Johnson & Johnson spark Jaguars’ victory in opener

Spencer Patterson

Friday, Sept. 6, 2002 | 9:47 a.m.

Thursday's scores

Basic 43, Bonanza 23

Coronado 16, Clark 0

Foothill 19, Durango 18

Cheyenne 21, Silverado 13

Sierra Vista 22, Chaparral 12

Desert Pines 22, Palo Verde 20

Centennial 48, Eldorado 0

Las Vegas 21, Cimarron-Memorial 14

Rancho 13, Mojave 6

Western 5, Valley 0

Pahrump Valley 28, Meadows 6 B. Gorman 45, C. Graham (Canada) 2

Snow Canyon (Utah) 35, G. Valley 13

The game plan on how to defend Desert Pines was supposed to be simple this season: Stop Johnson and you stop the Jaguars.

Better make that stop the Johnsons -- plural -- and you might stop the Jaguars.

With Palo Verde's defense keying on running back Cornell Johnson, Desert Pines' quarterback Marcel Johnson made most of the big offensive plays in Thursday night's prep season opener.

In his first varsity start, the senior completed 10-of-13 passes for 199 yards, a touchdown and a huge third-down conversion late in the visiting Jaguars' 22-20 win.

"Marcel did an excellent job tonight," Desert Pines' Leon Evans said after earning his first win as Jaguars coach. "A lot of people thought it would be all Cornell for us this year, but we're balanced.

"People have to respect our passing game as well as our running game."

Cornell Johnson, who has averaged well over 100 yards during his three varsity seasons, ran into a Panther defense tuned to his every move. He still managed 89 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 25 carries, but fumbled twice and left the game briefly in the second half with an ankle injury.

Marcel Johnson, meanwhile, made the most of Palo Verde's focus on his backfield mate. He spread the ball to five receivers, finding Jonathan Stoldorf for a 27-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter and connecting with Kawon Walker five times for 88 yards.

"I was a little nervous, but with everybody keying on Cornell this year, I have to step up," Marcel Johnson said. "I'm just happy to be with a good running back like Cornell. He makes my job easier."

The Jaguar quarterback also produced the play of the game with his team desperately hanging onto its two-point lead with under three minutes left.

Facing a third-and-30 from his own 1-yard-line, Johnson dropped back into the endzone, nearly slipped down for a game-tying safety, regained his balance and found B.J. Williams deep downfield for a 44-yard completion and a key first down.

"Before I snapped the ball Cornell said, 'They're bringing the house,' " Marcel Johnson said. "I tried to take my drop quick, but it was too quick and I almost fell. Luckily, I stayed up and got the ball off to B.J. I knew B.J. could get past his guy."

After the dramatic completion, it appeared the Jaguars would be able to run out the clock. But Palo Verde's Marcus Dalton ripped the ball out of Cornell Johnson's hands during a short run and took the ball into Desert Pines territory to give his team one last chance.

Jaguar linebacker Josh Webster sealed the victory moments later, however, recovering a Panther fumble at the 25-yard line with 14 seconds remaining.

Williams provided another key defensive play for the visitors in the final quarter, forcing Palo Verde running back Tyree Walton out of bounds just shy of the end zone to prevent a game-tying two-point conversion.

"It's a bittersweet win," Evans said. "We did enough to win, kids made some good plays when they had to and we stopped them on crucial downs. But as coaches we made some mistakes tonight."

Walton finished with 52 yards on nine carries to lead Palo Verde's new Double-Wing attack. Panther quarterback Jarrell Harrison and fullback Doug Chippewa each ran for a touchdown, and Jordan Wilmore scored on an 80-yard return of a blocked punt.09