Preseason favorites to clash

Spencer Patterson

Friday, Oct. 13, 2000 | 11:48 a.m.

All games 7 p.m. unless noted

Chaparral at Silverado

Foothill at Green Valley

Eldorado at Valley

Las Vegas at Rancho

Bonanza at Western

Clark at Durango

Cheyenne at Palo Verde

Cimarron-Memorial at Mojave

Desert Pines at Basic

Bishop Gorman at Centennial

Moapa Valley at Boulder City

The Meadows at Needles

White Pine at Faith Lutheran, 7:30 p.m.

It was supposed to be a battle for first place in the Southeast Division. Instead, when Silverado hosts Chaparral tonight, it could be a fight for simple survival.

Thanks to the success of their three division mates, the Skyhawks (4-2, 1-0) and Cowboys (4-2, 0-1) -- preseason favorites to dominate the Southeast -- now face the outside possibility of missing this year's postseason entirely.

"Right now, everything is up in the air," Silverado coach John DeNardin said. "But our destiny is in our hands. The big thing for us is a win locks up a playoff berth."

Two weeks into conference play, surprising Basic (2-4, 2-0) has already claimed one of the Southeast's four postseason berths. That leaves Chaparral, Silverado, Green Valley (3-3, 0-2) and Foothill (3-2, 1-1) fighting for the remaining three.

The Skyhawks can clinch by winning tonight, while a loss by the Cowboys would put them in a must-win situation against the Gators in the regular season's final week.

"It's a big game for us. You definitely don't want to go 0-2 (in the division)," Chaparral coach Ben Johnson said. "But I try not to talk to the kids about must-wins. We still have Chaparral, Basic and Green Valley. If we win all three, we can still win the division, and that's been our goal all along."

Johnson's squad opened the season looking like the team to beat in the Sunrise Region, reeling off four straight wins over Bonanza, Cheyenne, Centennial and Mojave.

Since then, however, the Cowboys have fallen on hard times, losing their division opener to Foothill and then dropping a lopsided decision 38-13 to No. 4 Eldorado. In the loss to the Sundevils, three critical turnovers helped seal Chaparral's fate, prompting Johnson to resume two-a-day practices this week.

"We hadn't been getting enough reps the last few weeks, and we haven't looked good for the last three weeks," Johnson said. "You can't give teams the ball inside your own 25-yard line, so we worked on holding onto the ball all week."

The Skyhawks, on the other hand, have come on strong the past three weeks, outscoring Centennial, Valley and Green Valley by a combined 84-54 margin. Silverado's only losses this year have come to Western, by one point, and to California school Bonita Vista.

"Our defense has improved every week, and offensively we finally seem to have woken up," DeNardin said. "But we've yet to put all four quarters together in a game."

To win tonight, the Skyhawks will need to contain Chaparral quarterback Dallas Dobbs, the area's leading passer with over 1,100 yards and 11 touchdowns. He and speedy wideout Grady Thomas have already hooked up for seven scoring passes this season.

"Dallas Dobbs is one of the best athletes in town. Anytime he steps on the field there's a danger," DeNardin said. "Their strength is passing the ball, but he's also a threat to run the ball so we have to play very sound defense."

For Silverado, the main weapon in 2000 has been tailback Joe Jackson, who has rushed for more than 550 yards and 10 touchdowns in six contests. After a slow start, the senior finally get untracked last week, eclipsing the 200-yard mark for the first time this year.

Last season, Jackson had a career night in the Skyhawks' 47-13 blowout of Chaparral, rushing for nearly 296 yards and scoring three long touchdowns to lead the assault.

"If he gets into the open field, watch out," Johnson said. "In order for us to win, we have to get good penetration because they run so much misdirection, If you can get in their backfield, you can blow that up."