Palo Verde poses triple threat

That’s the assignment Western will have when the Warriors (8-2) play at Palo Verde (11-0) at 6 p.m. today in the Sunset Region football semifinals.

The Panthers feature a trio of capable backs in Chaz Thomas (837 yards, 15 touchdowns), Sidney Hodge (834 yards, seven TDs) and Tyrone Blake (781 yards, 11 TDs).

“They’re all team players,” Palo Verde coach Darwin Rost said. “No one’s really saying ‘I’ve got to have the ball,’ and in this offense, you don’t want that anyway. All three of them do an outstanding job doing what they have to do.

“It’s kind of tough defending three guys back there.”

Palo Verde’s double-wing offense has averaged 32.8 points per game this season. The Panthers average 289 rushing yards and have attempted just 37 passes all season.

“We’re just playing methodic, Palo Verde offense,” Rost said.

That methodical offense has helped the defense hold opponents to an average of 12.1 points per game, including three shutouts.

“They have a very physical, solid defense, and they run the ball-control offense,” Western coach Brian Murray said. “They do a real good job of keeping the score down, and if they get up on you, it makes it tough because they just want to chew up the clock.”

Murray said a key for his team will be getting a lead and making the Panthers chase his team. The Warriors have a strong offense, averaging 33.6 points per game.

Running back Reggie Bullock (1,356 rushing yards, 12 TDs) is a threat to score every time he touches the ball. And the Warriors opened up the passing game last week, throwing for 368 yards and six touchdowns in a 46-29 win over Mojave.

J.D. Buonantony completed 16 of 24 passes for 305 yards, and Bullock added a 63-yard completion.

And that was without leading receiver Phillip Payne (21 catches, 534 yards), who had to sit out the game after being ejected in the final regular-season game.

“J.D. did a great job of finding the guys that were open,” Murray said. “You throw (Payne) back in the mix, and it definitely makes it a little bit more formidable. Hopefully he can just add that little bit of extra that we’re going to need this week.”

• Cheyenne (8-2) at Bishop Gorman (11-0) — The Desert Shields face a formidable foe in Gorman, but coach Charles Anthony said his team isn’t intimidated.

“Our kids are playing with pretty good confidence,” Anthony said. “Any time you can play when the other 20-some-odd teams are not playing, it’s a good feeling. I think the kids are fired up.”

Cheyenne will face one of the area’s top offensive teams. The Gaels average 43.4 points per game and have scored 50 or more points five times.

Gorman scored 43 last week, and that was without dynamic running back Keola Antolin. Antolin, who has scored 20 TDs this season, including six on returns, missed the game with an undisclosed injury, but Gaels coach Bob Altshuler said he would play tonight.

“There’s no doubt that he brings something to the table,” Altshuler said.

Though Antolin has been the top threat, Gorman is far from a one-man show. Twenty players have scored a touchdown this season for Gorman, and the balanced offense averages 175 passing yards and 230 on the ground per game.

“There’s not one thing you can key on,” Anthony said. “They’re an 11-0 team and deservedly so. They do things right.”

The Gaels’ defense, which has allowed an average of 10 points and has posted four shutouts, will be bolstered by the return of defensive end Justin Chaisson, who missed last week’s game with an injury.

Contact Prep Sports Editor Damon Seiters at dseiters@reviewjournal.com or (702) 380-4587.