By Sam Leeper
MaxPreps.com
Just when it appeared Del Sol was going to make sure Nevada had a new state champion, Las Vegas showed the heart of a true warrior.
Down by 12, the Wildcats picked themselves off the deck and rallied behind senior quarterback Marvin Campbell to earn a 28-25 win over the Dragons in the Sunrise Regional final Friday night.
For Las Vegas (9-4), it was its fifth consecutive Sunrise title and now the Wildcats are going after bigger things. The Wildcats travel to McQueen in the state semifinals at 1 p.m. Saturday.
The other side of the state bracket will be filled Saturday as well, as Bishop Gorman (12-0) will tangle with Palo Verde (12-0) for the Sunset Regional crown. Palo Verde earned its berth with a 52-12 whipping of Western, while Bishop Gorman scored 43 unanswered points in a 43-16 win over Cheyenne.
Clearly, it was the heart of the Wildcats that made the difference against Del Sol (10-2).
Midway through the second period, the Dragons had a two-touchdown lead and dominated the Wildcats in the total yardage department, 179-12.
However, the Wildcats scored a pair of touchdowns in the final eight minutes of the half to take a 14-12 lead. Both teams traded scores in the third period before the fireworks began in the fourth. Campbell fumbled at the end of a 12-yard run, giving the Dragons the ball with about nine minutes to play. On the next play, quarterback Matt Burge hit Evan Weinstock on a 56-yard play, and the Dragons led by 25-22.
Campbell then led the Wildcats on a 52-yard drive, and scored on a 5-yard run on fourth-and-two with just under four minutes left.
At Palo Verde, the Panthers took advantage of a short-handed Western squad and scored three touchdowns in the first 16 minutes. Western was without star running back Reggie Bullock, who missed Friday's game for undisclosed reasons. Western head coach Brian Murray didn't learn of Bullock's absence until early Friday.
Without Bullock, the Warriors (8-3) rushed for only 34 yards and the Panthers gave quarterback J.D. Buonantony a long evening. Buonantony, who played for Palo Verde just a season ago, was sacked seven times and hurried passes on 13 other occasions.
At Bishop Gorman, the Gaels trailed, 16-0, only to rally with 43 straight points. Keola Antolin led the Gaels with 129 yards and three touchdowns.
