Desert Pines takes huge step forward

Adam Candee

Monday, Nov. 25, 2002 | 10:01 a.m.

Prep football results

Friday night's scores

Sunrise Region Championship

(NE-2) Desert Pines 42, (NE-1) Las Vegas 18

Sunset Region Championship

(NW-3) Palo Verde 28, (NW-2) Cheyenne 14

4A State Tournament semifinals

Saturday

(SS-1) Palo Verde at (N-1) McQueen, 1 p.m.

(SS-2) Cheyenne at (SR-1) Desert Pines, 1:30 p.m.

The dam finally burst Friday night. Whether it did so for Desert Pines or for Las Vegas depends on your perspective.

One look at the celebration on the Jaguars' side of the field after their 42-18 blowout of Las Vegas in the Sunrise Region title game, and one could easily say the dam of frustration and anticipation disappeared for Desert Pines.

Senior running back Cornell Johnson, one of a host of Jaguars who helped build the program from inception four years ago, cried on the shoulder of his coach, Leon Evans.

"It feels great, man," Johnson said. "Four years, I could never beat this team. We played harder than them all game."

Evans took over the Desert Pines program this year after serving as an assistant coach to Gary Findley.

"I can't put it into words right now," Evans said. "For us to grow as a program, you have to win football games like this."

Desert Pines did not just win the game -- the Jaguars totally controlled it. From an interception on Las Vegas' first drive to Johnson's second long touchdown run in the fourth quarter, the Jaguars dominated a Wildcats team that they had not beaten in four previous tries.

Johnson, the focal point of the offense, served mostly as a decoy through the first three quarters. That allowed quarterback Marcel Johnson and tailback Tony Williams to make the big plays.

It was Williams, who ran for more than 100 yards, who provided the new offensive wrinkle that Evans hinted at in the days leading up to the game.

On the other side, the dam burst for defending state champion Las Vegas and its 24-game winning streak, and so much appeared to washed away in the loss.

Neither coach Kris Cinkovich nor his players would ever search for excuses, but there were a number at the ready, mostly in the form of injuries.

Stanley Copeland injured his ankle early in the game and never recovered. Chad Pool severely turned his ankle on an early touchdown run, and he limped through the rest of the game. Aaron Jenkins flexed his right hand in pain continuously throughout the night.

That means Las Vegas essentially played without the full services of its top defensive back, its heart-and-soul linebacker and its starting quarterback.

With Jaguars CB Mike Washington tossing a wet blanket over Las Vegas WR Corey Williams as well, the Wildcats' comeback hopes never materialized.

The only challenge for Desert Pines now is to come down off the high of this win in time for Saturday's state semifinal showdown with Cheyenne. The Jaguars downed the Desert Shields early in the year by a 33-12 final.

Said Evans of getting back on the field today: "It's just another work day."

Hardly. But that's what the coach must tell his kids after the biggest win in school history.