Legacy beats Spring Valley for first playoff win

Friday, Nov. 6, 2009 | 11:30 p.m.

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High school football section

Late in Friday night’s Sunset Regional quarterfinal, Legacy quarterback Devin Weidemann dropped back to pass.

He rolled to the left, looked to the right, felt pressure from behind and unleashed a high, arching 60-yard pass.

“I just cocked back and fired it,” he said. “And I had my doubts.”

The ball spiraled high and tight, hanging in the air before dropping into the outstretched arms of wide receiver Marcus McCollum for a touchdown.

Finally, the Longhorns had shaken the Spring Valley Grizzlies with a 31-14 victory in front of a home crowd. It was the first playoff win in the school’s four-year history.

“When it fell, I knew we had the game,” Weidemann said. “After the catch Marcus made, you just knew it.”

It was the second time the pair had hooked up to score, the first being a 39-yard pass in the second quarter.

“It feels good,” Legacy coach David Snyder Jr. said. “It’s nice to get that first victory in the playoffs, in front of these fans.”

Never more than an arm’s length from the Longhorns the entire game, Spring Valley looked to take hold of the lead late in the third quarter.

After Taj Allen’s 20-yard touchdown run tied the game at 14, the Grizzlies defense promptly stifled any thought of the undefeated Longhorns reclaiming the lead with a three-and-out.

After a punt that left the ball deep in Spring Valley’s end of the field, Spring Valley coach Kelly Murphy called for a reverse. Allen took the handoff, cut right and flipped the ball to wide receiver Brandon Lopez.

Lopez muffed the pitch and Legacy recovered.

“We tried something down there and it was my call,” Murphy said. “I thought we could get them with that by getting Lopez in space and we just didn’t get it.”

Playing tough all game, the Grizzlies responded by keeping Legacy out of the end zone, allowing only an Andres Ortiz field goal.

On their ensuing possession, Spring Valley quarterback Anton Stallworth threw an interception to Legacy’s Martell Crockett.

“I’m proud as hell of my kids,” Murphy said. “Nobody gave us a fat chance in this game and we beat Legacy in several areas. We just didn’t pull out the victory.”

With the win, Legacy improves to 11-0 on the season and will face Cimarron-Memorial in the Sunset Regional semifinals.

Earlier this season, Legacy escaped Cimmaron with a one-point victory in overtime, thanks to a successful two-point conversion.

“Today, our performance isn’t exactly what I wanted to see,” Snyder said. “To keep advancing, we’re going to have to get back to fundamentals and get our passing game going.”

Discussion: 5 comments so far…

Comments are moderated by Las Vegas Sun editors. Our goal is not to limit the discussion, but rather to elevate it. Comments should be relevant and contain no abusive language. Comments that are off-topic, vulgar, profane or include personal attacks will be removed. Full comments policy.

By Fresco12

Nov. 7, 2009

10:38 a.m.

Suggest removal

well....spring valley did a ok job....but after the coach called the longhorns " bunch of gangbangers in pads" im more than happy that the longhorns ended there season
By P8503L

Nov. 7, 2009

7:05 p.m.

Suggest removal

Fresco12, what proof and forum did you get this comment from? Or are you just full of BS? Shows us where and when he said that?
By Fresco12

Nov. 8, 2009

11:14 a.m.

Suggest removal

we heard it from the horses mouth during camp earliar this year..dont come at me like that
By P8503L

Nov. 8, 2009

8:13 p.m.

Suggest removal

Legacy was the only other Vegas team at that camp. So are you saying that he said it to you? It sounds like your not on Legacy's team since you stated "I'm happy that the longhorns ended their season", instead of saying " I'm glad we ended their season." So with that statement I'm betting your just making this up...and I'll come like that to people who are making false accusations. If you know what accusations mean.
By Fresco12

Nov. 10, 2009

11:29 p.m.

Suggest removal

no....there was alot of schools from vegas besides us....and SV was one of them..and thats what they called us...so please shut up because im sure your not even a high school kid..let alone a football player

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