Strong second half carries Arbor View past Silverado

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Saturday, Sept. 6, 2014 | 1:35 a.m.

The Arbor View High football team is ranked No. 3 in the Sun’s rankings and expected to make a deep playoff run this fall.

Yet in the first half of the season opener Friday at Silverado, the visiting Aggies didn’t perform like one of the best teams in Southern Nevada. Silverado made less mistakes, played with more energy and led 7-6 at halftime.

The second half was a different story. Arbor View showed why it is highly regarded.

The Aggies scored on four straight possessions in the second half in scoring 29 unanswered points to close the game with a 35-7 victory.

Take away Silverado’s Deyon McKinney breaking loose for a 96-yard touchdown run 80 seconds before halftime and Arbor View limited Silverado to about 120 yards. And if it weren’t for Arbor View fumbling in the first quarter on the Silverado 8-yard line while going in for a touchdown, the Aggies would have never trailed.

That’s why Arbor View coach Dan Barnson knows Friday’s game will carry much significance moving forward. The miscues will provide great teaching moments, and more important, players know they can erase a deficit when trailing.

“Silverado, I will give it to them, in the first half they were ready,” Arbor View coach Dan Barnson said. “They had that emotion. But we came out at halftime and made a few adjustments, and kept the ball away from them. That helped us.”

Herman Gray carried the ball 21 times for 215 yards and two touchdowns, scoring on a 3-yard run late in the third quarter to give Arbor View the lead for good. On the next possession, he raced 65 yards for a score to put the game out of reach.

“We had some mental mistakes we really can’t make,” said lineman Malik Noshi, Arbor View’s senior captain. “Fortunately it was just the first half and we were able to come back.”

Quarterback Bryce Poster helped Arbor View account for 428 yards of total offense, rushing for 71 yards and a touchdown, and completing 4 of 5 passes for 32 yards. Charles Louch and Denajiou McZeal added touchdowns in the fourth quarter to put the game away.

Arbor View won’t have much time to enjoy its victory. Next week, it plays Canyon Springs — another top-10 opponent with a roster full of athletic players. The mistakes Arbor View made in the first half tonight might not be correctable next week.

“It’s a big one next week. We are excited,” Barnson said.

Ray Brewer can be reached at 990-2662 or [email protected]. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21