Paradise Valley tuned up for the playoffs Friday.
The visiting Trojans overwhelmed Desert Sky Region rival Phoenix Shadow Mountain 35-12 to secure the No. 3 seed in the 4A-I state playoffs, which start next Friday.
SLIDESHOW: Friday night football action
“We tried to control the clock and get our team off the field as fast as we could,” Paradise Valley coach Donnie Yantis said. “We played a lot of kids tonight, which is good. We have to get healthy and have a great week of practice.”
Paradise Valley (8-2, 4-2 Desert Sky region) was sluggish early but erupted for three second-quarter scores. Running back Tyree Parker had touchdown runs from 2 and 5 yards, while quarterback Kevin Spain scrambled in from 11 yards to give the Trojans a commanding 21-0 halftime lead.
“I thought the kids were a little flat coming in,” Yantis said. “It is a rivalry-type game, and Shadow Mountain came out fired up. Their coaches did a good job.”
Spain kept the Trojans rolling in the second half, finding Johnny Galvez on a 19-yard fade rout to open the third quarter. Spain was efficient all night, completing 9 of his 11 passes for 114 yards.
The Paradise Valley defense got into the act, as well, as Michael Gomez intercepted a pass and returned it 41 yards for a score to widen the lead to 35-0 with 2:33 remaining in the third quarter.
Gomez added two more interceptions off Matadors (3-7, 0-6) passes.
Parker led the Trojans’ ground game with 122 yards on 16 carries, while Galvez caught four passes for 39 yards.
