Seven of eight Southern 4A football berths filled

Steve Cunningham

Monday, Oct. 20, 1997 | 11:20 a.m.

Simply put, it was a wacky, wacky weekend of high school football.

Silverado upset Valley. Chaparral clinched a playoff berth by downing Green Valley. Eldorado's still in the postseason hunt. Cimarron-Memorial put a hurt on Cheyenne and has the inside track for the Sunset Division title. Durango made that possible by derailing Western.

Seven of the eight available playoff spots have been filled. The one opening remains in the Sunrise, where four teams are tied for the league lead with Eldorado looming a game back.

In the Sunrise, Green Valley, Valley and Chaparral will play in the postseason. All Las Vegas has to do is defeat the Cowboys this week on the road and the Wildcats are in. A Las Vegas loss, however, coupled with an Eldorado victory over Silverado, and the Sundevils are in, thanks to their head-to-head win over the Wildcats Oct. 9.

How the Sunrise will be seeded is another crazy story. For example, if Green Valley beats Valley and Las Vegas topples Chaparral, the Wildcats vault from the playoff bubble to the No. 1 seed because they knocked off Green Valley in the season's third week.

In the Sunset, it's much simpler. Cimarron is finished with league play and Cheyenne plays at Western. If Cheyenne wins, the Spartans take the top seed, the Desert Shields would be No. 2, Durango No. 3 (providing the Trailblazers defeat 2-6 Bishop Gorman) and Western fourth. However, should the Warriors beat Cheyenne, they grab the top seed because they beat Cimarron during the regular season. The Spartans would be No. 2, Cheyenne three and Durango fourth.

Simple, isn't it?

Extra points

* WEEKEND GRID ROUNDUP: Cimarron led Cheyenne, 19-14, in the third quarter before Toby Smeltzer threw three of his four touchdown passes to salt away a 46-14 victory. Smeltzer finished the night with 190 yards passing and running back Arnold Parker gained 156 on the ground ... Silverado surprised Valley, 28-27, as Rodrick Gibson rushed for 186 yards and four touchdowns, including the game-winner with 7:02 remaining ... Chaparral quarterback Tyson Dobbs scored three times to lead the Cowboys past Green Valley, 28-21. Chaparral was down, 21-20, when Dobbs scored with three-and-a-half minutes to play ... Scott Freel scooted for a touchdown with a minute remaining to ice Durango's 26-24 win over Western. Alex Dixon rushed for 169 yards for the Trailblazers; Western's DeAngelo Floyd and Marcus Lewis combined for 250 yards ... Jermaine Lewis ran for 146 yards and two touchdowns as Las Vegas cruised by Basic, 42-16 ... Eldorado took out Rancho, 35-15, as Cory Boyd scored twice ... Bishop Gorman quarterback Kory Raftery threw for 221 yards as the Gaels blanked Bonanza, 42-0 ... Virgin Valley had little trouble with Boulder City, rolling to a 34-0 victory.

* TENNIS: Defending state champion David DiMartino of Bishop Gorman won the Southern Conference boys' singles tennis title Saturday by knocking off Robbie Parlade of Valley, 6-1, 6-3. Green Valley's Chasen Cohen took third place after getting past Theron Tingstad of Bonanza, 6-2, 6-4. In doubles, Green Valley's Ben Regin and Brian Schuchmann took the title after defeated Travis Harper and Marc Fish of Cimarron, 6-2, 6-1. In a battle of teammates, Bonanza's James Greathouse and Sean Hubbard downed Josh Benson and Ryan Christensen, 6-4, 6-3. In girls' play, Durango's Dione Gonzales, the fifth seed, upset Antonella Realo of Green Valley, 6-0, 6-4, for the singles championship. Silverado's Kim Cavan took third by defeating Vivian Shin of Bishop Gorman, 6-4, 6-3. In doubles, defending state champs Gia Cappiello and Kelly Kielbowicz of Green Valley took the title by beating Amy Friedlander and Vanessa Casas of Gorman, 6-3. 7-5. Lisa Lester and Samantha Villenueva of Green Valley claimed third by downing Bonanza's Jaime Christensen and Christie Greathouse, 6-3, 6-0.

* CROSS COUNTRY: Basic and Cheyenne won boys' titles at the Southern Conference meet Saturday. The Wolves scored 22 points to outdistance Silverado (46), Green Valley (101), Vo-Tech (147), Eldorado (184), Valley (198), Chaparral (223) and Rancho (225). Basic's Oliver Redig was the overall winner in a time of 16:42. Cheyenne scored 26 points to beat Durango (60), Bonanza (68), Cimarron (93), Clark (114) and Gorman (173). Bonanza's Cory Jeffers was the winner in a time of 16:42. On the girls' side, Green Valley and Cheyenne were the team champs. The Gators had a score of 30 to get by Basic (36), Silverado (68), Eldorado (147), Valley (158), Chaparral (168), Las Vegas (181), Vo-Tech (203) and Rancho (230). Green Valley's Abby Miller won the individual crown with a time of 19:15. Cheyenne tallied 32 points and was followed by Cimarron (76), Clark (77), Durango (93), Gorman (115), Palo Verde (153) and Bonanza (157). Katie Bailey of Cheyenne was the individual winner with a time of 19:18.

* GIRLS' GOLF: Pahrump Valley, Boulder City and Virgin Valley qualified for this week's 3A Division III state tournament at Calvada Country Club. Pahrump Valley fired a 516, Boulder City a 690 and Virgin Valley a 726 Friday at Calvada.