RICHARD STEPHENS / PVT Steven Carnell, 6, with Mike Dolfin, 48, in escort, runs against Nye County and Central Class A Division rival Beatty in a recent game. Both players will be in the Tonopah lineup Saturday, when the Muckers host Las Vegas Mountain View Christian in a state quaterfinal playoff football game. Advertisement

It was the first and maybe only true shocker of the Class A football season in Nevada.

On a scorching Las Vegas afternoon in September, Mountain View Christian took down Tonopah 16-0 in the second week of the season.

For the Saints, who qualified for their first-ever football playoffs this season, it was a breakthrough win against one of the 1-A's top programs, a NevPrep.com report said.

And although they did get roughed up by Carlin and lost to division foe and defending state champion Pahranagat Valley Alamo, the Saints played the Panthers tighter than anyone else in the state.

For Tonopah, the first Mountain View game might've been a wake-up call.

The Muckers bounced back the following weekend by taking down Carlin 14-8, the following week despite being without several starters due to injuries and a suspension.

The next week Tonopah beat Wells, the East Division's other playoff team, 56-14, beginning a streak of six games in which no opponent stayed within 40 points of the Muckers. Tonopah finished 8-1, 4-0 in the Central Division, extending its record to 18-0 in 1-A league games over the last four seasons.

Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in Tonopah, the Muckers and Saints will do battle for keeps when they meet in a first-round playoff game.

And you don't have to be a rocket scientist to know that Tonopah will be looking for a little payback against the Saints. How much of a factor revenge will be is open to debate.

What is certain, however, is that both teams' quarterbacks will figure greatly in the outcome.

Tonopah's Scott Thibodeaux and the Saints' Evan Entler are without question the keys to their respective team's success.

Thibodeaux, operating out of the Muckers' variation of the "Pistol" shotgun offense, does his damage on the ground and in the air, throwing for nine touchdowns on 64-for-166 passing for 861 yards and nine touchdowns. His 754 yards on 100 carries and 16 touchdowns led all Mucker backs.

Entler's rushing totals are much less -- 248 yards on 55 carries. But his passing stats are downright gaudy -- 83 of 184 for 1,525 yards and 21 touchdowns.

Brandon Carr caught 26 of those throws for 390 yards and six touchdowns while Craig Saccra caught 24 balls for 673 yards and 10 touchdowns. Cortland LeBoeuf led the Saints' ground attack with 596 yards on 92 carries and seven touchdowns.

Tonopah also has two other backs who averaged over eight yards a carry in Kevin Valentine (68-569, nine touchdowns) and Steve Carnell (45-383, eight touchdowns).

Tyler Bessire led Tonpah receivers with 34 catches for 448 yards and nine touchdowns while Valentine caught 24 passes for 411 yards and five touchdowns.