Freshman quarterback leads nationally-televised Gaels in romp over Green Valley

It’s a challenge for any freshman to start for his high school’s varsity football team. But when a freshman is asked to start at quarterback for a high-profile program in a nationally-televised game, that challenge becomes even more daunting.

That was the scenario facing Bishop Gorman freshman quarterback Jarrett Solomon on Friday night. But instead of backing away from the challenge, Solomon embraced it and excelled in leading the No. 2 Gaels to a 58-0 home rout of Green Valley.

He completed eight of 10 passes for 149 yards and three touchdowns to help keep Bishop Gorman unbeaten at 6-0.

“What an outstanding job he did,” Gaels coach Tony Sanchez said of the 6-foot, 185-pound Solomon. “Luckily for us, he’s a really physical kid already. But to get to the point where he’s come from the first time we saw him in the summer until now, he’s grown leaps and bounds and has a lot of confidence in himself.”

After sophomore Shaquille Powell scored on a 63-yard scamper to give the Gaels a 7-0 lead on their opening drive of the game, Solomon lofted a perfect 36-yard touchdown pass to Taylor Spencer on their second possession to make it 14-0.

The next time Gorman touched the ball, Solomon found Xavier Grimble from 13 yards out to give the Gaels a 21-0 lead.

Gorman scored touchdowns on their first six possessions and led 42-0 at halftime.

Solomon fired a 25-yard scoring strike to Grimble on the Gaels’ first play of the second half to push their lead to 49-0.

“The (offensive) line blocked really good and gave me some time,” Solomon said after the game, already sounding like a seasoned veteran.

He said playing on national television was “a gift” and provided “extra fire for us.”

Sanchez agreed, saying it was “a huge deal to be on national TV.”

“You just don’t get those opportunities,” he said. “For all our kids, our community, our Gorman alumni all over the country, it’s a great opportunity for any school and we’re glad Gorman had the opportunity to do it.”

Powell also scored on a 92-yard sprint and finished with 160 yards rushing on five carries.

Spencer also scored on a 24-yard interception return and Jelani Walls picked off a pass to set up a quick touchdown trot from Ronald Lyles.

Victor Belen scored on a touchdown run as well for the Gaels, who capped the scoring with a safety late in the fourth quarter and held Green Valley (2-3) to minus-28 yards rushing and 78 yards of total offense.

“Everybody likes to talk about offense, but I really think the conversation about Bishop Gorman starts with our defense,” Sanchez said. “It’s been lights out all year.”