Prep Recaps: Wildcats save best for last in win over Bengals

Bob Cloud

Monday, Sept. 9, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

It may have been more difficult than necessary, but for Las Vegas High School football coach Kris Cinkovich it was a victory just the same.

Charles Bush connected with Cory Connor on an eight-yard touchdown pass with eight seconds remaining to lift the Wildcats to a 21-14 triumph over Bonanza Friday night at Bonanza. With the win, Las Vegas evened its record to 1-1, while the Bengals dropped to 0-2.

In other prep football action, Chaparral beat Clark 23-13, Western overpowered Rancho 20-6, Bishop Gorman edged Eldorado 29-28, Durango defeated Basic 35-14 and Green Valley beat Long Beach (Calif.) Poly 16-0.

Also, Cimarron-Memorial beat Madison, Calif., 7-0, Valley upended Little Rock, Calif., 23-8, Highland, Calif., beat Silverado 12-0 and Mountain View, Utah, handled Cheyenne 38-6.

Bush moved Las Vegas 56 yards in just four plays for the game-winner. Taking possession with 52 seconds remaining on his own 44-yard line, Bush completed passes to Connor and Montrelle Hooker for nine and 27 yards to move the Wildcats to the Bonanza 20. Bush and Connor teamed up on a seven-yard completion, before a Bengal offsides penalty set up the winning score.

"Charles really settled down over the course of the game," Cinkovich said. "He really did a good job. He struggled a little early on, but he came through at the end when we needed it."

The Wildcats led 7-0 at the half on a four-yard touchdown run by Darian Feazell, but it could have been more. Las Vegas failed to score deep inside Bonanza territory early in the game, then had a touchdown called back just before halftime by an offensive pass interference call.

Bonanza tied the contest early in the third quarter on a 61-yard halfback pass from Robert Thomas to Louis Brown, but Las Vegas marched 68 yards in 14 plays to take a 14-7 lead on a Bush quarterback sneak. The Bengals tied the game for the final time when Thomas bolted 49 yards to score with 10:13 to play.

"We're not very good at putting people away," said Cinkovich, whose team lost a 14-0 lead in dropping its opener to Western. "We've left some touchdowns on the field these two games. It's something we've got to solve as coaches."

Feazell rushed for a game-high 104 yards on 21 carries, while Thomas ran for 92 yards and Brown added 71 for Bonanza. Bush completed 16 of 25 passes for 159 yards and one touchdown, while Bengals QB Jason Krebs, who replaced starter Steve Grammas midway through the game, hit on five of eight for 48 yards.

Krebs' effort was one reason Bonanza coach Nick Butera was optimistic about his team's progress.

"I think we found ourselves a quarterback," Butera said. "He came in and did a great job. He showed me more tonight than he did in four weeks of practice. He really stepped up.

"(Cinkovich) has my respect completely, and for my team to play his so tough tells me we're coming around. I'm proud of that."

* FAITH LUTHERAN ROUTED: Junior quarterback Tim Greer ran for three touchdowns and threw for two more as Faith Baptist High of Burbank, Calif., ran over Faith Lutheran 50-0 Friday night. Faith Lutheran (0-1) managed only 89 yards total offense and the Crusaders' only threat of the game came when Joe Campbell swatted a Greer pass at the line and intercepted it at the Contender 17 yard line. But on the next play, the Crusaders fumbled the ball back to Faith Baptist. Darryl Brandt threw for 65 yards for the Crusaders, including a 46-yard strike to Nathan Youmans in the second quarter.