ST. GEORGE — For three straight years, the budding rivalry between Pine View and Las Vegas was decided in the final seconds of the game. The 2007 version of the match-up was decided in the first five minutes.
Pine View quarterback Nick Marinko shredded Las Vegas' defense for 281 passing yards and three touchdowns and the Panthers defense scored twice in the first quarter on the way to a 45-12 blowout of Nevada's two-time defending 4A state champions.
"They are really young this year, but that doesn't take away from the fact that we played really well," Pine View assistant Dale Stott said. "Nick threw the ball really well and they were playing us with man coverage in the secondary, trying to take away the running game."
Mission accomplished, in a way, for the Wildcats. Pine View didn't run the ball much. Of course, the Panthers didn't need to.
Marinko had plenty of time to pass most of the night and completed 16-of-26 attempts.
Before the dust had cleared from a whirlwind first quarter, Marinko had twin TD passes of 26 yards to Taylor Orr and Riley Dias, the defense had scored on an interception return by Logan Black and a blocked punt recovered by Taylor Harris in the end zone, and the Panthers held a 32-0 advantage.
"I don't think anyone expected it to be like that," Stott said.
Pine View opened the game with an eight-play, 76-yard drive that ended with Orr's TD catch on fourth down. After a defensive stop, Marinko found Dias to make it 12-0 just four minutes into the game. Then things got a little crazy.
Pine View forced a turnover and Justin Ence scored from two yards out. Seconds later, Black picked off Las Vegas QB Marvin Campbell and made a nifty run down the Vegas sideline for six more points.
Just moments later, Pine View scored again when a low snap on a punt attempt forced a late kick, which was blocked by Harris. The senior lineman then scurried after the ball and snatched it in the end zone for yet another defensive score.
Campbell finally got the Wildcats on the scoreboard on a 43-yard pass to receiver Craig Williams in the second quarter. But the Panthers squelched any thought of a comeback with a late first-half TD pass to Orr, this time from 27 yards out.
With the score 39-6 at halftime, the younger players were able to get some playing time for the Panthers, although starter Travis Tait did cap the Panthers scoring in the third quarter with a 17-yard TD run.
Marinko's favorite target in the game was Robert Evans. The junior wideout had six catches for 103 yards and has 227 yards receiving in two games this season.
Pine View, 2-0, plays another Vegas power in Shadow Ridge next week.