Badgers Rush For 10 Touchdowns In Wild Win Over Flagstaff

Photo: Bryce Coston rushed for 172 yards on 13 carries with 2 touchdowns in the win at Flagstaff

The Prescott Badgers scored on their first ten possessions as they rushed for 474 yards in a wild 69-41 win over the Flagstaff Eagles in a game that lasted over three hours at the NAU Walkup Skydome. It was a mostly no show night for the defenses as the teams combined for 110 points and nearly 1000 yards of total offense in a game that took over three hours to play.

The Badgers took the ball and went 56 yards on seven plays to take the lead when Jeremiah Villanueva went straight up a wide open middle to score from a yard out. Costes added the extra point for a 7-0 lead with 6:24 to play in the opening quarter.

Flagstaff quarterback Broden Custer was the offense for the Eagles as he threw the ball 62 times, completing 25, for 3 touchdowns and amazingly no interceptions. Custer had a rough start as his receivers were unable to catch passes that went right into their hands on the Eagles first two possessions. What Custer was able to do was give the Prescott defense fits for a good portion of the remainder of the game using his ability to scramble and extend plays to keep the drives alive. The junior quarterback was fun to watch as he also finished with 109 yards rushing on 20 carries accounting for 98% of the Eagles offense.

Meanwhile, the Prescott offense could not be stopped. The Flagstaff defense was mostly non-existent, only able to postpone the inevitable, and had no answers in a way to stop the Badgers offense that ran the ball 40 of their 47 offensive plays. Jeremiah Villanueva had 123 yards with 3 touchdowns, and began the scoring parade with an easy one yard run. Prescott went on top 14-0 when Coston walked in from a yard out.

The Badgers used a three man rush most of the game, dropping the other eight into pass coverage yet Custer was able to buy some time in order to get rid of the ball. His “Houdini” like antics were quite amazing. On their third possession, the Eagles offense began to find success and what worked for them for most of the remainder of the game.

Custer found wide receiver Evan Washington who was able to catch the ball and was able to move into Badgers territory even converting a fourth and four pass to Luke Kashuta to the Badger 35.

Two plays later Custer went to Washington again who pulled in the pass going into the end zone for a 28 yard touchdown. Washington added the PAT to make it 14-7 with 9:45 in the second quarter.

The Badgers started their third drive when Colton Sunshine returned the kickoff to near midfield. Brody Hanna eventually scored to increase the lead to 21-7.

Custer remained in scramble mode as he completed passes. A big catch by Matt Moreno moved the ball into Badger territory. Custer used his legs to run the ball to move the chains deeper down the field and eventually went back to Moreno on a 17 yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 21-14 with 7:15 left in the second quarter.

The Badgers got the seven back very quickly when Nick Phillips took the kickoff 76 yards down to the Eagles 14 yard line. Two plays later, Braylon Johnson took the ball the final 7 yards to boost the lead to 28-14 with 6:27 on the clock. Johnson ended with 111 yards rushing and 3 touchdowns.

Flagstaff got right back at it, converting a third and eight to Jason Laughing who made an amazing catch as he was able to get both feet in on a sideline pattern to the Prescott 35. Custer scrambled again to find Moreno for another first down on a third and 20 pass play to the Badgers 17. Custer cut the Prescott lead to 28-21 when he took the shotgun snap running the ball up the middle untouched with 1:21 left in the half.

The Eagles thought if they could get the ball down by seven they might be able to score to tie the game at the half, but Eli Allen was alert and recovered an onside kick setting up Prescott with a short field. It took just four plays to score on a 1 yard run by Hanna to go on top 35-21 with 17 ticks on the clock. The half ended when Rutger Funk sacked Custer.

Another squib kick fell into the arms of Prescott as the Badgers took the second half kickoff and went 40 yards on five plays when Johnson jogged in from three yards out with just 85 seconds gone in the second half to 42-21.

Custer continued to find a way to make things happen and connected with Washington a second time on a 14 yard touchdown pass to make it a 42-28 game with 7:25 left in the third quarter.

Another kickoff surprise followed with a line drive onside kick went right at Pace Norman who pulled the ball in and took it 20 yards to the Eagles 29. Four plays later Johnson took the ball up the middle for a 6 yard touchdown run for a 49-28 lead with 5:10 in the third.

The Prescott defense continued to chase Custer and a questionable pass interference call set Flagstaff up at the Badgers 27. On the next play, a defensive holding and a late hit on the quarterback penalty by Prescott moved the ball to the Badgers 8 yard line.

Custer went back to pass then took off for the final eight yards for his second rushing touchdown of the night to make the score 49-34.

Coston, who earned player of the game, took the ball 22 yards to the one yard line, then went up the wide open middle again to boost the Badgers lead to 55-34.

The Prescott defense finally got a stop, the first since the opening quarter after three straight post pattern incomplete passes with great coverage intended for Washington.

The Badgers took over the ball at their own 37. Coston scampered to the Flagstaff 44, and with the added yardage from the  horse collar penalty moved the ball to the Eagles 29 as the third quarter came to an end with Prescott on top 55-34.

The scoring machine kept on going and Villanueva took the handoff on the first play of the fourth quarter, zig zagging his way 29 yards for the score to boost the lead to 62-34.

Unfazed, Custer kept firing the ball through the air, eventually hitting Moreno on a 13 yard strike to make the score 62-41 with 8:12 remaining.

The Eagles attempted what was their fourth onside kick of the game, this time successful and Custer went right back to work. This time the Badgers defense adjusted to a five man front and came up with back to back sacks as Jimmy Brooks and Pace Norman brought down Custer. The Prescott defense got the stop taking the ball over at the Flagstaff 47.

The Badgers added one final touchdown when Villanueva weaved his way 28 yards for the score to lead 69-41 with still three plus minutes left.

Custer’s last three passes fell incomplete and the Badgers took the ball over and ran the clock out, their only possession of the game that they did not score. 

Kudos to the massive Badgers offensive line. Jeremy Morales-Mendez, Josiah Dykstra, Eli Carr, Baylor Anderson, and Blake Mcglory, along with tight end Eli Allen, as they dominated the Eagles as Prescott averaged nearly 12 yards a carry. 

Flagstaff fell to (0-8) and will travel to Cottonwood to play Mingus. The Badgers remain perfect at (8-0) and will host Youngker. Both games are on Friday at 7pm.

PRESCOTT BADGERS 69, FLAGSTAFF EAGLES 41

Score by Quarters-   1        2         3        4      –    T

Prescott                   14      21       20      14     –    69

Flagstaff                    0      21       13         7     –   41

Scoring Summary

P-Villanueva 1 yard run (Costes kick)

P-Coston 1 yard run (Costes kick)

F-Washington 28 yard pass from Custer (Washington kick)

P-Hanna 30 yard run (Costes kick)

F-Moreno 17 yard pass from Custer (Washington kick)

P-Johnson 7 yard run (Costes kick)

F-Custer 1 yard (Washington kick)

P-Hanna 1 yard run (Costes kick)

P-Johnson 3 yard run (Costes kick)

F-Washington 14 yard pass from Custer (Washington kick)

P-Johnson 6 yard run (Kick failed)

F-Custer 8 yard run (Kick failed)

P-Coston 23 yard run (Costes kick)

P-Villanueva 29 yard run (Costes kick)

F-Moreno 13 yard pass from Custer (Washington kick)

P-Villanueva 28 yard run (Costes kick)

GRAND CANYON REGION STANDINGS

School- 4A Rank (*)       W-L       W-L

Prescott (5)                     5-0        8-0

Bradshaw Mountain (3)  4-0        6-1

Coconino (13)                2-1        3-4

Lee Williams (10)           1-2        5-2

Mohave                          1-3        1-6

Mingus                           0-3        0-6

Flagstaff                         0-4        0-8

THURSDAY SCORES

Prescott 56, Flagstaff 0

Liberty 40, Boulder Creek 6

Maryvale 1, Alhambra 0, Forfeit

St. Mary’s 10, Northwest Christian 9

Sunnyslope 51, Barry Goldwater 30

Thunderbird 49, Paradise Honors 21

Youngker 48, Lake Havasu 7