Sunrise Region edges Sunset in Class 4A flag football all-star game
Caitlin Shannon didn’t play with Natalie Gennuso during the high school season.
But the Coronado quarterback had plenty of faith in the Las Vegas High receiver Tuesday night.
Gennuso made a leaping catch between two defenders, coming down with a 23-yard touchdown pass from Shannon with 32.3 seconds left to give the Sunrise Region a 26-20 victory over the Sunset Region in the Class 4A flag football all-star game at Green Valley.
“I kind of knew she would (catch it),” Shannon said. “She has crazy hands. Whatever comes to her, she catches it.”
Shannon completed 7 of 8 passes for 152 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Sunrise, but the biggest play came from Coronado teammate Trinity Rhoades.
The Sunset Region had just scored to take a 20-18 lead with 5:55 to play and was lining up for a 2-point conversion. Rhoades pressured Sunset quarterback Tiarra Del Rosario of Cimarron-Memorial and batted her pass into the air. Rhoades came away with the interception, then sprinted 70 yards to the end zone to score two points and tie the game.
“I didn’t even know you could score off interceptions on extra points,” Shannon said. “It picked up our momentum, and we just knew kind of from that point.”
Gennuso caught four passes for 89 yards, including a 43-yard TD pass in the first half. Shannon also had a 10-yard scoring pass to Deborah Grant of Green Valley and a 19-yard TD pass to Foothill’s Whitley Brow.
Del Rosario completed 18 of 26 passes for 206 yards to lead the Sunset. Most of her passes went to Cimarron teammates Alyssa Karpinski (8 catches, 132 yards) and Logan DeLong (9 catches, 62 yards).
In the Class 3A game, the Sunrise Region stopped a conversion attempt with 6:01 to play, then scored on the final play to secure a 22-15 win over the Sunset.
Elizabeth DeLeon had a 10-yard TD run and caught a 24-yard TD pass from Virgin Valley teammate Kallie Graves to lead the Sunrise.
Cheyenne’s E’leseana Patterson passed for 93 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 81 yards to lead the Sunset.
Contact prep sports editor Damon Seiters at dseiters@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4587. Follow @DamonSeiters on Twitter.