A defensive battle with Tucson’s Desert View High School resulted in the first loss of the season for the Maricopa High School football team Friday night.
The Jaguars (2-0) scored twice in the fourth quarter to defeat the Rams, 19-14, in Maricopa.
“I think defensively, their D-line got after our O-line, and that’s something we’ve got to change,” Maricopa coach Chris McDonald said.
After the Rams (2-1) scored on their first possession, a carry by sophomore Jathan Washington, Desert View put together long drives that kept the ball in the Jaguars’ possession for big chunks of the game. Desert View tied the score midway through the second quarter and then locked down Maricopa.
After a scoreless third, the Jaguars’ Alex Courtemanche ran in from the 1-yard line within the first 30 seconds of the fourth. The extra-point kick was blocked by Maricopa senior Kenny Oliver, keeping the Rams’ deficit to just six points.
But Maricopa’s offense fell into long yardage on a short possession and was forced to punt. Desert View, which relied heavily on Courtemanche to gain yardage on the ground, scored again with 7:42 on the clock. With the Jaguars clearly reluctant to kick the ball, often turning the ball over on downs during the game, they attempted a 2-point conversion but failed.
Less than a minute later, the Rams scored on a quick possession. After very consistent kicker Sam Aviles sent through the extra point, Maricopa trailed by just five with 6:48 left.
The Jaguars, however, as they did most of the game, hogged the ball. They ticked off six minutes with their next possession. By the time they predictably gave the ball back to Maricopa on downs, the Rams had only 49 seconds to try to score from their own 27.
They got as far as the 41-yard line and tried a series of long passes to get into the end zone, without success.
It was the first full game for quarterback Zach Bachelder, who injured his shoulder in the Rams’ first game at Willow Canyon. He came out of it a bit roughed up and “had some issues” with his shoulder again, according to McDonald.
“He didn’t lose us the game,” McDonald said. “He managed it enough for us to win the game. There’s some things we’ll correct with him, too. We just need to get his shoulder and arm a little healthier.”
Next week, McDonald expects Centennial High School (2-1) to be physical like Desert View. “So we’ve got to really focus on our leverage on both sides of the ball and figure out a way to get it out to our little guys’ hands a little bit more.”
The game starts at 7 p.m. in Peoria.
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