GameNight: Highland upsets DV in first round, 16-0

There would be no comeback this time.

No. 13 Gilbert Highland used a steady rushing attack and a stellar defense which forced four turnovers in upsetting No. 4 Desert Vista Friday night in the first round of the Class 5A-I playoffs, 16-0.

• Slideshow from the game
• Desert Vista football index

The Thunder (8-3), who had come back from second-half deficits twice late in the season, couldn't muster much on offense against Highland (7-4).

"We've always been a second-half team," said running back Marcus Washington. "We were coming out hard, we just weren't able to keep up with them."

The game turned when junior quarterback Cody Sokol was drilled early in the first quarter while trying to hit a streaking Spencer Chase in the end zone. The pass was tipped and intercepted, and Sokol would miss the rest of the first half.

He was replaced by senior Cole Pembroke, the team's starter a year ago who moved to defense full-time this season. But Pembroke's throwing shoulder had been hurt early in the season, and wasn't able to pass -- forcing DV to run the ball.

Highland was waiting.

"Obviously it hurt us a lot," said DV coach Dan Hinds. "Cole did a great job when he got in there, but they figured it out pretty quick that we couldn't throw the ball."

Sokol was the latest in a long line of injuries for the Thunder, who were already missing Devon Kennard, a top-ranked recruit nationally; offensive lineman Dave Kraus; wideout Ryne Rezac; strong safety Jake van Raaphorst; running back Anthony Kereluk; and running back B.J. Wilson, who saw very limited action.

Still, Sokol's loss hurt the most, at least on this night.

"They knew all of our plays," Washington said. "Right when Cody went out, they knew that we weren't going to be able to pass."

The Hawks didn't allow Desert Vista's offense to find anything of a rhythm, and took a 13-0 lead into the break thanks to two Josh Zahn field goals and a 15-yard pass from Drew Davis to James Pazos.

Though Sokol returned in the second half, DV's offensive woes continued. His first completed pass was fumbled by Marcus Washington and recovered by Highland's Blake Edwards.

Eventually, when DV did reach Hawk territory, Highland came up with a huge stop on fourth down at its own 11-yard-line.

Zahn would add another field goal late in the fourth quarter and Sokol's final pass with just over a minute to play was picked off by Jamison Ellis, his second of the game.

"It didn't end the way we wanted it to, but I'm proud of these guys," Hinds said. "We went 8-2 in the regular season. I'll take the blame for not having them ready to play. We obviously weren't ready to play tonight. That's my fault as the head coach. Unfortunately, there's nothing we can do about it this year for these seniors."