Sunrise win 3rd straight Lions All-Star contest
In the final high school game of the season in the Las Vegas valley, the kids from the Sunrise and Sunset stepped on the field to compete turning in a see-saw battle to close out their career in the 42nd Annual West Charleston Lion's Club Annual Charity All-Star Football Game.
After a slow start to the contest, Liberty kicker Austin Fitzgerald opened the scoring in the contest with a 30-yard field goal giving the Sunrise a 3-0 lead in what would be a see-saw battle.
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Palo Verde quarterback Parker Rost would hit Sierra Vista wide receiver Octavious Payne and teammate Jake Ortale in the first half of the contest along with a Julien Castro (Legacy) 26-yard field goal in the first half but the Sunrise wouldn't be out done.
Liberty's record setting quarterback Tyler Newman would match his output tossing scoring strikes to Green Valley wide receiver Markus Varner and teammate Drew Hladek tying the score at 17-17 at the half.
It turned into a field goal contest from there as Castro opened the second half with a 22-yard kick before UNLV bound Conor Perkins matched him in the fourth quarter with a 26-yard kick of his own to tie the score at 20-20 early in the fourth.
Castro would return to the field to boom a 48-yard kick through the upright with just 3:46 left in the game giving the Sunrise one last drive.
The Sunrise wouldn't waste the opportunity with Newman hitting Las Vegas HS speedster Aaron Zanin-Banks on a 46-yard strike to quickly move downfield. With the final minute ticking down, Newman would eventually drop back from the 2-yard line to hit
Coronado's Jackson Cofer for the game winner.
Newman walked away with contest MVP with nearly 300-yards passing in the contest along with 3 touchdown.
Zanin-Banks was a big part of the production with 128-yards receiving earning offensive player of the game while Palo Verde's Calvin Beaulieu walked away with defensive MVP honors.