FSM Essential Recap: Las Vegas High School Football - Playoffs - Week 2

FSM Essential Recap: Las Vegas High School Football – Playoffs – Week 2

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Week 2 of the 2021 NIAA playoffs is in the books and it was action packed! In the second week of the 702 High School football playoffs two contenders needed to win to face off in a much anticipated rematch at th 5-A level.

 

Bishop Gorman had a goal as their season went on: do not allow a point to a single Las Vegas opponent. Friday night at Fertitta Field, after being up 14-0, Foothill running back Kendric Thomas took a handoff and reversed field as he outran the Gaels defense for a 73-yard touchdown.

“(Thomas) is a great player, but we were prepared,” Bishop Gorman head coach Brent Browner said. “Hats off to Foothill, but our defense just played phenomenal tonight. We are so proud of this defense. Holding everyone to zero was just something that happened, and we’re not worried about anyone scoring on us because we know — I wouldn’t play quarterback against this defense — we are just so proud of them.”

Thomas’ efforts ended Gorman’s streak at 294 scoreless minutes. But the Gaels defense didn’t give up much else to the Falcons, holding Foothill to just 90 total yards. Gorman racked up 519 of their own — the most so far this season.

But Thomas‘ run was the only highlight of the night for the Falcons as the Gaels cruised to a 63-6 win to advance to the state semi-finals next week. While up 14-0, Bishop Gorman started to sub mostly their reserve players, so they rest the starters for next week’s game.

“Execution was good tonight,” Browner said. “We got a ton of guys in, and we have so many that can go, it’s a good problem to have and a blessing. It’s exciting to see the guys who start watch some other guys get in and perform. They appreciate what they can do and the hard work they put in.”

Gaels quarterback Micah Alejado threw for 208 yards and three touchdowns. “It feels great to put up points like that,” Alejado said. “It just proves that all the hard work we did during the week and what we’ve been putting in pays off.”

 

All 702 High School Football fans needed was Liberty to take care of Arbor View to give the matchup fans have been waiting two years for.

 

Arbor View gave the Patriots all they could handle in the first half of their quarter-final matchup. UNLV commit Jayden Maiava threw an interception in the end zone on first down ending a scoring opportunity.

Later, Liberty do-everything guy Germie Bernard picked up a punt at his 4-yard and was tackled in the end zone for a safety to give the Aggies a 2-0 lead.

“We were kind of getting too cocky,” Bernard said. “We needed that wake-up call for next week so that we can be prepared to beat Gorman.”

“My pregame speech yesterday was, ‘Don’t believe the hype,’” Liberty head coach Rich Muraco said. “I knew (the Aggies) were going to be fired up, and they were going to give their best effort because if you’re prideful, you’re not going to just lay down.”

The Aggies were only down 17-8 heading into the fourth quarter but couldn’t get their offense rolling. That’s when Bernard took over once and for all. The senior rushed for a 12-yard touchdown, and he added a 95-yard touchdown run to seal the 30-8 win.

The Patriots put Bernard in the backfield in the second half in the “Power-I” formation. Bernard ran for 185 yards on just nine carries and had three catches for 92 yards. “I told Coach, ‘We’ve got to put the ball in my hands. We’ve got to do something different,’” Bernard said. “We switched up personnel, went into a package that worked, and put the ball in my hands. We capitalized off of that.”

“We have to give the best player in the state the ball in his hands,” Muraco said. “We’ve been working him at running back and quarterback and trying to figure out ways to get him the ball because we know when we play Gorman, and we play better teams, he’s got to touch the ball more.”

Now next Friday night it is on. Bishop Gorman will host Liberty at 6 pm at Fertitta Field in a rematch that has the Gaels out for revenge after losing to the Patriots in the 2019 semi-finals snapping an 11-year state title-winning streak.

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The Prep Rally 1st Round Scores:

 

5-A:

 

Bishop Gorman 63 – Foothill 6

 

Liberty 30 – Arbor View 8

 

4-A:

 

Silverado 51 – Spring Valley 0

 

Las Vegas 27 – Sierra Vista 8

 

Coronado 13 – Basic 0

 

Shadow Ridge 38 – Durango 7

 

 

Franchise Sports Media has your 702 High School Football season covered. Make sure you tune into The FSM Prep Rally all season for your Las Vegas High School Football coverage and interact with us on all our social media platforms in the comments sections.

 

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