Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

high school football:

Centennial QB Evans accounts for 6 TDs against Green Valley

Preseason All-City Las Vegas 2016

Christopher DeVargas

Centennial High School’s Jamaal Evans is part of the Las Vegas Sun’s preseason all-city high school football team for the 2016 season.

Prep Sports Now

Week 1 ruled

Las Vegas Sun sports editors Ray Brewer and Case Keefer recap a particularly memorable week 1 in Las Vegas high school football that included Bishop Gorman obliterated a Texas power and two games between top five teams that came down to the final minute.

Centennial High quarterback Jamaal Evans was tough to defend Thursday night.

His team was without starting running back Kayvon Miller due to an ankle injury. When backup Luke Morrell went down with a knee injury, the entirety of the Bulldogs offense became his responsibility.

He responded by running the ball 22 times for 144 yards and four touchdowns while throwing for 222 yards and two more scores to led the Bulldogs to a 49-31 win over visiting Green Valley.

The senior quarterback also had a seventh touchdown that was called back because of a penalty and caught a pass on a trick play for a 12-yard gain and a first down.

“I don’t mind doing (that much),” Evans said. “I just want to get points on the board and win these games.”

With Centennial’s defense allowing 977 yards and 75 points through only two games, Evans has had to carry his team. He’s accounted for 779 yards and 11 touchdowns in the initial two games and the offense is averaging 45 points per game.

“They have been keeping us in it,” said Centennial coach Leon Evans, Jamaal’s dad. “I told them they better score 60 a night until we figure out a way to stop somebody. Two weeks in a row we haven’t stopped anybody.”

Green Valley’s sophomore quarterback Kalyja Waialae completed 22-of-30 passes for 266 yards and three touchdowns, but was intercepted three times. Running back Julian Hulse steamrolled Centennial on the ground with 30 carries for 166 yards and a score.

“We allowed 200 yards rushing and until we stop the run the good teams are going to pound us,” Leon Evans said.

The teams traded touchdowns in the second half, and Centennial only led 28-24 midway through the third quarter, until senior cornerback Bryce Hampton stepped in front of a slant route and intercepted Waialae in the end zone.

“It was a game changer,” said Hampton, who also caught three passes for 45 yards on offense. “We made a few stops and stopped them on fourth down to close out the game.”

Senior receiver Savon Scarver led Centennial with four catches for 94 yards and a touchdown, and had a rushing touchdown of nine yards.

“We have an amazing receiving core, a great quarterback and a great running back,” Hampton said. “The offense is just great. We just need to work on our defense and we will be solid.”

Shortly after Hampton’s interception, Evans threw a bubble screen to Rane Stringer who slipped through the defense and took it 40 yards for the score to put Centennial up 42-31 and the game out of reach.

“With my O-line playing so well I am able to make my reads and still have time to get those throws that I need to make,” Jamaal Evans said. “They are doing a lot for me and they care and they got my back and I got their back.”

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