Centennial should top Palo Verde in low-scoring affair

Adam Candee

Thursday, Nov. 14, 2002 | 9:09 a.m.

Woe -- if not for a last-second change of heart -- the glory of an 8-0 week to open the playoffs rested in our hands. But alas, we switched the Palo Verde pick over to Durango, accounting for our only loss last week when the Panthers ripped the Blazers.

We harbor no ill feelings, though, because it is playoff time and we know what the cardinal rule of playoff time is -- survive and advance. Cue up the "One Shining Moment" music and all the schmaltz that comes with it because we are definitely feeling the playoff vibe.

Here we are in the region semifinals, primed for a couple of big-time matchups. Desert Pines at Foothill. Palo Verde at Centennial -- again. We should have some fun this Friday night, hopefully with a bit less wind than last weekend.

Watch for the scores to come down a bit this week, especially over in the defensive Sunset Region. Do not expect a repeat of last week's 144-point output from the Northwest crew that destroyed the parity-riddled Southwest when the games go intradivision and rematch.

Friday's Games PALO VERDE (NW-3, 7-3) at CENTENNIAL (NW-1, 10-0), 7 p.m.

If you can appreciate a slugfest, then these two teams put on a highly entertaining show in their regular season matchup, won by the Bulldogs on a late Cory Gray touchdown run. Both teams appear to be at their apex right now, and that means two crushing defenses will likely set the tone. The Palo Verde rushing offense busted loose against Durango, but no one has run on Centennial all year. You can be sure coach Greg Murphy is constantly reminding his team this week that it gave up 14 points to fourth-seeded Clark. Last time, the difference was Centennial's ability to throw the ball, and it might be again Friday. If Centennial slows the Palo Verde rushing attack early, the onus could fall directly on Panthers sophomore QB Jarrell Harrison to make a play or two.

Centennial 10, Palo Verde 6

CIMARRON-MEMORIAL (NW-4, 5-5) at CHEYENNE (NW-2, 8-2), 7 p.m.

Think of Cimarron's 50-6 trouncing of Southwest top seed Bishop Gorman last week as the upset that never was. Even at a No. 4 seed, the Spartans truly were the better team going into the game, and it showed. Spartans RB Chat Martin has come on late in the season to give the team a reliable running threat. The Desert Shields present a difficult matchup for Cimarron, though, with speed all over the field and a multi-dimensional ground game. David Peeples, Travonte Darby and Ramone Cooper have stepped up on both sides of the ball for Cheyenne. Credit coach Dave Snyder for turning his kids around after tough losses to Desert Pines and Centennial. Remember -- the winners of this week's Sunset semifinals both qualify for state because the region gets two berths this year.

Cheyenne 20, Cimarron 14

DESERT PINES (NE-2, 9-1) at FOOTHILL (SE-1, 9-1), 7 p.m.

The Las Vegas-Desert Pines showdown in the final week of the regular season was to decide, in part, who avoided Foothill in the second round. The booby prize goes to the Jaguars, although if the Falcons play like they did last week, Desert Pines will roll in this one. We're still taking theories on how the Falcons nearly lost to a 3-6 Chaparral team, but we'll just have to apply the survive-and-advance theory and leave it behind. It would be surprising if QB Josh Daneshforooz found much room to run against the Desert Pines defense, but someone will need to take the pressure off WR Nate Wederquist. The strong Foothill defense is in for its biggest test of the year against the oncoming train of Jaguars RB Cornell Johnson, who has looked focused in the past few weeks. Here's the kicker for both teams: A likely date with Las Vegas looms for the winner, and eve n then, only the Sunrise winner is heading to state.

Desert Pines 24, Foothill 19

BASIC (SE-2, 8-2) at LAS VEGAS (NE-1, 10-0), 7 p.m.

Cliff Frazier's Wolves draw, by far, the hardest assignment of the week against Las Vegas, for a number of reasons. It has been said a lot, but for a team that relied so heavily on a timing passing attack, the loss of starting QB Chris Montano will eventually catch up with Basic. It almost did last week, as Basic weathered five turnovers to defeat Eldorado. The Wolves' defense will be in the spotlight, as Basic must keep the score down against the high-powered Wildcats. As for Las Vegas, what more needs to be said about this team? With the wind whipping around Frank Nails Stadium, the Wildcats blasted through Silverado by running the ball and blew the Skyhawks off the field. The one Las Vegas weakness giving Basic a glimmer of hope, as exposed by Desert Pines, was one-on-one pass coverage, but one can assume coach Kris Cinkovich has corrected that in the p ast two weeks.

Las Vegas 37, Basic 13

Last week: 7-1 Spencer Patterson's 2002 record: 37-10 (.787) Adam Candee's 2002 record: 48-15 (.762)