Petterson prep football picks for Week Nine

Spencer Patterson

Thursday, Oct. 22, 1998 | 10:38 a.m.

WEEK NINE

DURANGO (4-4, 2-3) at BISHOP GORMAN (4-4, 2-3), 7:30 p.m.

For these teams, the playoffs essentially start now. The winner gets the Sunset Division's final postseason berth, and the loser waits nine months to try again. After back-to-back losses to Mojave and Western, the Gaels got back on track last week against Bonanza. The Trailblazers, meanwhile, have dropped two straight, falling to Cimarron and Western. Neither club has much big game experience, but Durango has been a regular playoff participant of late. Playing on the Sam Boyd Stadium turf should help the hosts stay close, but expect the Trailblazers' superior size and speed to carry them to victory.

Durango 24, Gorman 17

CHAPARRAL (5-3, 5-1) at LAS VEGAS (5-3, 4-2), 7 p.m.

First place in the Sunrise is on the line here, with the Cowboys trying to stay tied atop the division. To do it, they'll need to defeat a Wildcat club that lost to Green Valley and Eldorado by a combined 12 points. The Las Vegas' offense is second to none, with the area's passing leader (Anthony Marini) and rushing leader (Curtis Wilson) spearheading the attack. Defensively, Chaparral's Richard Seigler will need to have a big game to keep his squad from getting in a big hole.

Las Vegas 28, Chaparral 21

WESTERN (6-2, 4-1) at CHEYENNE (8-0, 5-0), 7 p.m.

With most of the attention this season focused on Sunset powers Cheyenne and Cimarron, the Warriors have quietly put together one of the area's best runs this fall. Now, they have the chance to make a name for themselves with a win over Southern Nevada's only undefeated 4A team. A victory gives Western the division crown, while a Desert Shields' win likely drops the Warriors into third place. With last week's emotional game against rival Cimarron behind them and the playoffs ahead, Cheyenne must guard against a letdown.

Cheyenne 34, Western 20

GREEN VALLEY (6-2, 5-1) at VALLEY (2-6, 2-4), 7 p.m.

A win all but guarantees the Gators the top seed out of the Sunrise Division, with Green Valley holding most of the tie-breakers with Eldorado and Chaparral. The Gators' offense was thoroughly unimpressive in last week's 7-0 loss to the Cowboys, so expect the visitors to feast on the Vikings' porous secondary this Friday. An upset would help Valley forget its disappointing year, but it isn't likely to happen.

Green Valley 35, Valley 14

ELDORADO (6-2, 5-1) at SILVERADO (0-8, 0-6), 7 p.m.

The Sundevils need to win to stay in the hunt for the Sunrise title, although they'll need help to claim it outright. Last week's 13-point victory over Rancho was a little too close for comfort for Eldorado, so the visitors probably won't leave anything to chance this week. This one should be over before halftime.

Eldorado 32, Silverado 12

BASIC (3-5, 2-4) at RANCHO (1-7, 1-5), 7 p.m.

After getting knocked out of the Sunrise playoff hunt with a lopsided loss to Las Vegas last week, it will be interesting to see how the Wolves respond here. The Rams have shown vast improvement late in the year, beating Silverado and hanging tough against Eldorado. This one's tough to call, although a Basic win would give it something positive to build on next year.

Basic 23, Rancho 18

CLARK (3-5, 1-4) at BONANZA (1-7, 0-5), 7 p.m.

A battle to avoid ending the season in the Sunset cellar. The Bengals haven't won a league game since 1996 and have won just once overall in the past two years. The Cowboys have victories over Gorman, Valley and Mojave and should end the year with a respectable 4-5 overall record.

Clark 20, Bonanza 14

PALO VERDE (2-5) at CIMARRON-MEMORIAL (5-3, 4-2), 7 p.m.

Picked by most to be the class of the zone, the Spartans have struggled to get on an even keel all year. Last week's loss to Cheyenne probably will still be on their minds when they host the first-year Panthers, so this one could be ugly.

Cimarron 41, Palo Verde 13

PALO VERDE VALLEY (Calif.) at MOJAVE (4-4), 7 p.m.

A winning record right out of the gate would be quite an accomplishment for the first-year Rattlers. If the area's performance against out-of-state competition this fall is any indication, though, it isn't likely to happen.

Palo Verde Valley 21, Mojave 10

Season -- 63-18 (.778); Last week: 7-2.