Cheyenne, Cimarron to do battle

Spencer Patterson

Thursday, Sept. 28, 2000 | 10:24 a.m.

When Cimarron-Memorial and Cheyenne play their annual game for the "Duel in the Desert" trophy, you can usually throw the teams' records out the window.

Whether they're in contention for a conference title, or simply playing for pride, the Spartans and Desert Shields tend to get up to play each other.

So something special could be in the air tonight, when 3-1 Cheyenne hosts 4-0 Cimarron-Memorial in a battle of ranked clubs looking for the inside track to the Northwest Division crown.

"It's a big game," Desert Shields coach George Perry said. "They're our rival and we're playing for a big trophy. If that doesn't get our kids pumped up, nothing will."

Offered Spartans coach Greg Spencer, "We're not looking past Cheyenne. They're 3-1, they've got the athletes and the speed and they'll come hit you. Our kids need to come to play. They can't take anyone lightly."

As expected, No. 1 Cimarron has been the class of Southern Nevada, racking up wins against tough out-of-state foes Delta (Utah) and Rancho Bernardo (Calif.), as well as locals Basic and Las Vegas High.

The Spartans' defense has been as good as advertised, allowing just six touchdowns in four games. Offensively, the two-time defending state champs have been a model of efficiency, with backs Kellen Marshall (577 yards, seven touchdowns) and Alex Gonzales (414 yards, six touchdowns) racking up big numbers behind the squad's physical offensive line.

"I think our kids are confident," Spencer said. "Not in the sense that they think they're going to go out and beat everybody. They're confident in what they think it takes to come out with a victory."

No. 8 Cheyenne, meanwhile, has been something of a surprise in 2000. Coming off a down year that saw the perennial playoff power slip to a 2-7 record, the Shields have rebounded behind a defense that has held tough foes Eldorado and Las Vegas under 10 points and shut out California squad Notre Dame (Riverside).

Even in its lone loss, Cheyenne kept unbeaten Chaparral under 20 points, dropping a 17-14 decision in overtime.

"Our defense is by far the best part of our team," Perry said. "We've got some young guys on offense, and they're just learning to play."

Senior Calvin Dumas leads the Shields with 300 yards rushing, but he is one of four backs with more than 20 carries and 100 yards on the season. Junior Craig Hill is tops on the club with four touchdowns.

Despite his team's hot start, Perry knows his charges will need to play their best game yet to ruin what could be an undefeated season for Cimarron.

"Cimarron is a pretty good football team. They've got good backs and a good, solid line," Perry said. "Against us they've run a lot of counter and screens plays in the past. They try to get you going one way and come back the other."