By Gila Herald Staff
SAFFORD — High school football games are often defined by the fine margin between capitalizing on momentum and watching it evaporate in an instant. For the Safford Bulldogs, Thursday night’s 3A East region opener was a tough lesson in how fast a game can slip away.
Coming off a bruising road loss to Seton Catholic, head coach Ishmael MacNeil’s squad returned home looking to make a statement. Instead, an opportunistic defense and a relentless ground attack from the visiting Coolidge Bears turned Safford’s home opener into a 40-21 defeat.
The Bulldogs controlled the game’s opening tempo, driving deep into Bears territory behind a series of hard-nosed runs from Andrew Baker and Aaron Barnes. But just as Safford stood poised on the threshold of the end zone at the 10-yard line, disaster struck. Coolidge’s Hieroshi Maddox scooped up a loose Bulldog fumble and sprinted 95 yards untouched in the opposite direction. What could have been a 7-0 Safford lead instantly became a 7-0 deficit after Porter Hansen’s successful point-after attempt.
That defensive spark gave Coolidge all the momentum it needed. Early in the second quarter, the Bears mounted a methodical drive powered by Dayce Cade and Jeremiah Valenzuela, culminating in a 6-yard touchdown plunge by Cade to push the score to 14-0.
Safford refused to go quietly before the break. Defensive back Ryder Rios provided the spark the home crowd needed, snagging a Coolidge pass at the Safford 42-yard line for the INT. Moments later, quarterback Parker Whisman connected with Dane Jacobson on a 27-yard touchdown pass, cutting the deficit to 14-7 at halftime.
Coolidge’s high-octane response quickly tempered any hopes of a second-half surge. After a long pass set up the Bears in the red zone, Valenzuela punched in a 5-yard score. Minutes later, after Anthony Waddington’s interception, Coolidge quarterback Juan Alvarez delivered the night’s knockout blow—a precise 79-yard touchdown bomb to Armando Navarrete that stretched the margin to 26-7.
The Bulldogs showed resilience in the final frame, opening the fourth quarter with a 1-yard goal-line sneak by Whisman to trim the lead to 26-14. Later in the quarter, Whisman hit Jacobson again for a breathtaking 62-yard touchdown strike. But every time Safford pulled within striking distance, Coolidge answered. Cade added a 4-yard rushing touchdown, and Valenzuela capped off a late drive with a 1-yard score following a recovered onside kick to seal the 40-21 victory.
With the loss, Safford drops to 2-2 overall (0-1 in 3A East region play), while Coolidge improves to 3-2.
The Bulldogs hit the road next week, searching for their first region victory as they travel to Queen Creek to take on the San Tan Foothills Sabercats on Friday, Sept. 25.
