Tonight's games will determine prep football playoffs

The schedule makers must have known something the rest of us didn't when they plotted the 1998 prep football season.

As the curtain comes down on the regular season tonight, no fewer than five of the seven slated 4A games will have significant playoff implications.

One playoff berth and both division championships are up for grabs, along with the top seeds in the upcoming Southern Zone tournament.

Chief among tonight's contests: Durango vs. Bishop Gorman at Sam Boyd Stadium. The winner claims the Sunset Division's fourth and final spot in the postseason while the loser stays home for the playoffs.

"We told the kids we're in a single elimination tournament now," said Trailblazers coach John Masubach, whose club has been in the playoffs the last two years. "We win, we keep going. We lose, we're out."

"We're treating it like a playoff game," echoed first-year Gaels coach Roger Whalen, whose school hasn't been to the postseason in the 1990s.

Durango (4-4, 2-3) has looked very good at times this season, as in a 41-34 loss to undefeated Cheyenne and a 32-0 romp against Bonanza. The Trailblazers also have looked very bad, falling to Cimarron-Memorial and Western by a combined 32-6 score the past two weeks.

"Turnovers are killing us," said Mausbach, whose squad gave the ball to the Warriors six times last week. "We need to hold on to the ball."

Similarly, the Gaels (4-4, 2-3) have been a Jeckyl-and-Hyde club this fall, defeating a strong Cimarron club and losing to first-year program Mojave the very next week.

According to Whalen, most of their recent struggles have been due to a rash of injuries to key players like quarterback Nick Didier (shoulder), linebacker Justin Blackard (knee) and lineman Yannick Boka (ankle).

But those players are ready to play tonight, and Whalen is expecting big things.

"We're as healthy now as we've been since we played Cheyenne on Sept. 18," he said. "Making the playoffs would be a tremendous step for the program."

Also on tap tonight in the Sunset Division: a showdown for first place between Cheyenne and visiting Western. A Desert Shields' win would cap a perfect regular season for the school, while a Warrior upset would give Western the league title.

The Sunrise Division champion also will be determined tonight, with Green Valley, Eldorado and Chaparral in the mix. The Gators visit Valley, the Sundevils play at Silverado and the Cowboys travel to Las Vegas.

Green Valley wins most tie-breakers, although Eldorado and Chaparral still can capture the top spot.

In other action tonight, Basic visits Rancho, Bonanza entertains Clark, Cimarron hosts non-league foe Palo Verde and Boulder City travels to play 3A rival Moapa Valley.

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