They call themselves the “Dynamic Duo.”

Deshawn Hill and Dylan Leahy have played together since their Pop Warner days and they are now sharing running back duties for Palo Verde.

Their ability to run and break open a game was on display last night as the Titans defeated Greenway 38-15 in the first round of the 4A II playoffs at home.

Leahy gained 122 yards in the first half and finished the game with 154. Hill only carried the ball twice in the first half for 5 yards but gained 156 in the second half.

Add another 57 yards by Hassan Cross and Palo Verde finished with 364 yards on the ground after taking into account sacks and other carries. The team average per carry came out to over 7 yards.

Palo Verde only attempted two passes so you can tell this is a run-loaded team.

Greenway, by contrast, threw the ball 31 times but only completed 13 of them for 201 yards. They attempted to run the ball but the swarming defense kept them to only 50 yards in 24 attempts. The defensive line was so dominant, they were able to stop Greenway on three fourth down attempts.

The Game:

The game started out interestingly enough as Greenway faked an onside kick with their kicker but then had another member of the kicking team run up and complete the play. The ball went through the hands of a Palo Verde lineman and Greenway jumped on it.

They started out at the 46 yard-line and reeled off a 14 yard run on their first play. They were now deep into Titan territory and it gave the impression that this game was going to be a tough one for the defense.

After a couple of play, Greenway QB Zander McKean hit TE Tyler Bergsten for another 14 yard gain to the 17 yard-line.

The defense held on the next three plays, including a hit on McKean by DE Arrion Griffen as he threw an incomplete pass on 3-9. Greenway’s field goal attempt sailed to the right and Palo Verde took over at their own 20.

The Titans first drive was unremarkable but it included an 11 yard reverse by WR Cameren Gause that would expose a weakness in Greenway’s defense that the Titans would exploit later in the game.

Greenway took over after a punt at their own 20. They moved into Titan territory again but were faced with a 4-2 at the 37 where they were stopped on a 1 yard gain.

Palo Verde took over at their own 36 with 5.3 seconds on the first period clock. Leahy took the ball up the middle and the Titans were winning 7-0 after the extra point. 64 yards on one play after they stopped Greenway on a fourth down showed that the game had shifted to Palo Verde.

Until…..Daniel Rankin took the kickoff and ran it back from his own 10 to the Palo Verde 13 – 77 yard return.
Rankin plays QB for Greenway when they are in the “Wildcat” offense.

The Titans defense held again as Greenway was forced into a field goal again to make it 7-3 with 10:52 left in the first half.

Another onside kick appeared to work but it only went 9 yards. Palo Verde took over a midfield.

Palo Verde was able to move the ball down to the 21 on seven straight runs until a false start penalty moved them back to the 26. A sack then moved them back to the 36. A delay of game penalty moved them back to the 41.

On 3-28, Palo Verde exploited the weakness they saw in Greenway’s pursuit defense when they faked a reverse with WR Cross keeping the ball and running 41 yards for a touchdown. 14-3 after the extra point.

Greenway took over with 5:17 left at their own 35 after the kick went out of bounds.

They were aided by a roughing the passer penalty and drove down to the 26 where they were faced with another 4-2 situation. They went for it but Rankin was stopped after a 1 yard gain.

Palo Verde ran out the clock to end the half.

Greenway changed their game plan and came out passing. Bergsten caught a 40 yard pass, Ronnie Sellers caught a 25 yard screen on a 4-11 play at the 32 yard-line and Bergsten caught a 6 yard touchdown pass. The extra point was no good. 14-9 Palo Verde with 9:12 left in the third.

The Titans were able to drive to Greenway’s 40 yard line until they tried the end around again with Cross. He lost two yards on the play but, more importantly, he was knocked out of the game with what appeared to be a sprained neck injury.

Greenway’s next drive stalled as they faced another fourth down decision at their own 46. They made the wrong decision as they were stopped for no gain.

Palo Verde attempted a half-back pass on their next drive but Hill over threw a wide open Gause. The drive continued through the fourth period as Hill gained a first down on a fourth and inches run at midfield.

Hill was able to rip off a 30 yard touchdown run later in the drive to make it 21-9 with 9:33 left in the game.

As before, Greenway ran the kickoff back fro their own 8 to the Titan’s 21. This time Sellers returned the ball for 71 yards.

WR Chase Harpole caught a touchdown pass on the next play to cut it to 21-15 with 9:15 left. The two-point conversion failed.

They tried another onside kick but were off sides twice.

Palo Verde took over at the 45. Hill took the first handoff for 27 yards to the 18. He took the run to the 9. Then to the 5. Leahy brought it down to the 3.
It appeared Hill scored a touchdown on second and goal from the 3 but he was ruled down at the 1 yard line. After reviewing my photos of the play it is clear that he did get in and was way beyond the 1 even if he was stopped.

No matter, Leahy ran it in on the next play to make it 28-15 after the extra point. 6:34 left in the game.

Greenway came out throwing again and connected on a 31 yard pass on their next drive on a 3-15 play. An incomplete and a 15 yard sack set up an interception by Leahy that he returned from the 50 to the 28 yard-line.

Leahy suffered a minor neck injury on the play as he was tackled horse-collar style on the return.

The Titans drive stalled at the 27 after a false start penalty. That’s when Asani Igulu kicked a 44 yard field goal to put Palo Verde up 31-15 with 3:47 left.

Igulu is without a doubt the best kicker in this division.

McKean threw another interception, this time to DB Junior Casillas. He returned it 68 yards from the 23 to the 9 yard-line. Casillas was later rewarded as Palo Verde allowed him to run the ball in on 1 yard run with 43.6 seconds left in the game. 38-15 Palo Verde.

Post Game:

Todd Mayfield didn’t say much to his team. He reminded them that they were hosting next week and

went through the list of Tucson teams who will also get to host. He mentioned they were all spokes in a wheel.

That they were.

T/DT Bradley Virgin refused to take credit for opening up holes for Leahy and Hill, “We open the holes but they have to run through them.”

Virgin was a major part of the running game and was key to stopping Greenway on the three fourth down attempts that failed.

Hill mentioned that they (Leahy) played like the “Dynamic Duo.”

Leahy said the key was to stay focused, “We followed the blocks and the rest just happened.”

Leahy said his neck felt fine.

The Titans were aware that Greenway ran trick plays but were not aware of the constant onside kicks.

Had they practiced gaining one yard in practice rather than focusing on onside kicks perhaps Greenway could have kept up with Palo Verde.

Playoffs:

3 Palo Verde now hosts 6 Liberty next Friday.

5A II

5 Sunnyside beat 12 Horizon 48-7 and will travel to 4 Marcos de Niza.

11 Ironwood Ridge lost to 5 Desert Mountain 14-10

4A I

1 CDO beat 16 McClintock 49-26 and will host 8 Apollo next Friday.

4 Cienega defeated 13 Nogales 51-14 and will host 12 Bradshaw Mountain who upset 5 Peoria 31-28.

7 Sabino beat 10 Kellis 49-7 and will go to 2 Cactus Shadows after they beat 15 Sahuaro 63-16.

4AII

10 Douglas beat 7 Arcadia 35-17 and will now travel to 2 Cactus.

13 Amphi beat 4 Williams Field 35-34 in OT and will now travel to 5 Santa Rita who embarrassed 12 Notre Dame 33-0.

16 Catalina lost to 1 Mingus 48-0.

2A

9 Willcox upset 1 NW Christian 31-20 in second round action and will play 5 Yuma Catholic at North Canyon High School next Saturday.

Yuma upset 4 Pusch Ridge 28-7.

2 Benson was also upset by 7 Valley Christian 48-35.

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