Late game heroics send Bishop Gorman to Sunset title game

By Steve Silver (contact)

Saturday, Nov. 15, 2008 | 3:44 a.m.

Cheyenne's improbable comeback from a 16-point fourth quarter deficit was indeed too good to be true Friday night at Bishop Gorman's Fertitta Field.

The Desert Shields had seemingly made their reservations for a trip to the Sunset Regional championship by posting 22 unanswered points in less than nine minutes in the fourth quarter Friday.

But the defending state champion Gaels had another idea as Gorman quarterback Joe Huber found Taylor Spencer for a 45-yard game-tying touchdown strike with 1:06 remaining in the game.

The ensuing Colin Ditsworth extra point sealed the Gaels' 37-36 victory and their spot in the regional title contest against arch rival Palo Verde.

"Never say never is a big thing I've always told my players," said Bishop Gorman coach Bob Altshuler. "… The kids found a way. I can't tell you how proud I am of this group just never quitting and getting after it."

After Cheyenne's Marcus Sullivan rushed for a 21-yard touchdown and the subsequent two-point conversion with 2:27 left on the clock, the Desert Shields made a costly error on the kickoff by booting the ball out of bounds.

Yet even with excellent field position, the Gaels' miraculous comeback drive almost never happened.

On third down, Huber threw an errant pass right into the chest of Cheyenne's Khyriece Campbell, but Campbell dropped the easy interception.

"When he dropped that pick, I knew we really had a chance," said Gorman defensive back Charles Childers, who lined up at wide receiver during the final drive. "I knew right then that it was our game to throw away."

With one more chance to extend his season, Huber picked up a first down with a 23-yard pass to Evan Zeger before eventually throwing the game-winning touchdown.

"All I could think about was just 'get him the ball, get him the ball,'" Huber said about his season-saving fourth down pass. "We knew it wasn't over until that scoreboard hit zero."

Huber accounted for all five of Gorman's touchdowns with two through the air and three on the ground. Huber finished the night with 56 rushing yards on five carries while completing five of 12 passes for 109 yards.

While Huber racked up the Gaels' points, it was his fullback, sophomore Jordan Welte who wore out the Desert Shields' normally stingy defense. Welte picked up 106 yards on 23 carries.

"It was a hard fought victory for them," said Cheyenne linebacker Damien Proby. "They have a very good team. We played hard and we played with a lot of heart, but we just couldn't get it done tonight."

The Desert Shield's late-game comeback was even more impressive considering how poorly they started. Cheyenne fell into a 10-0 hole less than four minutes into the game thanks to two costly turnovers deep in their own zone.

In an effort to spark his offense, Cheyenne coach Charles Anthony switched out of his tradition wishbone formation and put Sullivan under center to run a spread offense in the second half.

The move worked as Sullivan rushed for 167 yards and threw for 99 more.

"We definitely had our chances," Anthony said. "You have to tip your hats to these guys. They made a big play at the end of the game and they deserved to win."

Because of Gorman's successful final drive, the Gaels will travel to Palo Verde on Friday night for the Sunset title.

The Gaels' pulled off another comeback against the Panthers last season, when they scored a game-winning touchdown as time expired in the 2007 Sunset Regional championship.

"It's 'the game' for sure," Childers said. "Ever since last year when we beat them in the last second on last play. All summer, all preseason, all season it's just been building up and it's going to climax next week. This is what we've been playing for, this is what they've been playing for. We'll be ready."

Steve Silver can be reached at 948-7822 or steve.silver@lasvegassun.com.