In rematch, it’s rout for Canyon Springs

Pioneers stop Basic; two teams brawled after Sept. 15 meeting

There weren’t any gratuitous personal foul penalties at Canyon Springs High School on Friday night. There weren’t any ejections, either. And, no, there wasn’t any pepper spray. Just a good, old-fashioned blowout. Courtesy of the Pioneers. Canyon Springs cruised to a 41-0 victory over Basic in the first round of the Sunrise Region playoffs — a rematch of the Sept. 15 game at Basic that featured more than 30 penalties, four ejections and a postgame brawl Clark County School District police officers broke up with pepper spray.

The Pioneers (6-4) are unbeaten against local opponents — minus the two forfeits assessed by the NIAA after the fight — and advance to the second round of the tournament for the first time since 2013.

The Wolves finish with a 3-7 record.

Canyon Springs star senior Diamante Burton was magical in accounting for 186 passing yards, 68 rushing yards and four total touchdowns. He danced around Basic’s front seven, effortlessly picked apart its secondary and said he made an effort to legitimize the Pioneers after the disastrous start to their season.

“We always felt like we were cursed, from not making it to the second round of the playoffs. We finally did it,” Burton said. “We wanted to show everybody that we are good. We don’t have to be ‘thugs.’ We don’t have to be nothing. We are really good on the field.”

Both coaches prepared for a clean game, and neither team was flagged for unsportsmanlike