Rqynundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Junior Isaiah Cook (77) tries to pump up the crowd after a come-from-behind home win over Round Valley on Aug. 30. Morenci welcomes Benson for the 59th homecoming game on Friday, Sept. 6.
By Raymundo Frasquillo
MORENCI – A pair of 1-1 teams meet in Lawson Stadium on Friday, Sept. 6. Morenci welcomes the Chris Rassmussen-coached Benson Bobcats for its 59th homecoming game.
The Wildcats are 38-20 in their previous 58 homecoming pairings with a 26-12 (1,523-719) average score per game or 14-point margin, 26-16 in Lawson Stadium from 1982-2023 with a 27-14 (1,015-567) average score per game or a 13-point margin.
Morenci is 19-14 overall, 10-11 in the region, 3-1 in the section, 0-1 at state, 9-5 at home, and averaged a score per game of 21 – 19 (677 – 622) or a 2-point margin versus Benson from 1982-2023.
Last season, the Wildcats left Jerry P. Lee Athletic Complex with a 35-0 win, with Morenci ranked No. 6 in 3A and Benson No. 24 in 2A. It broke a 4-game losing streak and a 5-26 (20-104) average score per game or 21-point deficit to the Bobcats. In the same 3-year (2019-21) span, Morenci was ranked No. 15, No. 8, and No. 4 compared to Benson’s No. 9, No. 1, and No. 3, respectively, in the 2A Class.
The Wildcats are 1-2 versus the Bobcats during homecoming pairings, with an average score per game of 15-21 (46-63) or a 6-point deficit. Morenci’s lone homecoming game win over Benson was 40-2 (Sept. 25, 1987) while the losses were 0-49 (Oct. 5, 2007) and 6-12 (Oct. 29, 2020).
There have been father-son kings and mother-daughter queens once apiece since Morenci defeated Tucson Canyon del Oro 58-20 for the first homecoming game on Nov. 3, 1966. Jeremy Vanegas (Class of 1989) and son Esai (2017) were crowned during a 14-22 loss to Tombstone on Oct. 21, 1988, and a 54-12 win over San Carlos on Sept. 30, 2016, respectively. The former Carleen Rodela (1980) was crowned during the 7-14 loss to Round Valley on Sept. 28, 1979, and the former Kaycee Salazar during the 2007 loss to Benson, respectively.
Class of 2024 members Michael Casillas and Elyse Gonzales were crowned king and queen, respectively, during the 14-26 loss to Safford in the 2023 homecoming game.
Two of the schools’ three most recent commencement speakers were Kings as seniors, Jeremy Hamilton (2010) in 2022, and Arturo Marin Jr. (2011) in 2024.
Kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Benson Bobcats (1-1, 0-0)
Thus far, the Bobcats are averaging a 24-16 (47-32) score per game or an 8-point margin.
Benson has a 27-10 seeding win over Phoenix Shadow Mountain (Aug. 23) and a 20-22 loss to Phoenix Christian (Aug. 30).
The Bobcats are idle next week and begin region play by hosting Tombstone (Sept. 20), visit Bisbee (Sept. 27), host Palo Verde Magnet (Oct. 4), Santa Rita (Oct. 11), Catalina (Oct. 18), and Willcox (Oct. 25), and visit Tanque Verde (Nov. 1) to complete their regular season schedule.
Benson is competing with Bisbee, Tombstone, Willcox, and Tucson schools Catalina, Palo Verde Magnet, Santa Rita, and Tanque Verde in the 2A San Pedro Region.
Morenci Wildcats (1-1, 0-0)
To date, Morenci is averaging a 20-19 (40-38) score per game or a 1-point margin.
The Wildcats follow this week’s non-region contest with another home pairing, against Pima (Sept. 13) before heading to Lakeside Blue Ridge (Sept. 20) and Safford (Oct. 4), host Tucson Pusch Ridge Christian (Oct. 11), visit Fountain Hills (Oct. 18) and Tucson Sabino (Oct. 25), and host Thatcher (Nov. 1).
Morenci is in the 3A South Region with Safford, Pusch Ridge Christian, Sabino, and Thatcher.
3A South Region
Region standings are Thatcher (2-0 overall, 0-0 region), Pusch Ridge Christian (1-0, 0-0), Sabino (1-1, 0-0), Morenci (1-1, 0-0), and Safford (1-1, 0-0).
Thatcher has seeding wins of 32-0 over Surprise Paradise Honors (Aug. 23) and 15-0 over Queen Creek Crimson (Aug. 30), Pusch Ridge 42-3 over Show Low (Aug. 30), Sabino 40-0 over Coolidge (Aug. 23) and a 14-15 loss to Tucson Sahuaro (Aug. 30), Morenci a 6-3 win over Eagar Round Valley (Aug. 30) and 34-35 loss to Queen Creek American – Leadership (Aug. 23), and Safford a 14-7 win over Pima (Aug. Aug. 29) and 6-20 loss to Payson (Aug. 23).
This week (Sept. 6), Thatcher hosts Chandler Valley Christian, Pusch Ridge visits Queen Creek Benjamin Franklin, Sabino visits Crimson, Morenci hosts Benson, and Safford hosts Florence.
2A Black Region
Region standing are Pima (1-1 overall, 1-0 region), San Carlos (1-1, 1-0), Globe (1-1, 1-0), Whiteriver Alchesay (1-1, 0-0), Saint Johns (0-1, 0-0), Florence American Leadership – Anthem South (0-2, 0-1), and Miami (0-2, 0-0).
Pima has a seeding win of 41-0 over Globe (Aug. 23) and a 7-14 loss to Safford (Aug. 29), San Carlos a 24-12 win over ALA – Anthem South (Aug. 23) and a 14-25 loss to Whittman Mountainside (Aug. 30), Globe a 37-0 win over Tucson Santa Rita (Aug. 30) and 0-41 loss to Pima (Aug. 23), Alchesay a 52-0 win over Sanders Valley (Sept. 5) and 12-20 loss to Chinle (Aug. 30), Saint Johns an 8-28 loss to Lakeside Blue Ridge (Aug. 30), American Leadership – Anthem South losses of 12-24 to San Carlos (Aug. 23) and 0-38 to Gilbert Arete Prep (Aug. 30), and Miami losses of 6-13 to Scottsdale Prep (Aug. 23) and 12-28 to Phoenix Veritas Prep (Aug. 30).
This week, Pima is idle, San Carlos visits Tombstone, Globe hosts Gilbert Arete Prep, Saint Johns visits Round Valley, ALA-Anthem South hosts Tucson Catalina, and Miami is idle.
2A San Pedro Region
Region standings are Bisbee (1-0 seeding, 0-0 region), Benson (1-1, 0-0), Willcox (1-1, 0-0), Palo Verde Magnet (0-1, 0-0), Santa Rita (0-1, 0-0), Tanque Verde (0-1, 0-0), Tombstone (0-1, 0-0), and Catalina (0-1, 0-0).
Bisbee has a 67-7 seeding win over Phoenix Madison Highland (Aug. 30), Benson a 27-10 win over Phoenix Shadow Mountain (Aug. 23) and a 20-22 loss to Phoenix Christian (Aug. 30), Willcox an 18-16 win over Phoenix Arizona Lutheran (Aug. 23) and a 20-65 loss to Tonopah Valley (Aug. 30), Palo Verde a 6-35 loss to Wellton Antelope Union (Aug. 30), Santa Rita a 0-37 loss to Globe (Aug. 30), Tanque Verde a 13-26 loss to Phoenix Christian (Aug. 23), Tombstone a 6-7 loss to Laveen Heritage (Aug. 29), and Catalina a 6-46 loss to Surprise Highland Prep (Aug. 23) and an 8-17 loss to Phoenix NFL Yet (Aug. 30).
This week, Bisbee hosts Douglas, Benson visits Morenci, Willcox hosts Show Low, Palo Verde visits Tucson Rincon/University, Santa Rita visits California Winterhaven San Pasqual, Tanque Verde hosts Glendale Prep, Tombstone hosts San Carlos, and Catalina visits Florence American Leadership – Anthem South.
1A South Region
Region standings are Fort Thomas (2-0 overall, 2-0 region), Saint David (2-0, 1-0), Kearny Ray (1-1, 1-0), Elfrida Valley Union (0-1, 0-0), Duncan (0-2, 0-1), San Manuel (0-2, 0-1), and Sells Baboquivari (0-2, 0-2).
Fort Thomas has seeding wins of 36-20 over Sells Baboquivari (Aug. 23) and 58-36 over Duncan (Aug. 30), Saint David 60-6 over Scottsdale Cicero Prep (Aug. 23) and 70-22 over Baboquivari (Aug. 31), Ray 32-12 over San Manuel (Aug. 30) and 6-52 loss to Heber Mogollon (Aug. 23), Valley Union a 36-40 to Glendale Desert Heights Prep (Aug. 23), Duncan losses of 66-98 to Lordsburg, NM (Aug. 23) and 36-58 to Fort Thomas (Aug. 30), San Manuel losses of 6-14 to Chandler Lincoln Prep (Aug. 23) and 12-32 to Ray (Aug. 30), and Baboquivari losses of 20-36 to Fort Thomas (Aug. 23) and 22-70 to Saint David (Aug. 30).
This week, Fort Thomas visits Lincoln Prep, Saint David hosts Ray, and Valley Union visits Baboquivari, Duncan hosts San Manuel.
Morenci vs. Round Valley
The “little things that needed to be corrected” from the season opener were. The result, Morenci’s defense did not allow its opponent into the end zone at all during nine possessions.
Round Valley totaled six first downs on the evening, but punted on 4th-and-6 after gaining 15 yards, was intercepted on 4th-and-14 after gaining 16 yards, kicked a 30-yard (0-3) field goal on 4th-and-10 after gaining 14 yards, was intercepted on 2nd-and-11, ran out of time on 1st-and-10, punted on 4th-and-6 after gaining 18 yards, punted on 4th-and-8 after gaining 59 yards, threw an incomplete pass on 4th-and-6 after gaining four yards, and threw another incomplete pass on 4th-and-12 after losing two yards.
Meanwhile, Morenci earned 11 first downs during eight possessions. The Wildcats punted on 4th-and-5 after gaining five yards, fumbled on 1st-and-10 after gaining 16 yards, punted on 4th-and-15 after gaining eight yards, punted on 4th-and-13 after gaining 17 yards, missed a field goal attempt on 4th-and-3 after gaining seven yards, threw an incomplete pass on 4th-and-5 after gaining 55 yards, lost the ball with a bad snap on 4th-and-9 after gaining a yard, covered 95 yards in five plays for the games’ lone touchdown, and took a knee on st-and-10 after gaining 13 yards.
Senior Christopher Lopez sprinted 53 yards after catching junior Derick Lytle’s pass (6-3) with 3:37 remaining in the game. The conversion kick was wide right of the uprights.
“Great job tonight,” head coach Frankie Gonzalez said to the Wildcats during the post-game end zone meeting.
On the evening, the Wildcats officially gained 142 yards, 158 on 39 carries, and 84 yards on three receptions while the Elks unofficially gained 123.
Lopez averaged 4.7 (7-33) yards per carry, Julien Aragon 4.3 (10-43) yards per carry, Lucero 4.0 (15-60) yards per carry, Shane Seballos 3.5 (2-7) yards per carry, and Lytle 3.0 (5-15) yards per carry. Lytle completed 3-6 passes for 84 yards with no interceptions. Lopez caught one for 53 yards.
Eleven different Wildcats totaled 50 tackles (43 solo, 7 assisted) with five having five or more. Lytle totaled 10 tackles (8 solo, 2 assisted), senior Marcus Lucero nine (7 solo, 2 assisted), senior Yeddidia Luputa Kanyinda seven (6 solo, 1 assisted), senior Xavier Fernandez six solo, and junior Isaiah Cook five (3 solo, 2 assisted).
