By Jon Johnson
PIMA – The Pima Roughriders (3-1 region, 6-4 overall) are on a five-game winning streak after thoroughly dominating the visiting 2A Metro Chandler Prep Titans (3-1 region, 7-3 overall) on Friday, handling them their worst loss of the year, 35-7.
After a rough beginning to the year – including losses of 6-33 to Scottsdale Christian on Aug. 21, and 0-36 to Round Valley on Sept. 5, as well as close contests of 0-7 to Willcox on Sept. 12 and 12-16 to St. Johns on Sept. 19 – the Roughriders are peaking at the start of the playoffs, having won five straight.
“I think it took a little bit of time to gel together and know that we could do it,” Wilkins said. “Back when we were 1-4, we told the guys, ‘You’re better than this. You gotta start figuring this out, and you guys need to start being players.’ And tonight, I think we saw football players out there.”
The No. 10-ranked Riders will test that theory at home on Friday, Oct. 31, starting at 7 p.m. against the No. 23-ranked Holbrook Roadrunners.
Other first-round playoff games include No. 15 Morenci versus No. 18 Tuba City; No. 11 Trivium Prep versus No. 22 Mountainside; No. 14 Benson versus No. 19 Globe; No. 13 Chandler Prep versus No. 20 Alchesay; and No. 12 Parker versus No. 21 Scottsdale Prep. Teams with first-round byes include No. 1 Veritas Prep, No. 2 Scottsdale Christian, No. 3 Phoenix Christian, No. 4 St. Johns, No. 5 Arizona Lutheran, No. 6 Willcox, No. 7 San Tan Charter, and No. 8 Camp Verde.
Pima 35 Chandler Prep 7
Chandler Prep came in with a high-flying offense, but the Pima defense completely smothered it. The Riders had only one hiccup the entire game – a sequence at the end of the first half – in what otherwise would have been a masterful shutout.
“Those guys got after it,” said Pima head coach Josh Wilkins. “Charlie (Richardson 2.5 sacks) and Joe (Palmer 1 sack), and I mean the whole defense – they got after it tonight. That’s Roughrider football right there – defense. That’s awesome.”
Offensively, the Riders excelled in their run game but were still too loose with the ball, losing three fumbles on the night.
Cedrick Grimes went 7-20 for 70 yards but got caught in the backfield a few times to finish with 6 carries for -24 yards. He left the game early in the fourth quarter, up 21-7, after possibly aggravating his former shoulder injury on a sack.
Ryett Mcbiles came in for the injured Grimes in the fourth quarter and went 4-4 for 105 yards and 2 touchdowns for an insane 177.1 quarterback rating.
“Ryett’s been with us all year, and he stepped into a hard situation at the beginning of the season and really just went to work and did what he needed to do,” Wilkins said. “Coming in this evening, not a lot of pressure on him. He had tons of time and just delivered great balls and played great football. Good jo,b Ryett.”
Joe Palmer led the scoring with 3 TDs. He had 3 catches for 89 yards and a touchdown, and 6 rushes for 58 yards and 2 touchdowns for 147 all-purpose yards. And on defense, he led the way with 14 total tackles, with five being for losses. He also added a sack to finish behind game-leader Charlie Richardson, who feasted on the quarterback for 2.5 sacks.
Rooster Allred was the workhorse for the Riders with 22 carries for 94 yards and a touchdown.
Keegan Corona had a complete game with 235 total yards gained, including a 70-yard kickoff return, 43 yards receiving, 67 yards on punt returns, and a 55-yard interception return.
Corona opened it up with the initial 70-yard kickoff return to the Titans’ 15. But just a few plays later, Corona made the catch at the five, but as he fought for more yards, the ball was knocked out, and the Titans recovered the fumble at their own 6.
The Riders had a quick second shot after a Titans’ three-and-out on their first possession. Pima converted on a 4th and 6 on a Cedrick Grimes pass to Emmet Mcbiles, and then Grimes found Charles Richardson, who took it to a first and goal at the 4. Joe Palmer finished the drive on a wedge play, taking the snap at the 2 on 3rd and goal and plowing his way into the end zone. The 2-point conversion failed, but Pima was up 6-0 with 4:07 left in the opening quarter.
Corona set the Riders up when he intercepted Titans’ quarterback Kody Dodson and returned it to the 15. However, a Grimes sack put the Riders back, and they failed to convert on fourth down.
After Pima forced another 3-and-out from the Titans’ offense, they began to move the ball down the field with a big pass from Grimes to Charlie Richardson to the Titans’ 11.
And on the very next play, Rooster Allred burst through the line, kept his balance, and dove into the end zone for the score. Haydn Wilkins’ extra point was good, and Pima was up 13-0 with 5:56 left in the half.
After recovering a fumble off a Pima player during a low-lined punt, Chandler Prep had one more shot at it before the half.
Dodson tossed a deep pass that Aaron Crawford hauled in at Pima’s 18 for 28 yards, and the Titans were in business. But after a Charlie Richardson sack, Chandler Prep faced a 3rd and 14 from the 22 with 25 seconds left. The defense swarmed Dodson as he dropped back and forced him to scramble. Dodson dodged and weaved his way and headed to the end zone when he collided with Rooster Allred at the goal line.
Now, with a first and goal from the 1, the Titans took too long after their timeout and were given a delay of game penalty.
With just one play left from the 6, Dodson dropped back and found Crawford in the end zone. Aaron held on as Corona hit him and got his foot down in bounds for the score. The extra point was good, and Pima’s lead was cut in half, 13-7, heading into the break.
The second half was all Pima, starting with a gift of field position when Titans kicker Bear Ware couldn’t handle the snap and fell on the ball at Chandler Prep’s 20-yard line on a botched punt.
Pima would score two plays later on Joe Palmer’s second rushing touchdown of the night. Palmer took the handoff 17 yards to pay dirt, and Grimes spun in for the 2-point conversion to make it 21-7 with 10:19 left in the third.
Grimes would later leave the game early in the fourth quarter after a hard sack. So, Ryett Mcbiles came in, and one might think he would just be handing the ball off, but that was not the case. Ryett came out throwing quick shots to Corona and Palmer, who had big yards after the catch to move the ball downfield. Ryett then hit Emmet Mcbiles for a 5-yard TD, and Pima was up 28-7.
And after Corona returned another Titans’ punt 25 yards to their 33, Mcbiles found Joe Palmer in the flat again and Palmer took it in for the final score, 35-7.
“We’re just excited (for) playoff time,” Wilkins said. “We play for November. That’s what we geared up for, and we’re ready to play five more weeks. We want to do this thing. Let’s go, Riders.”
Pima will next host the No. 23-ranked Holbrook Roadrunners on Friday, Oct. 31, starting at 7 p.m.
In other local prep football action:
In Thursday night’s game, the Thatcher Eagles (5-0 region, 8-1 overall) defeated the Sabino Sabercats 40-0. Thatcher finishes the regular season on the road at Coolidge on Friday, Oct. 31, starting at 7 p.m.
The Safford Bulldogs (1-4 region, 2-7 overall) fell to the Florence Gophers, 0-35. Safford will finish its season on the road at Sabino on Friday, Oct. 31, starting at 7 p.m.
The Morenci Wildcats (2-2 region, 6-4 overall) defeated Arete Prep 34-21. The Wildcats will next host the Tuba City Warriors in the first round of the 2A State Playoffs on Friday, Oct. 31, starting at 7 p.m.
