Photo by Raquel Hendrickson

The Maricopa High School varsity football team lost its second league competition, a road game at Campo Verde.

The Rams held off the Coyotes for more than a quarter but lost 38-12.

“They’re a physical team and they’ve got a big quarterback and they run hard,” MHS head coach Brandon Harris. “But that doesn’t say much about what we did offensively. Our job is to move the football, and we didn’t. That’s on me and our offensive coaches.”

The Rams scored on their first drive, taking advantage of a Coyote fourth-down mistake in fouling punter Roberto Esqueda (not for the last time)and giving Maricopa a fresh set of downs. Four plays later, quarterback Jordan Huddleston passed 45 yards to Jacob Cowing for the touchdown.

Campo Verde didn’t score until there was 7:53 left in the second quarter, a 52-yard run.. A following 13-play drive by Maricopa, again extended by Esqueda getting roughed up, proved fruitless. Coyote kicker Jackson Passey nailed a 52-yard field goal to give Campo Verde the 10-6 lead at halftime.

“It seems to be the same old thing that’ biting us in the heel,” Harris said. “We have this great opening drive or opening series and then just have a stalemate or something So got to figure that out, and we will.”

Campo Verde scored twice in the third quarter while shutting down Maricopa. The Coyotes were credited with six sacks.

“They were doing some things to us on defense, and I didn’t feel like our sideline communication was where it should be,” Harris said.

The Coyotes scored twice more before Maricopa could get back on the board. It was another half-field pass to Cowing with 3:53 remaining in the game.

Maricopa’s record fell to 4-3 overall and 0-2 in San Tan play. The Rams next play at Williams Field on Friday at 7 p.m.

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