Undefeated region streaks on the line Friday as Eagles host Longhorns
Staff Reports
QUEEN CREEK – The Thatcher Eagles unleashed a ferocious offensive and defensive display on Friday night, dismantling the San Tan Foothills Sabercats 61-0 in a lopsided 3A conference clash at San Tan Foothills High School. The victory marked Thatcher’s fourth straight win, improving their record to 6-1 overall and 4-0 in region play, while dropping the Sabercats to 0-7.
From the opening whistle, the Eagles asserted total control. Thatcher’s defense, led by senior linebacker Ryan Jones, swarmed the Sabercats relentlessly. Jones anchored the unit with eight tackles, while the secondary feasted on interceptions, picking off five passes in total: two by quarterback Chad Johnson (playing safety on defense), one by Hudson Conrad, one by Jackson Bryce, and one by Tanner Smith. The opportunistic defense turned those turnovers into short fields, fueling an explosive ground-and-air attack that racked up over 300 yards of total offense.
Offensively, Thatcher was surgical and punishing. Senior quarterback Chad Johnson completed 9 of 10 passes for 166 yards, setting up key scores. The rushing game churned out 207 yards on 25 carries, with four different players finding the end zone. Senior running back Ryan Jones led the charge with 52 yards on three carries, including a 41-yard scamper for a touchdown. Jackson Bryce added 50 yards and a score on three touches, while Smith Mangum (18 yards) and Johnson himself (2 yards) also bulled in from short yardage. Receivers Dylan Riney (two catches, 54 yards) and Bryce (one catch, 27 yards and a TD) provided big-play sparks through the air.
The shutout was Thatcher’s second of the season, underscoring a defense that has allowed just 13.6 points per game overall. With the blowout in the rearview, Thatcher returned home riding high, but faces a stern test in their non-conference finale.
Undefeated region streak on the line as Eagles host high-powered Longhorns
A clash of top region powers takes center stage Friday night at Eastern Arizona College, where the Thatcher Eagles (6-1, 4-0 region) host the Payson Longhorns (6-1, 3-1 region) in a non-conference showdown at 7 p.m. Both squads enter with identical overall records and mirror-image home dominance (3-0), but Payson’s explosive offense – averaging a gaudy 44.6 points per game – will challenge Thatcher’s stingy defense that has surrendered just 13.6 points per contest.
The Longhorns boast a balanced attack, blending a stout ground game (122.7 rushing yards per game) with efficient passing (141.9 yards per game) to total 264.6 yards nightly. Junior running back Nathan Tsosie leads the rush with 52.7 yards per game, while senior quarterback Nolan Keeney has been a dual-threat dynamo, throwing for 131.9 yards per outing and adding 26.1 on the ground. Senior receiver Marco Guereque (62.6 receiving yards per game) stretches the field, and the defense, paced by junior linebacker Jonny McAnerny’s 7.4 tackles per game, has notched 2.9 sacks weekly while holding foes to 9.3 points. Payson’s only blemish? A narrow 21-20 loss to rival Blue Ridge in Week 2.
Thatcher, meanwhile, leans on its run-heavy identity, averaging 220.4 rushing yards per game en route to 37 points scored. Senior two-way star Ryan Jones (45.0 rushing yards and 9.3 tackles per game) remains the heartbeat, fresh off his monster performance against San Tan Foothills. Chad Johnson (112.0 passing yards per game) has sharpened the aerial game, with senior Dylan Riney (29.6 receiving yards per game) as a reliable target. The Eagles’ total offense hums at 335.6 yards per game, but they’ll need to contain Payson’s big plays to extend their region-perfect streak.
Intriguingly, both teams have feasted on common foes: Payson torched San Tan Foothills 46-0 in Week 1, while Thatcher followed suit with last week’s 61-0 demolition. They also shared a laugh over Apache Junction (Payson 57-6, Thatcher 47-0). Expect a high-scoring affair under the lights, with Thatcher’s home-field edge and defensive bend-but-don’t-break mentality giving them a slight nod in a potential playoff tune-up. Tickets are available via GoFan. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. – don’t miss this battle of 1A titans.
