GAME PREVIEW CAPSULE
Foothill, Nev. (0-0, 0-0) at Desert Hills (1-0, 0-0)
Previous Meeting – This is their first meeting

FALCONS
Classification: Nevada 1-A, Southeast League
Coach: Marty Redmond (9th year, 52-36 overall)
Offense: Pro set, spread
Last game: Lost to Green valley 43-14 in Nevada 1-A playoffs
Players to watch: QB Drew Doxtator is a third-year starter and passed for more than 2,000 yards a year ago in just six games (he missed the last four games of the season with an injury), averaging better than 330 yards a game. The Falcons did lose top receiver Jordan Primo, but tight end/slot receiver Bryce Broadwell is back. But, like a lot of Vegas schools, the Falcons don’t play much defense.
PPG: 27.7 (last season)
PAPG: 41.2 (last season)
Trend: Having an experienced quarterback like Doxtator is huge, but the Falcons need help on defense. He missed the final four games of last year, but his team still scored 107 points in those games (26.8 per game), barely off their season average of 27.7. But in those same four games (one win, three losses), Foothill gave up 149 points (37.3 pg). There is folly in a plan to try and out-shoot everyone.

THUNDER
Classification: 3AA, South Region
Coach: Carl Franke (2nd year, 9-4 overall)
Offense: Spread, pistol
Last game: Beat Stansbury 12-0
Players to watch: Wow, was that defense good against Stansbury, allowing just 80 yards. LBs Sil Bundy and Tucker Cowdin led a front seven that was like a stone wall. Plus, RB Bridger Cowdin makes something out of nothing and big plays out of little plays. He could have a monstrous game in this one, with the Foothill defense like a sieve. Sophomore QB Nick Warmsley was solid in his first career start.
PPG: 12.0
PAPG: 0.0
Trend: Head coach Carl Franke is an offensive-minded coach, so for the Thunder to be as good as they are is a bit of a surprise. A lot of credit goes to defensive coordinator Nick Hansen, plus the phenomenal athletes the Thunder have on that side of the ball. This is a great test for that D, with Foothill likely to throw the ball 40 or more times. Last week, Stansbury had no passing game.

GAME OUTLOOK
This one seems easy to read. Desert Hills has a star back in Bridger Cowdin and a tough-as-nails defense. Foothill has a blue chip quarterback and almost no defense. Cowdin will run wild and the DH defense will hound Doxtator into a few turnovers. The Falcons won’t get shutout, but Desert Hills should romp.

STGnews (record) PREDICTION
Andy Griffin (6-1) — Desert Hills
Darren Cole (5-2) — Desert Hills

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