Las Vegas Sun

March 19, 2024

high school football:

Palo Verde disposes of Durango to advance in playoffs

Prep Sports Now

Working through the playoff brackets

Las Vegas Sun sports reporters Ray Brewer and Case Keefer go over the high school football postseason picture and reflect on how it got to this point. The episode also contains a lengthy segment debating who is the Southeast Division MVP — Niko Kapeli, Kyle Keplinger, Aaron Love or Chris Marshall.

Team Pages

Palo Verde had its closest game in more than a month Friday night in the first round of the playoffs — and still won by 33 points.

Palo Verde, which beat its four October opponents by an average of 43 points, cruised past Durango 40-7.

“Our defense played well all night,” Palo Verde coach Darwin Rost said. “We got a little sluggish in the third quarter and (Durango) actually stepped it up then, but we played pretty well.”

The Panthers continue to catch opponents off guard by throwing the ball more frequently than recent years. Against the Trailblazers, Palo Verde sophomore quarterback Parker Rost went 8-for-12 for 124 yards and two touchdowns.

The touchdown strikes went to juniors Lee Griggs and Ryan Beaulieu. Griggs scored from 13 yards out, while Beaulieu caught a 57-yard touchdown pass.

Griggs also had 11 carries for 62 yards. Palo Verde’s leading rusher on the night was Eric South, who had 77 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries.

Durango scored when it recovered a fumble for a touchdown in the second. A.J. McQuaig had 47 rushing yards for the Trailblazers.

Palo Verde will host Northwest divisional foe Centennial in the second round next week. The Panthers stomped the Bulldogs 49-12 earlier this year.

Case Keefer can be reached at 948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.

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