prep football preview:

Arbor View looking to break through in Northwest

Sam Morris

Arbor View football players from left, Taylor Wooten, Austin Anderson, DeMarlo Carl Virgil Thursday, Aug. 6, 2009.

Thursday, Aug. 20, 2009 | 2:05 a.m.

Unfortunately for Arbor View, a winning record is not enough to make the playoffs in the talented Northwest Division.

The Aggies (6-4, 3-4) took fifth in the tough Northwest last year, one spot out of the playoffs, and coach Dan Barnson wants to make sure that does not happen again.

“Just to be in the top-4 is special, because of the talent in our league,” Barnson said. “Playoffs are always the goal.”

In fact, he might have to make the playoffs in order to keep Arbor View at the 4A classification. The Aggies were one of the schools listed in a summer NIAA proposal to reclassify leagues.

“Hopefully we can put our name on the map,” Barnson said. “(The proposal) hasn’t changed our attitude of wanting to prove we belong.”

With the graduation of Gabe Toney, junior running back Taylor Wooten will anchor the backfield for the Aggies. Last season Wooten rushed for nearly 1,400 yards and 18 touchdowns as Arbor View posted 3,391 yards on the ground as a team.

Arbor View will also be able to throw the ball with 6-foot-4 senior quarterback Austin Anderson, who has a scholarship offer from Southern Utah and has draw interest from a handful of Division I schools.

To break into the playoffs, however, the Aggies have to find a way to topple some of the division’s powerhouses. Last season, Cheyenne crushed Arbor View 57-0 and Palo Verde was victorious 48-21. The Aggies dropped closer contests with Legacy and Cimarron-Memorial.

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

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