Zach Matlock takes star turn in leading Las Vegas to win over Canyon Springs

By Case Keefer (contact)

Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015 | 1:24 a.m.

A month ago, Las Vegas High’s Zach Matlock might have been one of the best backup quarterbacks in town.

Now he’s simply one of the best quarterbacks in town.

Matlock, who has excelled ever since becoming the starter three games ago, reached that level in leading Las Vegas to a 34-22 victory over archrival Canyon Springs Friday night.

The sophomore accounted for four touchdowns in a performance where he threw for 216 yards on 11-for-18 passing.

“Not playing was pretty hard on me but I just came to practice every day and worked hard,” Matlock said. “It’s paid off now.”

Matlock lost a preseason competition for the starting spot, but Las Vegas High coach James Thurman turned to him looking for a spark in a mid-September victory over Cimarron-Memorial. The Wildcats have never stopped lighting up opponents ever since.

Matlock has benefited from the luxury of playing alongside a defense with an apparent preternatural ability to force turnovers. After notching six takeaways in their last game, the Wildcats got four turnovers off the Pioneers — all in the first half.

“Turnovers give the offense a chance to capitalize,” Matlock said. “We just went out there and tried to make the best out of every turnover we get.”

Matlock scored on the first play following both Canyon Springs’ second and third turnovers. After senior defensive back Zacharry Loveland dove on a loose ball midway through the first quarter, Matlock hit junior receiver Nicholas Sablan perfectly on a go route for a 54-yard touchdown.

A quarter later, senior linebacker Josh Perez clawed for a fumble recovery on a botched punt attempt. Matlock sprinted onto the field and into the end zone from 14 yards out on a draw play to make the score 20-7.

Canyon Springs would never get the score back within single digits.

“We talk about ... if we get a turnover and go for the throat,” Thurman said. “We talk about step on them when they’re down. It’s something we practice.”

The Wildcats got on the board two minutes into the game with the same approach. Junior linebacker Archie McArthur crashed the Canyon Springs backfield on its second play to recover a fumble.

Las Vegas needed four plays to go 34 yards as sophomore running back Elijah Hicks, who had 50 yards on 11 carries for the night, capped the drive with a touchdown run.

“When I can’t see anything or plays are broken, he just goes out there and makes a play,” Matlock said of Hicks. “We need a guy like that on our team.”

Canyon Springs answered the opening score when senior fullback Jaleel Rogers broke loose for a 69-yard run to set up a touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Sylo Stanton to senior running back Devin Allen-Tucker.

The Wildcats went on to hold the Pioneers out of the end zone for nearly the next three quarters as Matlock added touchdown passes to Hicks and senior Raul Perez.

Senior running backs Jerrod Blackwell and Marcell Selmon would go on to score the final two touchdowns of the game for Canyon Springs, but the rally was too late. The ascending Matlock had already pulled the Wildcats away.

“He’s won the job and taken hold of it here,” Thurman said. “He’s taking care of the football, he’s athletic, he runs around and he has a cannon attached to his right shoulder.”

Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.