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Deago Stubbs leads Arbor View to 4th straight league title

Arbor View senior running back Deago Stubbs roamed the football field and posed for pictures with fans after his team’s 28-14 home victory over Legacy on Friday night.

Teammate and all-everything defensive end Elijah Wade joined in the joyous celebration by raising four fingers toward the sky to represent the Aggies’ four consecutive Northwest League championships.

Winning a homecoming football game feels pretty good. But beating a division rival to clinch the conference title?

Even better.

The Aggies (7-0, 5-0 Northwest League) beat the Longhorns (4-3, 3-2) in the annual “Battle of the Bulls” to clinch their fourth straight league championship and retain the Bullhorn rivalry trophy.

Stubbs pick-sixed Legacy quarterback Robert Valenzuela and ran for two touchdowns, and Wade anchored a dominant defensive unit that wore out the Longhorns over the course of four quarters.

Arbor View’s entire team posed with the trophy as parents and team staffers snapped photos on their cellphones. The Aggies’ coaching staff had its turn with the horns afterward.

“Them horns felt great,” said Wade, who clutched the trophy like it was a million-dollar briefcase. “It’s good to come out here, get a rival game victory. On to the next game.”

Legacy bottled up Arbor View’s trademark double-wing offense for much of the first half but fumbled twice in its own territory to set up two Aggies rushing touchdowns — one from quarterback Logan Bollinger and one from Stubbs.

Valenzuela threw a 54-yard bomb to Davick Clark midway through the second quarter, but his next completion was early in the third quarter, to Stubbs, who jumped an out route and raced 40 yards to the house.

“I’m used to playing offense,” Stubbs said. “But since I’ve started playing safety, I like defense a lot more now.”

Legacy tried to rally late in the fourth quarter, and Valenzuela threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Amorey Foster. But Arbor View ran out most of the remaining time with a meticulous drive that resulted in Stubbs’ third and final touchdown.

“He’s just Deago, and everybody knows that,” Aggies coach Dan Barnson said. “He’s an unbelievable team player (playing) both sides of the ball this year.”

Stubbs finished with 17 carries for 68 yards.

Aggies senior running back Jacquari Hannie ran for a team-high 72 yards on 14 carries. Valenzuela was 9 of 19 for 186 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Barnson reflected on the team’s fourth straight league title and, of course, complimented his talented roster. But he mentioned a lot other people, too, who he deems worthy of praise.

“I’m proud of the coaches, the kids, the families, our junior program. Our principal is great,” Barnson said. “A lot of fingers are in the pot.”

More preps: Follow all of our Nevada Preps coverage online at nevadapreps.com and @NevadaPreps on Twitter.

Contact reporter Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter.

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