Smiling Panthers triumph

Palo Verde football coach Darwin Rost gave his team an important instruction for the week leading up to a pivotal Northwest Division game against Cheyenne.

“Our motto this week was to smile,” Rost said. “I told them to show their white teeth all over the place.”

After scoring a 21-8 road victory Friday night over the Desert Shields, it was difficult to find one face on the Palo Verde sideline that didn’t have a grin from ear to ear.

In a battle of teams undefeated in division play, the second-ranked Panthers (8-0, 5-0 Northwest Division) scored on their opening drive of each half and used a stifling defense to remain unbeaten.

The two half-opening scoring drives were similar. The first-quarter march covered 55 yards in 10 plays and was capped by a 14-yard Chaz Thomas touchdown run.

“It’s two of our team goals,” Rost said. “To be the first team to score and to lead at the half, and we did both of those tonight.”

Thomas opened the third quarter with a 26-yard scoring run to finish an 11-play, 59-yard drive. Along the way, the Panthers converted on two fourth-down attempts.

“We just come out and play hard in every quarter,” said Thomas, who finished with 118 yards and three touchdowns on 22 carries. “That’s what we did again tonight, and we came out with a win.”

Through the years, Palo Verde has relied on moving the ball on the ground with its double-wing offense and stopping the run with its physical defense.

Friday was no exception.

“When we’re running the football and hitting people defensively, that’s what we like to do,” Rost said.

Led by Thomas, the Panthers racked up 265 yards on the ground and held Cheyenne’s powerful rushing attack to 72 yards on 23 carries. Palo Verde was particularly tough on Cheyenne star V’son Milton.

The Panthers limited the Desert Shields senior, who came in averaging more than 7 yards per carry, to 3 yards on eight carries, though he caught three passes for 91 yards.

Ninth-ranked Cheyenne (5-2, 4-1) totaled 265 yards, but much of it came on two fourth-quarter drives. In fact, the Desert Shields’ score came on an 11-yard TD pass from Jacorey Lefear to Sharrad Shingles as time expired.

Thomas was proud of spoiling Cheyenne’s homecoming.

“It looks like we’re on top right now,” Thomas said. “We beat them at their homecoming just like they did to us last year. It feels good.”

Of course, he said it with a smile.

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@ reviewjournal.com or (702) 224-5509.