Panthers Go Back To Back in Nevada

I caught the Nevada state championship yesterday at Crossings Park in Las Vegas. It was a rematch between last year's teams, the Bishop Manogue Miners and the Palo Verde Panthers. Last year was a very hard-fought game in which the Panthers only ended up winning by one, and I'm sure the Miners were looking to turn the tables this year. The game started off with Palo Verde playing with assertiveness and decisiveness early, and they jumped out to a lead. I believe it was 4-0. That lead gave them some momentum, and you could tell the guys were starting to gain confidence. They then scored again to make it 5-0, but the Miners responded with a goal of their own to make it 5-1, which ended up being the score going into the second quarter. In the second quarter, Palo Verde continued to swing the rock and control the time of possession, which helped keep the Miners out of rhythm. The Panthers then went into halftime with a 9-3 lead. Coming out of the break, the Panthers continued to play with hunger and determination, and it was evident they were making the right plays needed to win. After three quarters, they still held a commanding 12-4 lead. In the fourth quarter, the Miners attempted to get things going a bit more, but it just wasn't in the cards, and the Panthers didn't let off the gas, scoring a few more goals. The time eventually wound down, and the Panthers stormed the field as the clock hit zero. It was a very entertaining game, and it was great to see so many players competing with intensity. The Panthers ended up finishing the season undefeated against Nevada teams, which is a testament to just how stacked and talented they were from top to bottom on their roster. I also personally liked the enthusiasm and energy they consistently played with. Coach Gary Campo also consistently had this team ready and always used his timeouts strategically. It should be a great offseason for these guys, and hopefully some colleges start to take note of their talent in the near future.   Final Score - Palo Verde 16 vs Bishop Manogue 6    Junior middie, [player_tooltip player_id='171379' first='Luke' last='Rava'], brought his A game for the Nevada State Championship. He started the party in the first quarter. Ripping an absolute heater to make it 1-0. Later on he found some space in the middle of the field and released a quick shot that found the back of the net after receiving a feed from [player_tooltip player_id='177129' first='Slater' last='Salinas']. Rava then racked up another 2 goals, both off of strong shots on the run. And he dished out a nice assist. All in all, it was an incredibly productive season from the junior and he had a huge role in the Panthers going undefeated in League/Nevada play. Expect his name to pick up some buzz this summer during travel ball.     [player_tooltip player_id='177160' first='Tommy' last='Cannon'] was heavily involved in the Panthers offense in the first half. As mentioned. He delivered the first assist of the game to Rava and notched the second goal. Helping Palo gain some momentum. He then had a quality look from the wing that he capitalized on. Giving him 3 points in total. His poise and efficiency definitely stood out, and it was a great final performance from the senior.      [player_tooltip player_id='176504' first='Jace' last='Mims'] was a difference maker for the Panthers on defense throughout the contest. He was dealing out very swift stick checks, dislodging the ball and causing turnovers. And the Miners offensive players had a very tough time gaining ground on their dodges against him. He also ran out missed shots, and made himself available during clears. His hard nose play was fun to watch, and I like how much pride he takes in defending.      [player_tooltip player_id='126566' first='Jose' last='Aragon'] had a number of difficult stops for Palo Verde to help them grab their second state title in a row. He made himself big when he needed to and was blocking shots with both his body and his stick. He also used his awareness and instincts to send out precise passes on clears. All in all, it was a strong final game from the 2026 keeper. And I've always been a fan of the energy that he brings to the table for his team.     [player_tooltip player_id='177129' first='Slater' last='Salinas'] stepped up a couple of time and had a tallied 2 points for the Panthers in the Nevada State Championship. He drew the attention of the defense on a dodge, and then threw a well timed pass to Rava. He also slipped one by the goalie in the second half, adding to Palo's significant lead. He's another 2027 middie who looks ready to keep playing at a high level this summer.       [player_tooltip player_id='177127' first='Mason' last='Robinson'] played lights out last night against the Bishop Manogue Miners. He tallied an early assist after carrying the ball behind before hitting [player_tooltip player_id='177160' first='Tommy' last='Cannon'] who flashed and got open in front of the goal. Next he utilized his burst to create a bit of separation on a dodge to the middle, and let it go to score his first goal. The 8th grader then scored another 3 goals for the Panthers. He was dodging and shooting with purpose, and he pinged a perfect shot off the post. Showcasing his power and accuracy. With his eye popping production, he'll be a prospect who should start to drum up college interest in a matter of time.     FOGO, [player_tooltip player_id='177131' first='Alex' last='Connelly'] went to work at the X for Palo Verde. He was winning the clamp often, and did a fantastic job of securing the rock and running to space post face off. His dominance at the X gave the Panthers a noticeable leg up. As they possessed the ball a lot more than the Miners. Which allowed them to control the game and keep Manogue on their heels.      [player_tooltip player_id='177125' first='Ricky' last='Jaimes'] made the most his scoring chances. He positioned himself right on the crease in the first quarter, and quickly caught ball. Took a step, and fooled the goalie to give the panthers a 3-0 lead. Then in the fourth quarter, Jaimes got topside on a dodge and scored. All in all, I liked what I saw from this year and he consistently dropped in gritty goals.       [player_tooltip player_id='177412' first='Zeke' last='Peterson'] made his presence felt on offense a few times against the Panthers. He hit [player_tooltip player_id='128183' first='Drew' last='Peacock'] on a cross-crease pass after drawing a slide, and Peacock then scored. He also had a pair of goals. One came from a good chance on the doorstep, and the other came from a nice dodge from X where he wrapped around the goal before slipping it by the keeper. Look for him to continue to develop over these next few months in the offseason, and he'll likely come back with a vengeance next season.     Despite the loss, [player_tooltip player_id='128183' first='Drew' last='Peacock'] was a standout for the Miners. The shifty 2028 Attackmen was active whenever he had the rock and contributed a hat trick. One of his goals came from an inside roll dodge that he executed to a T. He also released a smooth shot on the run for his 3rd goal of the game. Although I'm sure he would've preferred the win, it was a solid showing from him.     A Few Other Notable Panthers Who Make Contributions   Carter Jost - LSM - Pole goal after legging it up field.   Prentice Strohebal - D - Pole goal after releasing a heater   [player_tooltip player_id='177140' first='Nick' last='Lakhdari'] - SSDM - Gave opponents trouble all game long with his defense   Charlie Ehlers - Tallied a goal in the 4th   Seth Salinas - 2 slick assists

I caught the Nevada state championship yesterday at Crossings Park in Las Vegas. It was a rematch between last year's teams, the Bishop Manogue Miners and the Palo Verde Panthers. Last year was a very hard-fought game in which the Panthers only ended up winning by one, and I'm sure the Miners were looking to turn the tables this year. The game started off with Palo Verde playing with assertiveness and decisiveness early, and they jumped out to a lead. I believe it was 4-0. That lead gave them some momentum, and you could tell the guys were starting to gain confidence. They then scored again to make it 5-0, but the Miners responded with a goal of their own to make it 5-1, which ended up being the score going into the second quarter. In the second quarter, Palo Verde continued to swing the rock and control the time of possession, which helped keep the Miners out of rhythm. The Panthers then went into halftime with a 9-3 lead. Coming out of the break, the Panthers continued to play with hunger and determination, and it was evident they were making the right plays needed to win. After three quarters, they still held a commanding 12-4 lead. In the fourth quarter, the Miners attempted to get things going a bit more, but it just wasn't in the cards, and the Panthers didn't let off the gas, scoring a few more goals. The time eventually wound down, and the Panthers stormed the field as the clock hit zero. It was a very entertaining game, and it was great to see so many players competing with intensity. The Panthers ended up finishing the season undefeated against Nevada teams, which is a testament to just how stacked and talented they were from top to bottom on their roster. I also personally liked the enthusiasm and energy they consistently played with. Coach Gary Campo also consistently had this team ready and always used his timeouts strategically. It should be a great offseason for these guys, and hopefully some colleges start to take note of their talent in the near future.