Spring Valley’s Casey Taravella leaps for an overthrown pass during their annual midnight football practice to kick off the season Thursday, August 11, 2011.
Thursday, Oct. 27, 2011 | 11:32 p.m.
Prep Sports Now
Final push for the postseason
Las Vegas Sun sports reporters Ray Brewer and Case Keefer look across the Las Vegas valley at the playoff races still alive entering the last week of the regular season. Does Canyon Springs have a shot against Las Vegas? What about Foothill vs. Liberty? Listen in for discussion on these topics and more.
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The Spring Valley field goal unit was unstoppable in a 16-6 win over Pahrump Valley Thursday night — even when it looked like a failure.
Junior kicker Landon LeBlue knocked through three field goals — from 31, 32 and 36 yards out. On another attempt, the Grizzlies botched the snap and created a loose ball.
Casey Taravella wound up with it and scampered in for a 32-yard touchdown.
“He was just around the ball all night and played really well,” Spring Valley coach Marcus Teal said.
Taravella, a senior receiver and defensive back, had a senior night to remember in the contest. In addition to the impromptu touchdown, Taravella had three interceptions for the Grizzlies.
He returned one of them 99 yards for a touchdown, but it was called back for a penalty. Teal said many of the team’s seniors played well in their last game in a Spring Valley uniform.
For the first time in seven years, Spring Valley will not advance to the playoffs. But the Grizzlies can be happy they ended the season with a victory.
“We’re really disappointed that the season is ending,” Teal said. “But with the ups and downs we’ve had this season, I think we’ll be stronger for that. We got a lot of kids involved and they saw what it was like to win close games and deal with adversity.”
Case Keefer can be reached at 948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.
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