Contributed Photo: The Morenci Wildcats are the 3A South Region Champions with a 21-14 victory over Thatcher on Friday night at EAC’s John Mickelson Field.
Morenci converts two Thatcher Red Zone fumbles into scores
By Jon Johnson
THATCHER – They came, they saw, they conquered. First-year Morenci head coach Rishard Davis guided the Wildcats into the 3A Conference after being moved up from 2A last year, and on Friday, Morenci defeated the Thatcher Eagles 21-14 at EAC’s John Mickelson Field to capture the 3A South Region Title.
The 3A South has been described as the toughest region in the 3A Conference and those governing at the AIA who decide which teams go to the playoffs must feel the same way as all five teams in the 3A Conference made it. Conversely, zero teams from the 3A North made the cut, including region champ Page and Winslow, which both have 7-3 overall records. While Safford, with just a 1-3 region record and 4-6 overall, made it as the No. 16 seed and will travel to face No. 1 Mohave. Safford fell in its last regular-season game 14-19 to region foe Pusch Ridge, who is No. 8 and will battle No. 9 Blue Ridge in the first round.
Morenci was given a No. 6 seed in the state tournament and will host No. 11 Benjamin Franklin on Friday, Nov. 3, starting at 7 p.m.
Morenci head coach Rishard Davis cited his team’s fortitude for their success in coming back to win the region and go into the playoffs on a high.
“We had all the reasons to give up this year,” said Morenci head coach Rishard Davis. “Three losses – consecutive. I mean, there’s teams that I’ve coached in the past that if they would have lost three straight it was over for the rest of the season. But that’s just a testament to these guys and how hard they come out and prepare and how bad they want it.”
The loss dropped Thatcher down to a No. 7 seed but the Eagles will still host No. 10 Florence on Friday, Nov. 3, starting at 7 p.m.
Sabino, who lost to both Thatcher and Morenci, was given a No. 4 seed after defeating Mohave in the last regular season game 34-29. With the way the matchups are set, there is a possibility of an entire 3A South Quarterfinals.
Morenci 21 Thatcher 14
It was a defensive battle that came down to the Wildcats taking advantage of two Thatcher Eagles turnovers in the Red Zone to come away with the region championship.
Morenci started by playing smash-mouth football and running it down the field. As if they took a page out of Thatcher’s game plan, Morenci dominated the time of possession early on and just when the defense was lulled into looking for the run, QB Joey Seballos rolled to his right and hit Tristen Sanchez for a 24-yard score to put Morenci up early, 7-0 with 7:42 left in the opening quarter.
After the teams exchanged punts, Thatcher got its mojo going with a 22-yard run up the gut by Carter Peck.
The Eagles’ run game opened the way for its passing and QB Paxton Echols (starting in place of injured QB Brett Jones) tossed one deep to Wyatt Nickolas, who took it down to the 3-yard line. Dylan Rinney took it in from there and we were all tied up at 7-7.
The teams continued to battle back and forth for the rest of the first half without any team gaining the upper hand. The players went into halftime still tied.
After a halftime performance by the Thatcher Band and Spirit Line, the Eagles gave its fans something to cheer for as Christian Carter busted out a 20-yard run to near mid-field.
The joy soon switched to Morenci, however, as Thatcher committed the first of five turnovers in the second half when Joey Seballos stepped in front of Echols’ pass for the interception.
Morenci failed to capitalize on the turnover, however, and turned the ball right back over when Thatcher stuffed a Sanchez on a 4th and 2 for the turnover on downs.
Morenci got the ball back on a Thatcher fumble recovered by Mikey Casillas. However, that drive would end as well when Jett Howard zoomed in for a sack for a big loss to force Morenci to punt.
While pinned down near their own goal, Thatcher had troubled with the snap and Morenci’s Austyn Nelson-Porter came up with the fumble recovery.
This time Morenci made Thatcher pay for the mistake and Casillas took it in from a couple of yards out to give Morenci a 14-7 lead with 5:05 left in the game.
In desperation mode from their side of the field, Thatcher attempted four straight passes (one that was just off the hands of the receiver for what might have been a TD) and went for it on 4th and 10 from their own 35. However, Morenci’s defense converged on QB Echols, and Tristen Sanchez and Donovan Vozza got to Echols for the sack/fumble recovered for the second time of the night by Austyn Nelson-Porter.
Runs by Casillas set the Wildcats up with a 4th and goal from the 1 and Sanchez got the call. He took the direct snap and broke the plane of the goal line still standing to give Morenci a 21-7 lead on his second TD of the night with just 1:41 left in the game.
But don’t count out those Eagles just yet and Thatcher took possession of a bloop kick at the 50-yard line. On the very next play, Echols hit Crew Farris for a 30-yard pickup to the 20. A few plays later and the Eagles faced a do-or-die situation at 4th and 14 but Echols found Nickolas in between double coverage for the score and Thatcher took just 35 seconds to score and were now down 21-14 with 1:06 left in the game. Now, they had to get the onside kick.
Gavin Rogers hit a perfect onside kick that bounced over the first line of Morenci players. Wyatt Nickolas snagged the ball for the Eagles and the crowd came alive
The elation soon switched sides, however, when Echols’ pass sailed over his intended receiver and into the awaiting hands of Xavier Fernandez for the INT to seal the win for Morenci, 21-14.
Fernandez said he was just in the right place doing his job for the final turnover.
“I just read the offense, played my zone, and just found the ball,” Fernandez said.
Coach Davis added that it was the scraps the players went through over the season that molded them into the team they are.
“To win at the highest level you gotta go through some adversity throughout the season and I just think all these tough games we’ve been playing the last few weeks really prepared us for this moment,” Davis said. “Thatcher, I mean, they’re a great team . . . I just think the totality of the season is what really prepared us for this moment and the fellas not giving up when everything got rough. (I’m) happy to be at Morenci.”
Pima 49 Eloy Santa Cruz 20
The Pima Roughriders completed their unbeaten regular season but at a tremendous cost.
All-everything utility player Jaxon John, who was playing quarterback in place of the injured Rhett Hughes, dislocated his ankle early in the game against Santa Cruz and has been ruled out for the playoffs.
In stepped freshman QB Cedric Grimes, who finished the game 9-15 for 111 yards with 2 TDs and an INT.
But more than just one player is needed to replace John, who also handled field goals, extra points, and kickoffs, as well as returned kickoffs and punts on Special Teams, and ran with a 12-yard average before being knocked out of the game with his injury.
Pima head coach Josh Wilkins is going with Grimes on Friday, Nov. 3, as the No. 1 ranked Pima Roughriders host No. 16 Holbrook in the opening round of the 2A State Playoffs, starting at 7 p.m.
