Photo: 45 Cort Lewis on his way for a touchdown after picking up a Vista Grande fumble
PRESCOTT at VISTA GRANDE
The Prescott Badgers dropped a road contest to the Vista Grande Spartans 41-19 on a warm evening in Casa Grande. It turned out to be a long night for the Badgers with plenty of flags and plenty of offense. The two teams racked up 903 yards of total offense, with the Spartans winning that category 567-336.
It turned out to be a game of flags, which added to the lengthy game time. There were some confusing and questionable calls to say the least, confusing coaches, players, and fans alike, and it started on the kickoff.
Prescott got a break on the opening kickoff when the officials ruled that the returner was in the end zone, placing the ball at the twenty yard line. That all came though after Vista Grande’s player had tackled the Badger at the one yard line, which would have pinned Prescott early.
Photo: 2 Johann Gundermann attempts to get away from three Spartan defenders
The Badgers moved the ball 79 yards down the field, but could not get that one final yard, fumbling the ball into the end zone. The Spartans recovered the ball and their offense started at their own 20. A three and out gave the Badgers the ball in good field position, which they did not squander this time around. Jaxon Rice called his own number and slid into the end zone on a fourth down play at the one yard line. The two point conversion failed and Prescott led 6-0 with five minutes left in the opening quarter.
Two minutes later, the Spartans responded when Darius Brown weaved his way through the Badger defense for a 42 yard score. The extra point gave Vista Grande a 7-6 lead.
Photo: 22 Josiah Peoples and 21 Adam Lloyd pull down the Vista Grande ball carrier
The Prescott offense struggled from that point forward as the Vista Grande defense kept the Badgers off balance. Fernando Moya rushed in from seven yards out to end the first quarter scoring with a 14-6 Spartan lead. The teams would exchange possessions, but a critical and questionable flag came in late, resulting in a pass interference call on Prescott thrown by the official in front of the Vista Grande bench with under a minute left. That set the stage for the final score of the first half. Moya added his second TD on a six yard run with just twelve seconds on the clock, giving Vista Grande a 21-6 lead at the half.
The Badgers came out and tried an unsuccessful onside kick. The Spartans pushed the lead to 28-6 a minute into the third quarter when Brown ran past the defense for a 46 yard touchdown. In the fourth, Darnell Castro caught a 70 yard touchdown pass from Brendan Hunt to increase the lead to 34-6 with nine minutes left in the game.
Prescott was able to get a touchdown on a two yard run by Rice, cutting the deficit to 34-12. Cort Lewis would get the Badgers even closer when he picked up a Spartan fumble and returned the ball 43 yards for the touchdown. The kick was good to make it 34-19. Lewis, who also led the team in tackles with 11, said, “I came in on a blitz, and the ball was loose so I grabbed it and I ran it in as fast as I could. It felt great. On the drive before I was suppose to get the ball when we were near the goal line, but there was a miscommunication. I think it was God’s will that I got that touchdown, and think we just have to move on. We need to work hard this coming week at getting better and focus on our next game.”
Vista Grande used the final four plus minutes to score on a six yard run with just a few seconds remaining.
Statistically, Prescott was led by quarterback Jaxon Rice, who went 18-29-0 192 yards through the air, and who led the ground attack as well with 59 yards and two touchdowns. Uriah Tenette caught 11 passes for 94 yards. Johann Gundermann pulled in four receptions for 66 yards.
The loss drops the Badgers to (1-3). Prescott will travel on Friday to the San Tan Valley to face Combs, also (1-3) after their first win of the season over Maryvale. Kickoff is set for 7 pm.
VISTA GRANDE SPARTANS 41, PRESCOTT BADGERS 19
Score by Quarters- 1 2 3 4 – T
Prescott 6 0 0 13 – 19
Vista Grande 14 7 7 13 – 41
Scoring Summary
P-Rice 1 yard run (Run failed)
VG-Brown 42 yard run (Chavez kick)
VG-Moya 7 yard run (Chavez kick)
VG-Moya 6 yard run (Chavez kick)
VG-Castro 70 yard pass from Hunt (Kick failed)
P-Rice 2 yard run (Run failed)
P-Lewis 43 yard fumble return (Lloyd kick)
VG-Green 6 yard run (Chavez kick)
ST. MARY’S at BRADSHAW MOUNTAIN
The Bradshaw Mountain Bears picked up a 41-20 win over the St. Mary’s Knights in Prescott Valley.
The Bears scored the first three touchdowns of the night to lead 20-0. St. Mary’s got the goose egg off the board in the final two minutes of the half to trail 20-6 at the break.
The Knights trimmed the Bradshaw Mountain lead to 20-13, before the Bears punched in two more scores on the ground to go ahead 34-13 after three quarters. The team would exchange a score a piece to close out the game.
Bradshaw Mountain improves to (3-1) while St. Mary’s drops to (2-2). The Bears will travel to Apache Junction for a 7 pm game on Friday.
BRADSHAW MOUNTAIN BEARS 41, ST. MARY’S KNIGHTS 20
Score by Quarters- 1 2 3 4 – T
St. Mary’s 0 6 7 7 – 20
Bradshaw Mountain 13 7 14 7 – 41
Scoring Summary
BM-8 yard run (Kick failed)
BM-3 yard run (Kick good)
BM-38 yard pass (Kick good)
SM-4 yard pass (Kick failed)
SM-17 yard run (Kick good)
BM-11 yard run (Kick good)
BM-4 yard run (Kick good)
SM-26 yard pass (Kick good)
BM-26 yard pass (Kick good)
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS SCOREBOARD
Agua Fria 41, Betty Fairfax 13
Apache Junction 51, San Tan Foothills 0
Arcadia 42, Coconino 19
Bagdad 80, Desert Heights Prep 28
Benjamin Franklin 79, Bourgade Catholic 0
Blue Ridge 24, Morenci 21
Boulder Creek 70, Cactus Shadows 34
Buckeye Union 31, Estrella Foothills 17
Camp Verde 56, Mountainside 0
Canyon Del Oro 41, Amphitheater 0
Combs 44, Maryvale 16
Cortez 32, Highland Prep 12
Deer Valley 7, La Joya Community 0
Eastmark 22, AZ College Prep 21
Flagstaff 27, Desert Sunrise 0
Flowing Wells 35, Sahuarita 7
Greenway 34, Dysart 26
Gila Ridge 52, Cibola 20
Gilbert 24, Mesquite 17
Ironwood Ridge 47, Douglas 14
Lee Williams 49, Moon Valley 19
Marcos de Niza 34, Youngker 19
Mica Mountain 3, Sunnyside 7
Mingus 42, Copper Canyon 12
Mohave 43, Kingman 0
Mountain pointe 28, Central 21
Northwest Christian 61, Carl Hayden Community 0
Payson 14, Fountain Hills 3
Peoria 43, Sierra Linda 7
Poston Butte 20, Round Valley 18
Pueblo 31, Empire 6
Seton Catholic Prep 43, Alhambra 12
Walden Grove 26, Cienega 7
Wickenburg 26, River Valley 13
Yuma 49, Kofa 0
Yuma Catholic 42, Thatcher 20
THURSDAY SCORES
ALA-Gilbert North 56, Paradise Valley 0
Arizona Lutherna 32, Parker 15
Brophy Prep 37, Chaparral 20
Desert Mountain 37, Cactus 13
Independence 49, Washington 20
Pusch Ridge 28, Catalina Foothills 13
Saguaro 41, Shadow Ridge 9
Thunderbird 40, Glendale 22
Veritas Prep 42, Shadow Mountain 27
Williams 58, Mayer 0
