Rams dominated by unbeaten Williams Field

A wind and dust storm subsided in Gilbert just in time for the kickoff of Friday’s Class 4A-II East Sky Region match-up between undefeated Williams Field and visiting Maricopa.

While an hour’s worth of strong gusts diminished to a pleasant breeze at game time, another powerful force began to assert itself as Williams Field scored on its first six possessions en route to a 53-3 victory over the Rams.

“There is a reason they are 7-0,” Maricopa coach Cory Nenaber said about the Williams Field Black Hawks. “They’re big. They’re fast. They do all the things right. Their defensive line is fast and physical. Their linebackers are fast and physical. They’re a really good football team.”

A week after taking East Sky Region contender Phoenix Arcadia to the wire in a hard-fought 28-21 loss, the Rams (2-5, 0-4) were never in the game against Williams Field (7-0, 4-0).

The Black Hawks scored on the second play from scrimmage, when Alex Howard broke a tackle at the line and dashed 64 yards into the end zone.

A three-play, 61-yard drive on Williams Field’s second possession culminated with a 30-yard scoring run by Kenny Mitchell.

Tom Ross then threw the first of his three touchdown passes, connecting with J.D. Layton in the right side of the end zone from 5 yards out.

After the Rams closed within 20-3 on a 32-yard field goal by Armando Cano with 16 seconds left in the first quarter, the Black Hawks crossed the goal line three more times before halftime.
Howard scored second-quarter touchdowns on a 55-yard pass from Ross and a 5-yard run.

Ross, who connected on his first 10 passes and finished 10 of 11 for 148 yards, gave the Black Hawks a 40-3 halftime advantage with an 11-yard completion for a touchdown to Sean McKenzie.

“We knew that we wanted to get up fast and not leave anything to chance, because I think that Maricopa is definitely an improved program,” Williams Field coach Steve Campbell said. “They are a better football team this year. That was our goal to get going fast, because they do have some dangerous weapons.”

The Williams Field defense held the Rams to 119 yards rushing and 63 yards passing. The Black Hawks intercepted two Maricopa passes, one of which was returned 35 yards for a third-quarter touchdown by Ced Gloria.

Williams Field capped the scoring with a 40-yard run by Gloria with 1:32 remaining.

The Black Hawks amassed 252 yards rushing on 21 attempts. Howard led the way with 115 yards on just seven carries.

Randel Barber rushed for a team-high 42 yards on four carries for Maricopa, while Tim Samuels added 36 yards on five carries.

The Rams will face another rugged opponent next week, when Scottsdale Notre Dame (6-1, 3-1) travels to Maricopa.

“That’s our conference,” Nenaber said about the strength and depth of the East Sky Region. “Every week is like it is. All we can try to do is keep getting better as a football team. We owe it to our players. We’re never going to give up. The players aren’t going to give up. We’re going to keep fighting until the last day.”