Eldorado quarterback Matthew Gallegos is interviewed during the Las Vegas Sun High School Football Media Day at Red Rock Resort Tuesday, July 26, 2022.
Friday, Sept. 16, 2022 | 11:52 p.m.
If there was one player who understood the significance of what his team was playing for Friday night it was Eldorado High School senior quarterback Matthew Gallegos.
His dad played at Eldorado; other family members have gone through the school.
The “Cleat Game” against Chaparral has been played since the 1970s and Gallegos’ Sundevils hadn’t beaten their rivals since 2014. He changed that narrative tonight.
Gallegos rushed for more than 100 yards and a touchdown on offense, and had nearly double digit tackles on defense in helping Eldorado defeat visiting Chaparral, 17-14.
“Matthew Gallegos. That kid is different, man,” said Eldorado coach Darryl Tootle, while driving home, still sticky from the Gatorade bath and with the trophy is his front seat.
At one point in the second half, Tootle estimates Gallegos carried the ball 12 straight times. And when he started to cramp on the sidelines, they gave him pickle juice and put him back in the game, the coach said.
“We couldn’t have keep him on the sidelines if we had handcuffs,” Tootle said.
The Cleat is the prize for the winner of the annual football game between Chaparral and Eldorado.
Eldorado jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead on touchdown runs from Gallegos and Jaeshawn West. They went into the locker room with a two touchdown edge at halftime, and were almost in shock, Tootle said.
“They were excited, but it wasn’t a confident excitement,” the coach said.
AB Ruiz kicked a 35-yard field goal in the third quarter to extend the lead to 17-0, and then Chaparral stormed back. Eldorado fumbled nearly 10 times in the game and had to hang on until the end.
The difference maker: Gallegos willing his teammates to victory.
“The kid has been hearing it since his freshman year about how important this game was,” the coach said. “The kid wanted it more than anyone else on the field and he was making every play.”
