Injuries slow Wildcats, but wins keep coming

Nick Christensen

Monday, Nov. 17, 2003 | 9:50 a.m.

Las Vegas High rushed for 217 yards Friday, but Eric Jordan didn't see a play.

The Wildcats' quarterback passed for an important touchdown, but Chris Gifford didn't take a snap.

Injuries cost Las Vegas the valley's leading rusher, Gifford, and the its starting quarteback, but the Wildcats were able to lean on a stellar defense and breakout performances by senior Jacob Robertson and sophomore Jamal Lomax to dig out a 26-7 win against Foothill in Friday's Sunrise regional semifinal.

"It affects us hard," said Robertson, whose 112 rushing yards included two 50-yard-plus runs and a touchdown. "We're without some of the key players in the program, but this group got the job done."

On the other side, Foothill coach Ray Fenton was left scratching his head. Early in the game, the Falcons offense couldn't escape the hole Vegas put them in. Later, when Foothill was able to make progress and get into Wildcats territory, the Falcons were unable to convert field position into points.

"They did a great job of it," Fenton said of the Vegas defense. "It's tough to go 99 yards."

The focus after the game was on Vegas' strong running game, and the surprise performance by Robertson.

"I got good blocks," he said. "Once you get good blocks, everything happens."

"Our defense really stepped it up, they played well," Desert Pines coach Leon Evans said. "Hector Molina, we've been riding him this year. He stepped it up, and stepped it up big. I think he had three knockdowns and a lot of tackles."

"In the Bonanza game the week before, he went out after the first four minutes," said Palo Verde coach Darwin Rost. " We just played. Our offense never punted once in the whole game. We scored every time we had the ball except right before halftime, and late in the game taking a knee."