Photo By Stan Bonifacio Sports Photography/Special to the Gila Herald: Manuel Dawson gets tackled after a gain. Dawson scored a TD to help Safford defeat Round Valley 24-21 on Thursday night.
By Jon Johnson
SAFFORD – The Safford Bulldogs drove the field in the waning minutes of their game against the Round Valley Elks on Thursday night and nailed a field goal on 4th and 1 from the 3 with just 22 seconds left to leave victorious 24-21.
To do so, the Bulldogs had to hold off a fourth-quarter rally from the Elks.
Safford (1-1 region, 3-3 conference, 4-4 overall) is currently third in the 3A South. It has a tiebreaker with Morenci via the Bulldogs 26-14 victory at The Hill on Sept. 29
Thatcher sits atop the 2A South with its 1-0 region record after its big win over Sabino on Friday night. The Sabercats currently sit in second place with a 2-1 region record and a win over Safford.
After an initial punt, the Bulldogs got it going early in their second possession against the Elks on Thursday night, with quarterback Jojo Ruelas picking up 23 yards on a scramble to move the chains. Two plays later Ruelas hit Chris Shatto in the flat and Shatto did the rest, zipping down the sideline 31 yards for the score to put Safford up 7-0 with 1:44 left in the opening quarter.
The Bulldogs got a preview of things to come from Round Valley as the Elks’ Brett Jordan got behind the defenders for a big pickup. Chris Shatto rode him down to save the touchdown – this time.
The teams then gave each other the ball back as Ryker Marble intercepted Ruelas on a deep throw and then Gary Smith snagged the deflection off Jordan on an attempted shovel pass from Marble – just as Round Valley was threatening.
The Bulldogs made the most of the turnover and Monster Rios put them in scoring position with a big run down to the four. Manuel Dawson took it in from there and Safford was up 14-0 with about 3 minutes left in the half.
A lot can happen in three minutes. The Bulldogs forced a punt and were looking for more points but Ruelas’ pass sailed over Izaiah Alvarado’s head and into the arms of Trayce Whiting for the INT.
The Elks were then moving to score when Noah Dominguez came up with a big defensive play and punched the ball out of Gauge Baker’s hands. Carlos Arbizo pounced on it. Safford then looked to run out the clock deep in their own territory, but Rios had a monster run and just stepped out at the 37 with less than a second on the clock. However, a block in the back brought the ball back, so instead of having one shot at the end zone or a field goal attempt, the clock ran out before Safford could even line up to snap it.
The Elks received the second-half kickoff and came out looking very determined. Kyle Clark hit his holes time after time and produced good yardage while moving the sticks.
The runs set up play action, and Marble read the defense perfectly and decided to pull it out of Clark’s hands at the last second and instead toss it to a wide-open Connor Lueker for a 39-yard TD and the Elks are on the board, 14-7.
The teams then traded interceptions again, with Marble intercepting Ruelas for the second time of the night, and then throwing his own second interception of the night down at the Bulldogs’ 7 when Izaiah Alvarado picked him off. Alvarado then brought the ball back all the way to the 45 to give the Bulldogs a good starting position.
Safford then capitalized on the turnover when Ruelas hit Cole Goodman for a six-yard TD to go up 21-7 with 10:42 left to play.
But the Elks fought back and they fought back quickly. Remember the play-action pass play to Jordan over the middle? Well, they ran it again and this time nobody could get to Jordan in time to stop him from scoring a 39-yard TD to bring the score to 21-14 with 8:25 left on the clock.
The Elks then forced a 3-and-out and fair-caught the punt at their own 45. On the very next play, Marble burst out along the left sideline and raced to the goal line but was just pushed out at the 4 by Chris Shatto.
Clark took it in from there on the next play, and the Round Valley Elks came back to tie the game up at 21-21 with 5:54 to go.
The Bulldogs needed one last drive and they got it by Ruelas converting a huge 4th and 10 by scrambling and finding Carlos Arbizo who corralled the ball at the 12 for the first down.
The Bulldogs faced a 3rd and 1 with under 40 seconds and the clock ticking when they went to their fullback but Micah Chaplin was stuffed by Round Valley’s interior defense.
With 25 seconds on the clock facing a 4th and 1 from the 3, Safford head coach Bob Park sent in his field goal kicker Michael Chavez to win the game.
The snap was off, but Nathaniel Rodriguez handled it and got it down just in time as Chavez went through his kicking motion. The ball cleared the front line, over the crossbar, and in between the uprights to give Safford the victory, 24-21.
Safford will next visit rival Thatcher on Friday, Oct. 13, starting at 7 p.m. at EAC.
In other local prep action:
Thatcher (1-0 region, 4-2 conference, 4-3 overall) defeated Sabino 27-20. The Eagles will next host Safford on Friday, Oct. 13, starting at 7 p.m.
Morenci (1-1 region, 3-2 conference, 4-3 overall) ended its two-game slide and defeated Pusch Ridge on the road, 14-7. The Wildcats will next host the Fountain Hills Falcons on Friday, Oct. 13, starting at 7 p.m.
Pima (3-0 region, 5-0 conference, 7-0 overall) defeated Globe 62-0. The Roughriders will next host the Alchesay Falcons on Friday, Oct. 13, starting at 7 p.m.
St. David defeated Fort Thomas (0-5 region, 2-6 conference, 2-6 overall) 76-34. The Apaches will next host the Ray Bearcats on Friday, Oct. 13, starting at 7 p.m. This will be the Apaches’ last regular-season game.
Valley Union defeated Duncan (1-5 region, 1-5 conference, 1-6 overall) 46-6. The Wildkats will next host the Lincoln Prep Lightning on Friday, Oct. 13, starting at 7 p.m. This will be the Wildkats’ last regular-season game.
