Host Arbor View rolled past rival Centennial 56-17 on Friday night to capture the inaugural Clark County School District Division I Superintendent's Cup, marking the first football championship in program history. The Aggies finished the season 7-3 after losing to Bishop Gorman in the NIAA state title game the previous two years.
Oregon State commit Thaddeus Thatcher sparked the offense early, scrambling 44 yards for a touchdown on a third-and-5 in the first quarter. He finished with 222 passing yards and three touchdowns along with 127 rushing yards and a rushing score. Kamareion Bell contributed three rushing touchdowns, an interception on defense, and three long kickoff returns that set up Arbor View scores.
Centennial (6-4) briefly tied the game at 7-7 late in the first quarter when Blake Nadler connected with Minnesota commit Jayden Thomas on a 3-yard touchdown pass after a Forrest Freeman interception. The Bulldogs later cut the deficit to 14-10 with a field goal, but Arbor View pulled away from there.
The Superintendent's Cup was created this spring after 30 CCSD football programs moved to independent status, making them ineligible for NIAA-sanctioned postseason play. While the title is not recognized as an official state championship, it provided a meaningful conclusion for a senior class that produced the most successful three-year run in school history.
"It just feels so surreal," Thatcher said. "We worked so hard for this since spring football. We've been working for this so it feels so good to do what we wanted to accomplish." Coach Sam Norris praised his players' resilience, saying they "don't run away from tough coaching" and calling the group "very special."
Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
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