 33-yard touchdown with 5:39 left in the second quarter to put Las Vegas up 20-6.
The Diamondbacks showed some life by way of a 3-yard touchdown off a screen pass from Hales to Adams with 2:00 left in the second quarter to bring the game to 20-12.
Senior halfback Christopher Boddy Jr. pounded in a goal-line rushing attempt for a touchdown to give the Wildcats a 26-12 lead going into the half.
Vibabul sealed the deal by evading a safety blitz and taking off down the right sideline untouched for a 46-yard quarterback keeper with 8:30 left in the fourth quarter to put the Wildcats up 33-12.
“I thought we did a decent job of playing against the run and the pass. It was pretty balanced, and I thought we tackled well for the most part,” Las Vegas coach Jose Cerriteño said. “We really want these kids to play their absolute best. And we feel like if we prepare the correct way and we take the correct approach, we give ourselves a chance to have success.”
Contact Jacob Powers at jpowers@reviewjournal.com. Follow @jaypowers__ on X.