Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

high school football:

Cheyenne earns Moapa Valley rematch by opening playoffs with blowout win

LVSUN HSFB Media Day 2018

Christopher DeVargas

Members of the Cheyenne High football team pose for a photo at the Las Vegas Sun’s high school football media day Tuesday July 31, 2018 at the Red Rock Resort and Casino. They include, from left, Josh Rase, Chris Rose and Charleston Tooks.

Cheyenne hit a couple of milestones in a 42-6 home victory over Sunrise Mountain to start the 3A postseason on Thursday night.

For the first time in six years, the Desert Shields won a playoff game and tallied a ninth victory on the season.

“It’s been a long work in progress,” first-year coach Patrick Ward said. “We’ve had some ups and downs, we had to get rid of some people but now I feel like we’re at where we want to be. We’ve got some things to improve but I feel like we’re getting there.”

Cheyenne will need to improve them fast considering it takes on Southern Region favorite Moapa Valley in the second round next week. The Pirates defeated the Desert Shields 21-6 in an earlier meeting this season.

Ward is confident his team has improved, though. Just look at what they did against the Miners.

Cheyenne scored 28 points in the first half, and added two more touchdowns early in the second. The Desert Shields ran the ball at a high degree with senior quarterback Josh Rose scoring four total touchdowns, two rushing and two passing.

Both touchdown receptions went to Michael Reed. The Desert Shields will need to be even better next week against the Pirates, but it’s a challenge they’ve sought.

“It’s going to come down to Moapa, but honestly, we felt like after we played those guys earlier in the year, that if we took care of business we might get to see them again,” Ward said.

Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.