By Jon Johnson
PIMA – It’s been an up-and-down rollercoaster ride for the Pima Roughriders (3-0 conference, 4-1 overall) this season, and the ride continued Friday night with a 54-12 shellacking of Miami for homecoming.
“We really needed that win tonight,” said Pima head coach Josh Wilkins. “We needed to come out and dominate a team a little bit. It seemed like we just kept struggling with ourselves – taking two steps forward and three steps back all year long and just couldn’t get on track. So, we’ve been really focused on the little things, and I think the boys came out and performed very well tonight.”
The offense bounced back from just a 7-point effort in a win against St. Johns the previous week, to put the game into the mercy-rule running clock for the entire second half.
“We’re a better team than what we’ve shown all year,” Wilkins said. “We had a goal to go to 42 before half and we almost got there. We were a 2-point conversion short. These guys, they want to be good their just struggling getting out of their own way sometimes, so this was a good way to come out and play the way we did tonight.”
The Roughriders were led on the ground by Jeremiah Martinez who averaged 10.6 yards per carry and finished with 148 yards on 14 carries and 3 TDs. Martinez has now gained at least 139 yards on the ground in five straight games.
Pima’s rushing attack was rounded out with Aiden Alder gaining 45 yards on 7 carries and a TD, and Joe Palmer had 40 yards on 3 carries to average 13.3 yards per carry.
The Riders also excelled through the air with sophomore quarterback Cedrick Grimes earning a 140.7 quarterback rating after completing 82 percent of his passes (14-17) for 124 yards and 3 TDs.
Most of the passes were short slants or quick outs, but Grimes did take a few shots over the middle and deep outs as well.
Jaxon McBiles was a favorite target with 5 catches for 55 yards and 1 TD; Aiden Alder caught 2 for 5 yards but also scored a TD; and Preston Russell caught 3 for 35 yards and 1 TD.
After having its only turnover of the night (downs) and Miami scoring to bring the game within one possession, 14-6, Pima scored six straight touchdowns to finish the game.
As well as the offense played, the defense did as well, forcing 6 turnovers, including 3 INTs (one each by Jaxon McBiles, Keegan Corona, and Preston Russell) and sacking Miami quarterback Abram Castaneda 5 times.
Pima scored in bunches and after opening with a 28-yard Martinez touchdown run, the defense pinned the Vandals deep and forced a punt that Jaxon McBiles returned to the 14.
Starting field position in their opponent’s Red Zone, it didn’t take Pima long to score as Aiden Alder followed his blocks up the middle for the 16-yard TD. The extra point by Rhiley Good made it 14-0 with five minutes left in the first.
Miami got its offense going late in the first when Castaneda hit Noah Combs on a big pass play that brought the ball to the Riders’ own 20.
The Vandals faced a 4th and goal from the 4 early in the second quarter and after buying time scrambling in the backfield, Castaneda hit Combs in the corner of the end zone and Miami is on the board down 14-6.
The Miami score must have lit a fire under the Roughriders as afterward they went on to have six straight TDs while forcing four turnovers and a punt.
It started on the ensuing kickoff as Keegan Corona returned it to the 15 and Pima started its possession in the Red Zone again.
Grimes quickly hit Preston Russell over the middle for the 13-yard score; that coupled with an extra-point fake 2-point conversion where placekick holder Jaxon McBiles instead quickly passed the ball to a pulling Adam Bryce made the score 22-6 with 9:46 left in the half.
McBiles then made a name for himself on defense with an interception return to the Vandals’ 30.
Grimes capped the drive with his second passing TD on the night as he hit McBiles on the 4-yard slant to put Pima up 28-6 with 4:05 left in the half.
Miami only had the ball for a minute before giving it back to Pima, who continued its air assault, culminating with an 11-yard TD strike to Aiden Alder for Grimes’ third passing touchdown of the night and Pima was up 34-6.
Then it was Preston Russell’s turn to make a big interception as he leaped and tapped the ball back to himself. And with time running out, Martinez burst out for a 45-yard TD run to put Pima up 40-6 at the half.
The mercy-rule running clock was in effect for the second half and Pima continued its assault on its first possession of the third quarter culminating with a 17-yard TD run by Martinez to make it 47-6.
Pima’s last score came on a defensive play as Castaneda fumbled on 4th and long and Joe Palmer got the scoop-and-score as he returned the fumble 40 yards to the house to put Pima up 54-6.
Miami continued to play hard, and Castaneda threw a short TD pass on 3rd and goal that was deflected and ended up in the hands of another Miami receiver to make the final score 54-12.
Pima will next travel to face the American Leadership Academy (ALA) – Anthem South Titans (2-4 conference, 2-4 overall) in a region game on Friday, Oct. 4, starting at 7 p.m.
The Roughriders’ next home game will be against the Scottsdale Christian Eagles (2-2 conference, 2-3 overall) on Friday, Oct. 11, starting at 7 p.m.
In other local prep action:
The Safford Bulldogs (1-3 conference, 3-3 overall) fell to the Blue Ridge Yellowjackets, 0-35.
The Bulldogs will put their unbeaten region record on the line at its homecoming against Morenci on Friday, Oct. 4, starting at 7 p.m. There will be a pre-game field dedication.
The Fort Thomas Apaches (2-4 conference, 2-4 overall) fell to the Ray Bearcats, 22-50.
The Apaches will next host the Valley Union Blue Devils on Friday, Oct. 4, starting at 7 p.m.
The Duncan Wildkats (1-3 conference, 1-4 overall) fell to the Baboquivari Warriors, 28-40.
Duncan will next host the Ray Bearcats on Friday, Oct. 4, starting at 7 p.m.
