Gorman, Palo Verde renew gridiron rivalry with spot in the state finals at stake

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Friday, Nov. 26, 2010 | 2:05 a.m.

For some, the outcome was surprising.

Not only was the perennial power Bishop Gorman High football team defeated by rival Palo Verde in the Sunset Regional finals two years ago, the Gaels were humiliated in the second half of a 50-14 defeat.

Gorman has captured two of the last three large-school classification state titles, impressively posting a 52-4 record over the last four years in dominating local competition by lopsided scores.

But that wasn’t the case in the 2008 Sunset finals. It was the only time in four years Gorman has lost to a local foe.

“They were better than us that year. It’s that simple,” said Jordan Welte, Gorman’s senior fullback who played in the game as a sophomore. “That year we didn’t have any senior leaders. We lacked that brotherhood we have now. We didn’t have that great camaraderie a team is supposed to have.”

Gorman avenged the loss to Palo Verde in last year’s playoffs, but the sting of the 2008 defeat will surely be on the players’ minds Saturday when the schools renew their rivalry in the Sunset finals.

You see, just like the 2008 contest, the game will be at Palo Verde’s home field. Also, Palo Verde enters the game undefeated, just like it did two years ago.

“I felt like we had the better team. We just made a couple of mistakes and they put up a lot of points,” said Gorman senior Evan Zeger, who also played in the game as a sophomore. “That final score did look a little odd. I promise you it’s not going to happen again this year.”

The regional championship game also serves as the state semifinals with the winner advancing to next weekend’s state finals. The state semifinals is a game both teams are regulars in — Palo Verde, for instance, is playing over Thanksgiving weekend for seventh time in eight years.

While defending state champion and nationally respected Gorman (11-2) is widely considered the favorite to the win the game, Palo Verde is more than capable of pulling off the upset and will be playing with confidence on its home field. This will be Gorman’s first game at Palo Verde since the loss.

The schools have met in the postseason the last four years with Gorman holding a 2-1 advantage. Three of those contests have been for the Sunset title, with the 2007 matchup one of the most memorable playoff games in recent memory.

Playing the first game at Gorman’s new Ferttita Field in Summerlin, a young Palo Verde team didn’t back down and arguably should have won the game. But Gorman drove the length of the field, including converting a third-and-long play, to score the decisive touchdown with less than a minute to play.

“That game was so amazing. I only played special teams, so I can only imagine the intensity for those guys on the field the whole game,” Welte said. “I remember (on the last drive) I was on a knee praying to God asking him for whatever he could do to help. It was a miracle we won that day, I believe.”

The game had it all: A packed stadium, great finish and two elite teams battling until the final whistle. The rivalry, because of the seven-miles separating the two schools, was already intense.

Thanks the 2007 contest, it became the most anticipated game of the year.

“A lot of the kids are neighbors. You could have a kid from Gorman living right next to you in Summerlin,” Palo Verde coach Darwin Rost said. “Also, we’ve played them closer than everyone else. That has a lot to do with it.”

This year’s contest could add to the list of epic games between the two schools.

Palo Verde run the ball 90-percent of the time out of its double-wing offensive formation, gaining 3.520 yards in 12 games at an average of 8.5 yards per carry. With the exception of a three-point win in early September against Liberty, the Panthers have won all of their games by double digits, including an 86-6 margin in two playoff games.

Brandon Wright, a four-star prospect by recruiting Website Rivals.com who has multiple scholarship, leads the ground attack. Gorman’s line is significantly bigger than Palo Verde’s, but the Panthers take pride in their quickness off the ball and the ability to execute plays.

And, make no doubt about it, they aren’t intimidated.

“We don’t care about size,” Wright said. “The bigger they are, the harder they fall. Whoever is the more physical team will win.”

Gorman opened the season ranked in the top 25, only surrendered 12 points and recorded six shutouts in eight league games, and have proven to be able to score on the ground or in the air on any opponent.

The Gaels’ two defeats have come against nationally ranked opponents, but in both games they arguably should have won. Gorman couldn’t overcome several mistakes and a slow start in a 24-17 loss to Arizona’s defending large-school champ Hamilton High to open the season, and the Gaels led 14-7 at halftime against perennial national power De La Salle of California before losing by 14 points.

It’s safe to say Gorman is more than familiar with playing in the spotlight.

“We were a real young team and we looked like it,” Gorman coach Tony Sanchez said of the loss to Hamilton. “But our kids didn’t back down. They aren’t going to back down against anyone.”

In a battle of top running backs, Gorman junior Shaquille Powell will look to out-duel Wright and settle the argument of who is Las Vegas’ best rusher. Powell has gained 1,049 yards this fall, but missed a handful of games with injury midway through the year and lost three fumbles last week in the regional semifinals against Arbor View.

When Gorman isn’t running the ball, they take to the air with talented sophomore Anu Solomon. He has passed with 2,067 yards and 36 touchdowns this year with just three interceptions. Last week, he passed for five scores.

“We have to play great defense,” Rost said. “Defense wins championships and this is a championship game. We have to play really physical and we have to try to control the football.”