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Ralph Freso / Special to the Sun
Palo Verde quarterback Parker Rost and his Panther teammates stretch before the start of their game against Desert Vista during the 2012 AIA Sollenberger Classic football game on Saturday, Aug. 18, 2012, at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
Published Saturday, Aug. 18, 2012 | 6 p.m.
Updated Saturday, Aug. 18, 2012 | 9:34 p.m.
Prep Sports Now
The Return of Football Season
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Las Vegas Sun sports reporters Ray Brewer and Case Keefer are back with a comprehensive — or some would say long-winded — look at high school football. They go division-by-division and team-by-team in this exhaustive 2012 debut. So settle in on the couch with a Snuggie or plan to make a round-trip drive from Boulder City to Shadow Ridge in order to listen to this one.
GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Palo Verde High football team lost this game in the third quarter.
The Panthers were held to negative 1-yard on eight plays Saturday in the third quarter of the Sollenberger Classic against Arizona's Desert Vista High, seeing their three-point halftime lead quickly vanish in losing, 20-10.
While the Palo Verde offense was stuck in neutral, Desert Vista erupted for 113 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Quarterback Matt Young completed his first 12 passes, connecting on a 47-yard scoring strike to Austin Hicks at the 10-minute mark of the third to give Desert Vista the lead.
Later in the quarter, Desert Vista increased its lead to double digits with a seven-play, 66-yard scoring drive that was capped with a 1-yard touchdown run from Zach Gonzalez.
Palo Verde started moving the ball in the fourth quarter and had a drive reach the Desert Vista 30. The Panthers, however, couldn’t score and finished the day with just one touchdown, courtesy of Lee Griggs on a 71-yard run. Showing elite speed, he outraced the entire Desert Vista defense.
Palo Verde’s other points came on a 23-yard field goal from Tom Randall at the end of the first half for a 10-7 Palo Verde lead at halftime.
Even though Palo Verde couldn’t sustain the momentum in the second half, the showing in the first spoke volumes on the quality of football in Nevada. Remember, it’s only the third week in August.
Check back later for more on the game.
Palo Verde facing double-digit deficit as third quarter winds downPalo Verde has surrendered consecutive touchdowns in the third quarter and trails Desert Vista of Arizona in the Sollenberger Classic, 20-10.
Desert Vista did most of its damage on the last scoring drive courtesy of penalty yards. On one play, the same Palo Verde defender — whom I won’t name, but surely will get an earful from his coaches — was flagged for two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. (He should have been ejected).
That brought the ball inside the Palo Verde 20-yard line and Desert Vista’s Zach Gonzalez did the rest in scoring from 1-yard out.
We almost at the fourth quarter. While it’s not official, I’m guessing Palo Verde has less than 50 yards in the third.
Palo Verde trailing Desert Vista 14-10 after giving up long TD passPalo Verde has struggled with its pass coverage defense all night in the Sollenberger Classic against Arizona’s Desert Vista High.
This time, the poor play cost the Panthers the lead.
Desert Vista’s Matt Young perfectly executed the play-action fake and found a wide open Austin Hicks for a 47-yard touchdown reception and 14-10 lead. He easily beat a pair of Palo Verde defenders.
Young is 11-for-11 for 150 yards, dissecting the Palo Verde defense to keep the defending Arizona state champions in the game.
Palo Verde had a chance to get on the board on its ensuing possession, but misfired on a 38-yard field goal wide left. Ball back to Desert Vista.
Palo Verde forces four first half turnovers, leading Desert Vista 10-7 at halftimePalo Verde forced Desert Vista into four turnovers in the first half of the Sollenberger Classic at University of Phoenix Stadium and leads 10-7 at halftime.
Palo Verde received the ball at the Desert Vista 45-yard line after recovering a fumble with 36 seconds remaining in the half. A Parker Rost pass to Jake Ortale brought the ball to the 12-yard line and put the Panthers in field goal range. Tom Randall split the uprights with a 23-yard field on the last play of the half for a 10-7 Palo Verde lead.
For a Palo Verde team several thought would be overmatched, they aren’t playing like the underdogs. In addition to the four turnovers, Palo Verde limited Desert Vista to just one play in the initial six minutes.
Lee Griggs has been the star for Palo Verde, rushing for 101 yards on five carries. His 71-yard scoring run early in the second quarter evened the game at 7-all and showed the Panthers weren't going to back down.
If Palo Verde continues this sharp play, it will not only be a victory for the local powerhouse. It will be a victory for Nevada and further show the nation what Bishop Gorman already has: the high-level of high school football play in the Silver State is under-rated.
Should be a fun second half.
Palo’s Lee Griggs outraces defense for 71-yard TD run to even gameAfter a quarter of scoreless football, there’s been two touchdowns in less than 90 seconds at the Sollenberger Classic in keeping the game even.
Desert Vista got the scoring started with a 9-yard touchdown run from Jarek Hilgers for a 7-0 lead just seconds into the quarter.
Palo Verde didn’t waste much time tying the game.
Lee Griggs showed why he is one of the Las Vegas Valley’s top players, outracing most of the Desert Vista defense for a 71-yard touchdown run to quickly erase the deficit. Whenever he appeared to be tackled, or close to being forced out of bounds, Griggs keep moving until he reached the end zone. (He barely made it in after being horse-collared at the goal-line).
Give Palo Verde credit for bouncing back. This is going to be a great game.
Palo Verde, Desert Vista scoreless after first quarter in Sollenberger ClassicIf we’ve learned anything in the first quarter of the Sollenberger Classic it’s that Palo Verde High isn’t overmatched against Arizona’s Desert Vista.
At the end of the first quarter, Palo Verde has been the aggressor in keeping the game scoreless. Both teams haven’t ran a play inside the others’ red zone.
Palo Verde initially drive picked up three first down and drove to inside the Desert Vista 30-yard before they turned the ball over on an interception. It was the best scoring chance of the game.
The next play, however, Palo Verde’s Ryan Beaulieu intercepted the first Desert Vista pass from scrimmage to give Palo Verde the ball back.
Palo Verde’s double wing offense has controlled the clock — Desert Vista ran just one play in the initial six minutes.
I’ll keep everyone posted when this scoreless tie is broke.
NFL Stadium a great venue to open the season for Palo VerdeThe players on the Palo Verde High School football team couldn’t ask for a better venue to open the season.
They are representing Nevada in the annual Sollenberger Classic at the University of Phoenix Stadium, home to the Arizona Cardinals. The facility has all of the bells and whistles — such as a video scoreboard on each end of the stadium, perfectly manicured grass with straight white lines and enormous locker rooms — you would expect from a NFL stadium.
But once kickoff rolls around at 7 p.m. against Arizona’s Desert Vista High, the players plan to block out the magnitude of the moment and treat it like any other game. Still, that might be easier said than done considering the players attended last night’s NFL exhibition game between the Cardinals and Oakland Raiders.
“Even though this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, we are trying not to be overwhelmed about it,” Palo Verde lineman Brad Solomon said last week. “We have to stay focused on the game no matter where we are playing.”
The 63,400-seat indoor stadium, which opened in 2006 and has a natural grass field, is also home to the Fiesta Bowl and will host its second Super Bowl in 2015. It also hosted the 2008 Super Bowl — remember that catch from the New York Giants’ David Tyree, where the ball seemingly stuck on his helmet during in the final minutes to help upset the New England Patriots?
Palo Verde might need some of that late-game magic to get past Desert Vista — the Panthers are ranked No. 562 nationally by Maxpreps.com while Desert Vista, the defending large-school state champion, is No. 50.
Earlier, in the small-school game of the two-game event, Overton’s Moapa Valley High struggled with its passing game and committed four turnovers in losing, 23-14, to Blue Ridge.
I’ll will keep everyone posted throughout the game or you can follow me on Twitter at @RayBrewer21.
Ray Brewer can be reached at 990-2662 or ray.brewer@lasvegassun.com. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21.
No wonder why AZ didn't want Gorman. These boys are small and both systems are weak.
PV's is starting to let their tempers give the game away.
God Bless That Rost Kid. He has heart but if you can't throw a skinny post 20 yards you should not be a QB at a school like Palo Verde.
Ugly game. Clearly Desert Vista thought it would be a cakewalk and credit to Palo for coming out and punching them in the mouth. Penalties doomed you but your QB's limitations put the nail in your coffin. This reminded me of Gorman vs DLS where tempers and penalties let a game get away.
All that talent, hard work and success Palo had in the first half just to have penalties and unsportsmanlike conduct overshadow all that talent.
I don't know what would have been better, playing a clean game with no punches being thrown and behave like sportsman while losing big. Or losing ugly not by much but having your lack of composure be what the national viewers will remember.
Exactly Gormanhomer. So frustrating as Palo has so much speed and talent that I just cant believe the Rost kid is the best they have to play qb. Love the heart and effort but an average high school qb would do wonders for Palo. Seems like Desrt Vista made the adjustment at half in putting everyone in the box to stop the double wing knowing that the qb couldnt make a throw beyond the 3 yd out. I was really hoping for a Palo win.
and to think even after all those penalties and the super limiting QB if the block in the back (bad call) hadn't been made it would have been a 2 point game.
LMAO at this game. Pathetic. Made Nevada teams look weak....that's what they get for "dodging" the State's best team. We celebrated tonight.
They dont want to play a school that cheats, recruiting the valley's best players with scholarships to their private school while the rest of the city's schools have to play with the kids zoned to go there. make gorman play monogue and out of state privates so the field can be fair.
RebzPVHSfan.. how many Palo players that don't live in Palo's zone are in their Japanese program? All of them. Sinatra is a bit on the arrogant side please don't think he represents all Gorman fans.
It's a shame Palo was so close and lost thanks to 100+ mostly ill timed penalty yards.
apparently I missed a few fumbles while my internet went down 8 turnovers (7 fumbles and an INT) by Desert Vista? Wow.
Tuasdad desert vista had 7 fumbles, but they lost 3 of the 7. With the INT, that makes four turnovers. A sharper desert vista team would have won by 3 or 4 TD's. Besides the 70 yd TD by Griggs, palo did nothing on offense.
Too bad so sad Sinatra, money could not buy you this game this time. Stay tunned though soon Gorman will be forced out of the league and made to play other teams who buy their talent. But hey, take pleasue in knowing Gorman will once again buy the best talent in the "world" (that's right remember the two 7' Kenyans who just happened to move to Vegas and play for Gormans basketball team)LOL, too funny Gorman. Then take this talent and beat up on schools who cannot put together an all star team. You think what Gorman is doing is rewarding, we call it cowardness.