Photo by Raquel Hendrickson

The Maricopa High School football team dropped a region game to Casteel Friday after the Colt ran wild in the fourth quarter for a 42-21 final.

Before the game, Maricopa was ranked 16th in 5A. The top 16 teams at season’s end qualify for the state playoffs.

“They competed, they played hard, we’re still alive for the playoffs, believe it or not,” head coach Brandon Harris said. “We gotta win next week to be in. Nobody’s played a tougher schedule than we have.”

The Rams stuck with the fourth-ranked Colts, scoring first on their first possession three minutes into the game and ha the 14-7 lead by the end of the quarter on touchdowns by Kaireem Moreira and Jacob Cowing. Casteel scored on a quarterback keeper for a tied score at the half.

The Colts took the lead for good in the third quarter and then ran off with three touchdowns in the fourth. Maricopa could answer only with one score, a 24-yard pass hauled in by Cowing. The coach called the senior receiver, who also ran a series as quarterback, “spectacular.”

The Rams were without starting running back Mister Chavez, who was out with an injury, while other suffered injuries in the course of the game. Despite the runaway score late in the game, the Rams remained intense and were calling out each other for missed plays or talking back to the referees.

“I want them to police themselves, and when they do that, that’s when they become a championship team,” Harris said.

The result moved Casteel to 7-2 and Maricopa to 4-5. The Rams’ final game of the regular season, and Senior Night, is Friday hosting Gilbert. Game time is 7 p.m.

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