Pines seeks an encore

Adam Candee

Friday, Nov. 29, 2002 | 10:41 a.m.

Prep football results

November 22

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.

For Desert Pines, the past week is a story and the summit and everything below.

The Jaguars reached the top of the mountain by dismantling Las Vegas in the Sunrise Region title game last Friday, finally breaking through to make the state playoffs after four years. Players hugged and cried, excitement abounded, and Desert Pines (11-1) celebrated.

But if Jaguars coach Leon Evans worried about his team being able to bring down its emotions to face Cheyenne in Saturday's 4A state semifinals, that concern was quickly put to rest, whether he liked it or not.

"I tried to keep (the kids') heads on the ground this week," Evans said.

Desert Pines will be operating with a dark cloud hanging overhead Saturday, as a school investigation into allegations of racial slurs used by offensive coordinator John Isola continues. The incident is said to have taken place during the Jaguars' victory last Friday.

"There's been some allegations against one of the Desert Pines coaches for possible comments that could be construed as racially biased," Desert Pines principal Roger Jacks said. "A comment was made out loud. I really don't know if it was made toward anyone."

Isola is suspended for this week's game, pending the results of the investigation. Jacks said the school hopes to conclude its interviews with those involved and make a final decision by early next week.

"We're in a tough situation right now," Evans said. "We told the kids they can't be harping on it."

On the field, the suspension of Isola means Evans will be forced to take over play-calling duties for the offense. Desert Pines averages 40 points per game, but even with its regular play caller, the team tests the play clock in getting in its calls.

"I'm going to make an attempt at it," Evans said. "I'm not going to fool anybody and say I'm an offensive coordinator."

Even without much from RB Cornell Johnson last week, Desert Pines still rolled on offense, thanks to another strong passing day from QB Marcel Johnson and unexpected running from RB Tony Williams. Cornell Johnson totaled just 12 first-half rushing yards, but Williams served as the secret weapon in the backfield, rushing for more than 100 yards on the game.

Cheyenne lost to Palo Verde, 28-14, in last week's Sunset Region championship. Coach Dave Snyder said before that game that he worried about his offense, and the Desert Shields (9-3) scored just one offensive touchdown. The Shields have struggled against the city's better teams this year, with the exception of a regular season win over Palo Verde.

That includes a 33-12 loss to the Jaguars earlier this season, a game in which Desert Pines exploded in the second-half to bury Cheyenne. The strong Cheyenne secondary will likely be tested by Marcel Johnson and WRs Kawon Walker and John Stoldorf, both of whom caught long passes in last week's victory.