Panthers finish year with perfect record

Maricopa Wells Middle School’s Panther football team, hoping to go 6 – 0 for the season, hosted McCray Junior High School from Coolidge on Tuesday night.

The Panther defense looked impressive right from the start. On the opening series McCray attempted to run a reverse, but the play was broken up by Panther defender Victor Salvatierra (#13). Salvatierra had a nice twenty-yard return, giving the Panthers good field position. The Panther offense went three and out and were forced to punt. A bad snap to Panther punter KJ Diehl forced him to chase down the ball before the punt. The Panther defense picked up where they left off as Spencer Wilson (#21) and Nick Sesma (#30) stopped the McCray running attack, forcing McCray to punt it away on fourth and nineteen.

Salvatierra had a nice sixty-five yard punt return, giving the Panthers a first and goal on the McCray eight-yard line. Panther quarterback Ryan Sarver (#8) handed the ball off to Wilson, who was hit hard, fumbling the ball in the backfield and giving it back to McCray.

Victor Salvatierra (#13) and the rest of the Panther defense shut down the McCray offense.

The McCray offense moved the ball successfully at the end the first quarter, but Panther defenders Robert Stit (#11), Carlos Ruiz (#32) and Wilson came up with some big tackles to hold the McCray offense in check. Diehl picked off a deflected pass to give the Panthers great field position, and backs Salvatierra and Wilson continued to run the ball at the McCray defense.

Panther quarterback Sarver went to the air, looking for Tyler Owens (#80), but the ball bounced off the wide receiver’s chest for an incompletion. As the first half was coming to end, Sarver completed a screen pass to Wilson for a short gain. On fourth down with 12 seconds left in the quarter, the Panthers pitched the ball to Salvatierra, who attempted a half back pass, which fell incomplete. At the half the score was 0 – 0.

At the beginning of the second half, McCray kicked off to Owens, who returned it into Coolidge territory. The Panther offense used the running game to move the chains with some success. Sarver pitched it to Salvatierra, who had a three-yard gain. Jeff Tette (#10) was on the receiving end of a reverse and picked up thirty yards on the play, putting the Panther offense on the McCray seven-yard line.

Sarver handed the ball off to Wilson, who ran up the middle for a four-yard gain. Sarver also completed a short pass to Fernando Estrada (#72), who walked into the end zone for six points. The two-point conversion was unsuccessful, so the Panthers took a 6 – 0 lead.

The Panther run defense continued to dominate the line of scrimmage, and defender Sesma kept making big tackles. The McCray offense went for it on fourth and four, but the Panther defense stopped them cold. Panther running back Salvatierra picked up 20 yards, landing on the McCray 38-yard line. Sarver fired a pass to wide receiver Tette, but a McCray defender picked off the pass.

A Ryan Sarver pass intended for Jeff Tette (#10) was picked off by McCray late in the third quarter.

The Panther offense made it to the end zone one time; that was all the Panther defense, which gave up only two touchdowns this season, needed in order to secure the victory for the undefeated Panthers and coaches Thad Miller and John Diehl.

Panthers and their fans celebrate their win in the middle of the field.

Congratulations, Panthers, on your perfect season!

Panther 2006 Season Summary:
MWMS 26; Tonopah 0
MWMS 35; Gila Bend 6
MWMS 10; Coolidge 8
MWMS 31; Tonopah 0
MWMS 28; Gila Bend 0
MWMS 6; Coolidge 0