Isaac Oliva, Foothill defense stifle Las Vegas for Sunrise Region win

Foothill’s Issac Oliva scored five touchdowns Friday, and the Falcons’ defense shut down the host Las Vegas football team en route to a 42-14 Class 4A Sunrise Region quarterfinal victory.

Oliva scored three times in the decisive second quarter for Foothill (8-2), which overturned an early 7-0 deficit to put up 28 unanswered points before halftime. The senior running back picked up his first two scores on passes from Koy Riggin, from 17 and 13 yards respectively, to put the Falcons ahead. He then scored three more times, all on 1-yard plunges, and finished with 55 yards rushing.

Las Vegas got off to a strong start, with Preston Williams bolting 68 yards on a pass from Zach Matlock after the Foothill defense thought the receiver was down and the play over. But that was all the Falcons would allow while the game was still in the balance.

On defense, the Falcons bottled up the Wildcats’ Elijah Hicks, holding him to just five rushing yards on 10 carries on the night, and recovered two Las Vegas fumbles.

Riggin threw for 218 yards and three touchdowns on the evening, with all but six of those yards coming in the first half. Foothill controlled the ball before halftime, running 41 plays to just 17 for the Wildcats. Braeden Wilson had the other touchdown for the Falcons, who move on to a semifinal date at Liberty next Friday.

Matlock threw for 198 yards and also ran for a touchdown for the Wildcats (3-7).