Mid-game spark fizzles in Rams loss

The Maricopa High School football team’s performance Friday night against Seton Catholic Preparatory High School in Chandler traveled the symmetrical slopes of a bell curve

In the team’s 34-23 loss, the Rams (0-2) came back from a 14-0 deficit in the first quarter to tie the game before the half. Maricopa grabbed hold of the lead in the third quarter, but felt the pendulum shift back toward the Sentinels (2-0) as the clock wound down.

“We started the game pretty poor, ended the game pretty poor,” said Rams’ coach Cory Nenaber. “A big part of that is on me. Second half – I wasn’t a very good coach in the second half.”

Numerous penalties on both teams factored into the outcome, giving each side an advantage with ball position. For example, the Rams earned a 2-point safety three minutes into the third quarter after two penalties pushed the Sentinels back to their own 9-yard line where they were forced to punt from the end zone.

The Rams took their own set of harsh hits from the yellow flags. A 15-yard penalty was assessed against Maricopa in the fourth quarter after Nenaber made a comment from the sideline that seemed to criticize the referees. The penalty set up the Sentinels at the Rams’ 47-yard line.

Three plays and an extra penalty later, Sentinels’ running back Antonio Campanella scored on a 25-yard run, pushing the score to 33-23 with fewer than three minutes remaining in the game.

Nenaber didn’t go into specifics, but he did say he took responsibility for some mistakes made. He mentioned this while describing what he told the team after the game.

“We’ve got to stick together,” he said. “It’s still early. We’ve got to buy into the ‘We, not me’ mentality. And it’s going to take all 50 of us to do it. And coaches included. And I took responsibility for some of the things that went on tonight.”

***ADVERTISEMENT***Maricopa quarterback Isaiah Pedro kept the ball for a 21-yard run touchdown early in the second quarter, which placed the Rams on the scoreboard.

On their next possession, the Rams began on their own 35-yard line and began a 10-play march down the field with successful runs by Pedro and running backs Elijah Alvarado and Falaah Shabazz. A fumble in the end zone was recovered by offensive lineman Christian Palafox, which tied the game 14-14.

A 22-yard touchdown run by Alvarado two minutes into the third quarter put the Rams on top, 20-14. The extra point and the 2-point safety about a minute later ended Maricopa’s successful hunt for the end zone.

Sentinels’ Campanella had much to do with the momentum shift. The junior running back scored on a 1-yard run late in the third and a 50-yard run with less than a minute into the fourth. His 25-yard run that brought Seton Catholic to a 33-23 lead with 2:31 remaining in the game sealed the victory. The extra point placed the score board at 34-23.

Maricopa travels to Gilbert next week to take on Williams Field High School (2-0). The game begins at 7 p.m. Thursday.