Highlights from Week 6 of high school football
Here’s a look at what happened during Week 6 of the high school football season.
WHAT WE LEARNED
1. Teams really need to stop kicking the ball to R.J. Hubert. Seriously. The Moapa Valley senior somehow managed to return another kickoff for a touchdown on Friday, giving him return TDs in five of the team’s six games.
You would think coaches would have learned after he opened the season by returning a kickoff for a touchdown in the team’s first four games.
Legacy managed to keep him from scoring on a return in Week 5, though he did have three rushing TDs against the Longhorns.
But Hubert pulled off a 71-yard kickoff return for a touchdown this week against Del Sol. He’s now scored 19 TDs. Hubert has rushed for eight scores, caught five TD passes and also returned a fumble for a touchdown to go along with his kickoff returns.
2. Mojave will go as far as its defense will take it in Division I-A. The Rattlers had another good defensive showing Friday, holding Spring Valley to 50 yards of offense in a 15-7 win. The problem for Mojave is those 15 points were more than the team had scored in its previous two games.
Mojave has held opponents to single digits in all four of its wins this year, but the offense really needs to pull its weight. And that will be tougher to do with starting quarterback Lamaja Cunningham out for the season with a collarbone injury.
3. Liberty can run the ball. Anyone concerned that the Patriots would have trouble on the ground after losing leading rusher Chad Tebay to a broken leg last week should worry no more.
The Patriots pounded the ball again and again on Thursday against Green Valley, rushing for 381 yards in the first half and rolling to a 51-17 win.
Liberty won’t end up with the area’s top rusher, and probably won’t have a back among the top 15, but 12 players got carries against Green Valley, and five of them scored.
Liberty’s offensive line, keyed by 6-foot-6-inch, 350-pound junior guard Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu will make sure the Patriots keep moving the ball on the ground.
UPSET OF THE WEEK
Clark 14, Sierra Vista 6 — The Chargers had lost three consecutive games going into this one, and Sierra Vista thrashed them 54-34 last season.
But Clark got defensive on Friday, with Nick Kinnard forcing a fumble and returning it 18 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter to give the Chargers a 7-6 lead.
Clark then held on with a fourth-and-goal stand in the final minute, stopping the Mountain Lions at the 9-yard line.
The Chargers still have a lot of work to do, but the victory kept the team’s playoff hopes alive.
TOP PERFORMERS
Passing
Tabor Maxwell, Pahranagat Valley — 12-15 passing, 337 yards, 7 TDs
Brenden Joyce, Faith Lutheran — 13-22 passing, 266 yards, 3 TDs
Deven Dabbs, Eldorado — 10-18 passing, 227 yards, 4 TDs
Anthony McConnico, Cheyenne — 7-9 passing, 226 yards, 3 TDs
Aeneas McAllister, Moapa Valley — 14-24 passing, 206 yards, 2 TDs
Oscar Aliaga, Sierra Vista — 14-24 passing, 202 yards
Rushing
David Walker, Cheyenne — 12 carries, 171 yards, 4 TDs
Claude Moore, Sunrise Mountain — 158 yards, 2 TDs
Morris Jackson, Arbor View — 14 carries, 152 yards, 1 TD
DeShawn Williams, Bonanza — 29 carries, 150 yards, 1TD
Milan Dixon, Clark — 13 carries, 144 yards
Naim Geeslin, Legacy — 10 carries, 141 yards, 2 TDs
Receiving
Carl Crayon, Eldorado — 7 catches, 171 yards, 3 TDs
Corwin Bush, Cheyenne — 4 catches, 152 yards, 3 TDs
David Ingram, Pahranagat Valley — 4 catches, 142 yards, 2 TDs
Xavier Kyle, Sunrise Mountain — 4 catches, 114 yards, 1 TD
Shawn Wadsworth, Pahranagat Valley — 5 catches, 102 yards, 3 TDs
Alexander Holm, Basic — 5 catches, 88 yards
QUOTABLE
“We know how good we are, but we don’t always play to our full potential. We always play down or play to the level of our opponents. When we come out there and score on the first drive, that’s huge for us. It takes the pressure off the defense.”
— Mojave senior linebacker Kaleb Friedman, after the Rattlers scored on their first possession to gain momentum in a 15-7 road win at Spring Valley.
“We kind of felt that we had an advantage in the special-teams phases tonight, and it showed. We kind of challenged them, told them the more physical team would win. Our kids are scrappy, hardworking, east-side kids.”
— Las Vegas High coach James Thurman after his Wildcats took advantage of an average starting field position at the Coronado 39 to rout the Cougars 43-0 despite gaining only 149 yards of offense.
“Our defense played great tonight. We pressured the heck out of (the Skyhawks) and they went backwards a lot. I love the way our defense played tonight.”
— Basic coach Jeff Cahill after his team held Silverado to 162 yards of offense in a 35-21 home win.
“Hayden does well, and it’s something that changes us a little bit. Instead of just completely 100 percent grinding it out, it forces teams to change up what they do against us. He’s young, and he’s still learning. We are all still learning because we were one way for so long. We still rely on that, don’t get me wrong, but he has a pretty good arm.”
— Arbor View coach Dan Barnson on quarterback Hayden Bollinger, who completed 7 of 9 passes for 79 yards and a touchdown in a 45-6 win over Desert Oasis.
“I feel we are pretty good. Our team is really young but our seniors and coaches have done a great job getting us prepared. These games have really gotten our confidence up and we are really moving. So I feel we are ready for league play. I’m excited about it, and want to see how good this team can be”
— Foothill quarterback Devon Mueller after the Falcons defeated Canyon Springs 45-21 to move to 4-1 on the season.
HOW THEY FARED
A look at how the top 10 teams in the Southern Nevada Football Coaches Poll fared in Week 6.
1. Bishop Gorman (6-0) beat Shadow Ridge, 70-7. Next: vs. Durango, Friday.
2. Liberty (4-1) beat No. 7 Green Valley, 51-17. Next: at Canyon Springs, Friday.
3. Desert Pines (6-0) beat Virgin Valley, 48-0. Next: at Del Sol, Thursday.
4. Arbor View (5-1) beat Desert Oasis, 45-6. Next: vs. Bonanza, Friday, Oct. 16.
5. Centennial (5-1) beat Bonanza, 49-6. Next: at Cimarron-Memorial, Friday.
6. Basic (4-1) beat Silverado, 35-21. Next: at No. 7 Green Valley, Friday.
7. Green Valley (2-3) lost to No. 2 Liberty, 51-17. Next: vs. No. 6 Basic.
8. Foothill (4-1) beat Canyon Springs, 45-21. Next: at Eldorado, Friday.
9. Las Vegas (4-1) beat No. 10 Coronado, 43-0. Next: vs. Canyon Springs, Friday, Oct. 16.
10. Coronado (2-3) lost to No. 9 Las Vegas, 43-0. Next: vs. Green Valley, Friday, Oct. 16.
For complete coverage of all of the games from Week 5, visit nevadapreps.com.
