Las Vegas routs Foothill in second half

By Levi Chronister

Saturday, Nov. 8, 2008 | 1 a.m.

Foothill High quarterback Aaron Dupin had trouble connecting with his receivers early in Friday's game against Las Vegas High, often overthrowing them when they had sped or snuck behind the Wildcats' defense.

It was the junior's first underthrown ball that proved to be the Falcons' undoing, though, in a 52-20 Sunrise Regional quarterfinal loss.

Late in the second quarter and deep in Las Vegas territory, Dupin threw hurriedly to the right sideline while under pressure from the left side of the line. Well short of its intended target, the pass was intercepted by Barry Williams, who returned it 53 yards to the Wildcats' 33-yard line.

One play later, Las Vegas quarterback Emir Lopez had his fourth touchdown pass of the half and a game that had been 20 yards and one minute from being tied 21-all at halftime was instead well on its way to being a rout.

"That just killed our momentum," Foothill coach Marty Redmond said. "I just think if we would have scored there and went into the half tied, I think we would have had the momentum at that point and the game could have been a lot closer.

"We just lost all momentum, got real flat, and you can't do that against a good Las Vegas team. They're very good. They're very talented kids and they smell it when the blood's in the water. They've been there before. They know how to put a team away, and that's what they did tonight."

Lopez put the Falcons away almost single-handedly, accounting for six of the Wildcats' seven touchdowns. With the Falcons focused on shutting down Reggie Bullock and the running game, Lopez picked the secondary apart, finishing 15-of-23 passing for 270 yards and five touchdowns. Two went to Bullock, another pair to Aaron Frankin and one of the first of the night was a 10-yarder to Saeveon Butler.

For good measure, the senior transfer from Sierra Vista added a 29-yard scoring run in the third quarter for a 42-14 lead.

"It's all because of my offensive line," Lopez said. "They work really hard. My receivers made good plays. It's not all me. It's them, too.

"It's nice going to the playoffs feeling competitive and feeling like you have a chance. Coming here I felt more confident, and just doing this gives me a lot more confidence, too."

Knowing its opponents almost always have to drive 80 yards to get into the end zone thanks to Trevor Lowe's big leg gives the Wildcats' defense a lot of confidence, too. The senior kicker put five of seven kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks, keeping the Falcons from the chance of a big return.

Those touchbacks were even more important than normal after Connor Afoa had proven his return skills by taking a punt back 68 yards for the game's first score.

"It's difficult," Redmond said of starting on the 20-yard line so often. "Especially playing against a team like Las Vegas. They have a lot of team speed and so you have to make a couple big plays to move 80 yards. You have to execute extremely well without making any mistakes, so it's difficult to have to drive the ball 80 yards every single time.

Lowe's leg comes in handy on offense as well. He pushed a 42-yard field goal attempt just wide left late in the second quarter, but easily drilled a 39-yarder on the first play of the fourth period. With points often being difficult to come by in the playoffs, Lowe's ability to get the Wildcats on the scoreboard even if they can't get in the end zone could be useful.

"It's very comforting," Las Vegas coach Chris Faircloth said. "We'll kick them when we have the opportunity. That's big. It's comforting to know that if you didn't move the ball well enough on offense, at least you can kick a field goal. We've had years where we couldn't do that."

Lowe may meet his match in next week's regional semifinal against Green Valley High, a 32-12 victor over Desert Pines on Friday. Gators junior kicker Nolan Kohorst has hit multiple field goals of 50 or more yards this season.

Whether GVHS quarterback Nick Libonati can match up pass for pass with Lopez is another question.

"They're going to be a tough opponent," Lopez said. "I expect a physical game, and we're going to prepare well and we're going to take it to them, too."