Braylon Johnson on his way to the first Badger touchdown assisted by 54 Dylan Barker.
Thunderbird at Prescott
It was the tale of two halves and it almost worked out for the Prescott Badgers in what turned out to be an unlikely thriller 38-35 setback to the Thunderbird Titans.
The Badgers in their home opener fell behind 24-0 before finally scoring midway through the second quarter when Braylon Johnson would not be denied while initiating contact with nearly everyone on the defense pounding his way 15 yards for the score.
Melakye Little gets brought down by Trace Overton and Noble Ortega.
Thunderbird would score again on a quarterback sneak by JP Stewart to lead 31-7 at the half.
The second half started off badly for the Badgers when Daryl Little stepped in front of the receiver picking off the pass and weaving his way through Badgers for a 66 yard pick-six to increase the Titans lead to 38-7.
Thunderbird was ready to cruise through the remainder of the game, but the Badgers dug deep to find new life and marched down the field for a Jacob Chamberlain rushing touchdown to make the score 38-14.
The Badgers defense began making plays shutting down the offense that hung 31 points on them in the first half, and the momentum continued to change.
On Prescott’s next possession Trace Overton scored to cut the deficit to 38-22. The Badgers followed that up with a successful long onside kick, recovering the ball at the Thunderbird 29 yard line and the game was back in reach with plenty of time remaining.
Running back Nick Phillips was given the ball and threw his only pass of the game to Kenny Miller-Terry on a 26 yard play and it was 38-28. The two point conversion failed but heading to the fourth the game was now up for grabs.
The defense continued to keep the Titans in check with continued pressure in the back field and Prescott got the ball back after another stop.
Chamberlain made it 38-35 when he bolted though the middle of the line going 79 yards and everyone in Badger Nation was ready for the final blow to finish off a stunned Thunderbird team.
Another defensive stop and the Badgers offense took the field with the ball at the Thunderbird 47 yard line with just under five minutes to play.
The Titans got ball back when they recovered a Badger fumble at their own 38. Thunderbird found a little life once again running the ball successfully to the outside in an attempt to kill the clock. After a stuff by Blake McGlory, the Titans had a fourth and one to go to keep the ball and run out the clock.
The next play was “tackle by committee” led by Menno Dow giving Prescott the ball at the Thunderbird 43 with 95 seconds left.
A completed pass was fumbled and recovered by Thunderbird at Titans 25 yard line. It was a huge sigh of relief for the visitors who basically escaped with the win, but the Badgers showed a lot of character in their comeback attempt. Something to build on as the season progresses for sure.
Both teams had a rough night throwing the ball, but Thunderbird made the most of their 12 attempts. Quarterback JP Stewart completed just four passes for 146 yards and the two touchdowns, both to Daryl Little. D. Little ended with 113 yards on three receptions and was also responsible for 86 yards rushing and the pick-six. Melakye Little rushed for 99 yards on seventeen carries.
The Badgers rushing game racked up 260 yards, led by Jacob Chamberlain with 176 yards and two touchdowns. Kenny-Miller Terry had one reception for a touchdown. Quarterback Gio Pugliese was under pressure most of the game, as well was Trace Overton and James Hefferin. Nick Phillips had his one pass go for a touchdown from 26 yards out. The QBS combined for just six completions in 21 attempts for 131 yards with two interceptions.
Trace Overton and Gunnar Parra led the Badger defense with 10 tackles each.
Prescott (1-1) will host Northwest Christian on Friday at 7pm. Thunderbird 3-0), will make the short trip in Phoenix to play Independence.
THUNDERBIRD TITANS 38, PRESCOTT BADGERS 35
Score by Quarters- 1 2 3 4 – T
Thunderbird 17 14 7 0 – 38
Prescott 0 7 21 7 – 35
Scoring Summary
T-M. Little 1 yard run (Trinh kick)
T-Trinh 32 yard Field Goal
T-D. Little 53 yard pass from Stewart (Trinh kick)
T-D. Little 52 yard pass from Stewart (Trinh kick)
P-Johnson 15 yard run (Costes kick)
T-Stewart 2 yard run (Trinh kick)
T-D. Little 66 yard interception return (Trinh kick)
P-Chamberlain 8 yard run (Costes kick)
P-Overton 2 yard run (Overton run)
P-Miller-Terry 26 yard pass from Phillips (Run failed)
P-Chamberlain 79 yard run (Costes kick)
Bradshaw Mountain at Independence
Kylin Jackson and Dante Jones combined for 294 rushing yards and six touchdowns to lead the Bears to a 54-8 blowout of the Independence Patriots.
Jackson had 190 yards and four touchdowns and Dante Jones finished with 104 yards and a pair of TDs.
The Bears led early and just kept building their lead and would eventually reach 40-0 at the half
Quarterback Michael Sanford completed nine of fifteen for 157 yards and one touchdown, that going to Landon Taggart in the third quarter.
The last Bradshaw Mountain score came in the third quarter when Casey Baumann recovered a blocked punt for a touchdown to make it 54-0.
The Bears (1-1) return home on Friday to face last seasons runner-up Snowflake (2-0) at 7pm.
BRADSHAW MOUNTAIN BEARS 54, INDEPENDENCE PATRIOTS 8
Score by Quarters- 1 2 3 4 – T
Bradshaw Mountain 26 14 14 0 – 54
Independence 0 0 0 8 – 8
Scoring Summary
BM-Jacskon 3 yard run (Womble kick)
BM-Jackson yard run (Kick failed)
BM-Jones 25 yard run (Womble kick)
BM-Jackson 65 yard run (Kick failed)
BM-Jones 60 yard run (Womble kick)
BM-Taggart 17 yard pass from Sanford (Womble kick)
BM-Jackson 35 yard run (Womble kick)
BM-Baumann blocked punt recovery (Womble kick)
I-Rodriquez 24 yard pass from Thompson (Thompson run)
Desert Star at Chino Valley
The Chino Valley Cougars improved to (2-1) on the season with a 60-14 lopsided win at home.
Teegan DeBono scored three touchdowns for the Cougars.
Desert Star, in their first season from Fort Mohave, falls to (1-2). Chino Valley will travel next Friday to face Cortez (0-3) in Phoenix. Game time is 7pm.
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS SCOREBOARD
Thunderbird 38, Prescott 35
Bradshaw Mountain 54, Independence 8
Chino Valley 60, Desert Star 14
Arcadia 31, Camelback 28
Bagdad 32, Mogollon 12
Deer Valley 38, Barry Goldwater 34
Estrella Foothills 27, Mingus 6
Gila Ridge 28, Greenway 14
La Joya Community 64, Kofa 27
Lee Williams 53, Kingman 8
Mayer 58, Sedona Red Rock 22
Marcos de Niza 42, Mesquite 19
Mica Mountain 35, Canyon Del Oro 7
Mohave 27, Lake Havasu 21
Northwest Christian 31, Poston Butte 13
Paradise Honors 56, Flagstaff 20
Parker 52, Wickenburg 6
Payson 46, San Tan Foothills 0
Peoria 40, Raymond Kellis 21
Snowflake 30, ALA-West Foothills 10
Superior Jr/Sr 40, Williams 34
Youngker 45, Agua Fria 6
Thursday Scores
Buckeye 50, Moon Valley 18
Eastmark 16, Walden Grove 13
Sierra Linda 31, Copper Canyon 28
St. Mary’s 28, Coconino 24
Verrado 49, West Point 0
Vista Grande 42, Central 12
Winslow 60, Valley (Sanders) 6
