By Raymundo Frasquillo
WILLCOX – The Frankie Gonzalez-coached Morenci Wildcats (1-1) head to Willcox (1-1) on Friday, Sept. 5. The Wildcats are 29-22-1 overall versus the Cowboys, 16-10 in Willcox, and have a 12-game active win streak, and an average score per game of 20-17 (1,036-896) or a 3-point margin since 1965.
This week in the 2A East Region, Miami (2-0) visits Glendale Trivium Prep, Saint Johns (2-0), and Eloy Santa Cruz (2-0), Globe (1-1) visits San Carlos (2-0), and Pima (1-1) hosts Eagar Round Valley (2-0).
Pairing in the 2A South Region 1 have Bisbee (1-1) visiting Douglas (0-1), Tucson Palo Verde Magnet (1-1) visiting Tucson Tanque Verde (1-1), Tombstone (0-1) visiting Benson (1-1), and Tucson Santa Rita (0-2) hosting Tucson Desert Christian (1-1).
The 2A South 2 Region also has Eloy Santa Cruz (2-0) visiting Saint Johns (2-0), Benson (1-1) hosting Tombstone (0-1), and Tucson Desert Christian (1-1) visiting Tucson Desert Christian (1-1).
In the 3A South Region, Tucson Push Ridge Christian (2-0) visits Queen Creek Crismon (1-1), Thatcher (2-0) visits Queen Creek Benjamin Franklin (2-0), Coolidge (1-1) visits Fountain Hills (0-2), Safford (0-2) hosts Chandler Seton Catholic (1-1), Florence (0-2) visits Queen Creek American Leadership – Ironwood (0-2), Tucson Sabino (0-2) hosts El Mirage Dysart (1-1), and San Tan Valley San Tan Foothills (0-2) hosts Payson (2-0).
2A East Region Standings
Region standings as of Sept. 1 were Miami (2-0 seeding, 0-0 region), Saint Johns (2-0, 0-0), Globe (1-1, 0-0), Pima (1-1, 0-0), and Morenci (1-1, 0-0).
2A South 1 Region Standings
Region standings as of Sept. 1 were Bisbee (1-1 seeding, 0-0 region), Tucson Palo Verde Magnet (1-1, 0-0), Tucson Tanque Verde (1-1, 0-0), Tombstone (0-1), and Tucson Santa Rita (0-2, 0-0).
2A South 2 Region Standings
Region standings as of Sept. 1 were Eloy Santa Cruz (2-0 seeding, 0-0 region), Benson (1-1, 0-0), Tucson Desert Christian (1-1, 0-0), and Willcox (1-1, 0-0).
3A South Region Standings
Region standing as of Sept. 1 were Tucson Push Ridge Christian (2-0 seeding, 1-0 region), Thatcher (2-0, 0-0), Coolidge (1-1, 0-0), Safford (0-2, 0-0), Florence (0-2, 0-0), Tucson Sabino (0-2, 0-0), and San Tan Valley San Tan Foothills (0-2, 0-1).
WILLCOX Cowboys
Willcox officially had a student enrollment count of 411 for the 2024-25 school year. It is currently 1-1 (.500) with an average score per game of 25-10 (49-19) or a 15-point margin after two games. The Cowboys blanked Tucson Palo Verde Magnet (49-0, Aug. 22) and were shut out by Arizona Lutheran (0-19, Aug. 29).
The Cowboys visit Pima (Sept. 12), host Tombstone (Sept. 19), Scottsdale Prep (Sept. 26), and Tucson Desert Christian (Oct. 3), visit Eloy Santa Cruz (Oct. 10), and host Benson (Oct. 17).
Willcox has a 37-member roster with 15 seniors, six juniors, 15 sophomores, and one freshman. Seniors include Travis Allred (71), Nathan Avila (66), Cooper Burright (75), Jayden Callahan (18), Kody Caruso (42), Ismael Cuevas (13), Jesus Duran (9), Marco Fierro (77), Randy Hill (19), Wilder Lopez (8), Kevin Miranda (76), Austin Nuzzo (74), Joseph Sanchez (3), Vlad Semyanko (58), and Christian Teeters (73); juniors Alan Allred (50), Kaleb Cooke (6), Da’Marion Jackson (11), Anthony Morales (7), Eli Nelson (2), and Rhett Rogers (10); sophomores Marciano Chacon (48), Wyatt Cooke (56), Jacob Green (52), Robert Hill Jr. (5), Pete Kingman (61), Tyler Larson (31), Saul Medina (33), Nathan Moore (12), Omar Moreno (20), Christian Noland (44), Steele Romney (22), Nathaniel Tedla (35), Ruger Todd (34), Asher Ward (21), and Carl Wyatt (72); and freshmen Brenndon Douglas (79).
The Cowboys are competing in the 4-member 2A South 2 Region with the Benson Bobcats, the Eloy Santa Cruz Dust Devils, and the Tucson Desert Christian Eagles.
MORENCI Wildcats
The Wildcats (1-1 seeding, 0-0 region) are averaging a score of 18-19 (36-38) per game or a 1-point deficit after two games. The Greenlee County boys defeated Safford (20-14, Aug. 22) and fell to Tucson Tanque Verde (16-24, Aug. 29).
Morenci lists a 39-member roster with 13 seniors, five juniors, 15 sophomores, and six freshmen. Seniors include Julian Aragon (13), Zach Biggs (66), Michael Chavez (50), Dean Chee (65), Isaiah Cook (77), Jaymz Guzzo (4), Mathew Hernandez (0), Derick Lytle (9), Andre McCauley (12), Richard Rodriguez (7), Anthony Rogers (11), Anthony Roybal (56), and Kiano Torres (3); juniors Joel Baca (28), Mason Clark (17), Camron Dodson (55), Jesse Strickland (70), and Heston Winters (88); sophomores Jacob Bracamonte (21), Brennen Burkhead (5), Jeremya Cruz (8), James Davis (59), Sonny Gobert (33), Luz Hernandez (54), Eli Laney (1), David Licano (78), Braxton Merrill (18), Deegan Miller (10), Zane Randle (72), Joseph Rodriguez (23), Hunter Roumell (68), Joshwa Sandoval (52), and Loghan Szymanski (75); and freshmen Kyson Abril (6), Andres Aguilera (51), Bryden Herrera (74), Ceejay Madrid (60), Damian Paz (40), and Keston Armstrong (2).
Frankie Gonzalez 4-8 overall, 0-4 region, 3-5 home) He is in his second season as the head coach.
Morenci hosts Bisbee (Sept. 12), visits Globe (Sept. 19) and Benson (Sept. 26), hosts Miami (Oct. 3), and visits Pima (Oct. 10) and Saint Johns (Oct. 17).
The Wildcats (367) are competing in the 2A East Region with the Globe Tigers (514), the Miami Vandals (287), the Pima Roughriders (357), and the Saint Johns Redskins (337).
Tanque Verde – 24, Morenci – 16
We study history to learn from mistakes and not to repeat the mistakes of the past.
The visitors were 0-6 overall against the Wildcats, 0-4 in Morenci, 0-2 under Jeff Bollnow, and had an average score per game of 7-45 (41-272) or a 38-point deficit since the series began in 2011. The previous two pairings, both in Morenci during the 2022 season, resulted in shutouts of 44 (Sept. 26) and 32 (Nov. 4) points while setting foot in Lawson Stadium.
This time, Tanque Verde shut out Morenci’s offense for three quarters, was outscored 7-8 in the second half, had a 17-16 edge with a quarter to go, and controlled the ball during the final two minutes, twice taking a knee to wind down the clock.
Tanque Verde covered 186 yards in 45 plays compared to 184 yards in 39 plays by Morenci. Morenci had a slight edge in possession time, but the Hawks led by eight points with 6:32 remaining.
Non-scoring possessions resulted in five punts, a turnover on downs, two interceptions, and a fumble by Morenci compared to five punts, an interception, a fumble, and being able to run down the clock by Tanque Verde.
The difference was the home team’s penalties and turnovers, which proved costly. The final one, an interception, allowed the visitors to run out the clock.
“It is the first of many wins,” said a visiting coach, leaving Morenci with a 1-6 series record.
Morenci – 20, Safford – 14
Morenci won the coin toss, covered 265 yards in 65 plays, and scored during three of eight possessions compared to 162 yards on 35 plays and two scores during eight possessions for Safford. The difference was the home team controlling the ball for 32:37 of the 48 minutes. The host led 8-0 after the first quarter, 14-6 at halftime, and 20-6 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Wildcats gained seven yards in three plays before punting on 4th-and-3, covered 77 yards in 12 plays using 7:22 (Aragon ran in 12 yards on 3rd-and-1 and Cook added the PAT run), covered 65yards in 11 plays using 5:55 (Cruz ran in 14 yards on 4th-and-7), gained six yards using 1:22 in three plays before punting on 4th-and-4, covered 51 yards in eight plays using 4:57 (Lytle ran in from nine yards out on 1st-and-goal), gained three yards using 1:18 before punting on 4th-and-7, covered 60 yards in 14 plays using 10:11 before yielding possession on 4th-and-18, and lost a yard on 1st-and-10 61 yards away by taking a knee to run down the clock.
Safford gained three yards using 1:03 before punting on 4th-and-7, covered 60 yards in four plays with two 15-yard penalties using 2:31 on 2nd-and-4 (Dane Jacobson connected with Lamarr Ellis for an 18-yard score), gained 51 yards in 10 plays using 4:25 before turning the ball over on downs during 4th-and-1, lost five yards in two plays using 21 seconds before running out of time on 2nd-and-10, lost three yards in three plays using 1:04 before punting on 4th-and-13, gained 24 yards in three plays plus a 15-yard penalty using 2:27 before turning the ball over on downs during 4th-and-1, gained 22 yards in four plays using 45 seconds before punting on 4th-and-10, and covered 60 yards in six plays using 1:16 on 1st-and-goal (Jevyn Elliott connected with Jacobson for a 5-yard touchdown).
The Wildcats officially gained 314 yards, 303 on 51 carries and 11 on a reception, while Safford unofficially netted 162 yards, 105 on 7-19 passes, 57 on 16 carries, and 45 on three penalties.
Cruz averaged 9.5 (2-19) yards per carry and scored on a 14-yard run, Lytle 6.3 (17-107) yards and a 9-yard run, Aragon 5.8 (22-128) yards and a 12-yard run, Rogers 5.0 (4-20) yards, and McCauley 4.0 (5-20) yards. Cook ran in the extra point. Guzzo completed an 11-yard pass to Lytle.
Defensively, 13 Wildcats notched at least one tackle, four had a pass deflection, and one had a quarterback sack.
Chee totaled six tackles (1 solo, 5 assisted), Rogers five (2 solo, 3 assisted), Guzzo four (2 solo, 2 assisted), Lytle four (1 solo, 3 assisted), Torres three (2 solo, 1 assisted), Luz Hernandez three (1 solo, two assisted), and Cook three assisted. McCauley and Torres both deflected three passes, and Rogers and Cruz one apiece. Cook had a quarterback sack.
For Safford, senior Adrien Casillas averaged 5.2 (5-26) yards per carry, junior Andrew Baker 4.1 (7-29) yards, and Elliot minus 0.5 (4-minus 2) yards.
Elliott completed 6-18 passes for 87 yards with no interceptions and Ellis 1-1 for 18 yards with no interceptions. Ellis caught two passes for 56 yards, Jacobson 3-34, sophomore Trae Gaines 1-10, and Baker 1-5.
