By Jon Johnson
MORENCI – In a playoff thriller straight out of a midnight fright flick, the Morenci Wildcats turned their home field into a graveyard for the visiting Tuba City Warriors on Halloween night.
Julien Aragon, the senior running back with wheels faster than a ghost on the run, haunted the Warriors’ defense for four touchdowns, leading the Wildcats to a dominant 45-6 victory in the opening round of the Arizona 2A state playoffs. He was magnanimous in victory and lauded his teammates for their efforts.
“Seeing my team do what they can do – honestly, the only person I can praise is my line and my teammates for lead blocking for me, man, I wouldn’t be anything without them,” Aragon said after the game.
It was a ghoulish performance that sent Morenci (7-4) to the quarterfinals and ended Tuba City’s season at 7-4.
“Offensively, we played great,” said Morenci head coach Frankie Gonzalez. “We moved the ball pretty well. Our run game looked fantastic. I think we did awesome in the pass game. I think, all around on offense, we did a great job.”
Gonzalez also praised his defense for holding Tuba City to just one score.
“Defensively, I thought we had 11 hats on the football the whole entire time,” he said. “I think everyone fulfilled their assignments. I think it was a great team win today for sure.”
The Wildcats, seeded No. 15 in the bracket, wasted no time giving the spirited crowd early scares. After Aragon fielded the opening kickoff at the 13-yard line and zipped it back to midfield, Morenci struck on its first possession. A quick 11-yard burst by Aragon into Warrior territory set the tone, but Tuba City’s Chesney George answered with a bone-crushing tackle for a loss. Undeterred, quarterback Deegan Miller scrambled for a first down on third-and-13, keeping the chains moving. The drive culminated on third-and-goal from the 5, where Aragon sliced through a crumbling front for the score. Kiano Torres’ extra point was true, and the Wildcats led 7-0 just minutes in.
Tuba City, making the long haul from the Navajo Nation, punted after a quick three-and-out. Morenci’s next possession started deep at its own 9, but the Wildcats flipped the script with a reverse handoff to Aragon. The speedy back faked out the coverage and blazed 91 yards down the right sideline for his second touchdown of the night. A failed two-point try left the score at 13-0 with 4:28 left in the first, but the message was clear: This was Morenci’s haunt.
“It was a big run that felt good,” Aragon said. “It definitely felt good.”
The first quarter’s fireworks continued as Miller scrambled on third-and-5 to find Richard Rodriguez for a chain-moving completion. Disaster nearly struck on the next snap when George stripped Aragon for a fumble, but the Wildcats regrouped in the second quarter. Facing fourth-and-13, they dialed up the reverse again with Aragon bursting for 45 yards and his third TD. Another missed two-pointer kept it at 19-0 with 6:51 until halftime.
Morenci’s defense, led by a swarming front featuring Isaiah Cook’s two sacks, suffocated Tuba City’s offense, forcing six straight punts early. Miller kept the Warriors guessing, connecting with Derek Lytle and later Jaymz Guzzo on a slant route that pierced into the red zone. On fourth-and-7 from the 15, Miller’s 6-yard dart to Guzzo set up the fourth score—a 15-yard strike to Guzzo on the next play, pushing the lead to 25-0 at the break.
The second half opened with more Morenci mischief. A bloop kickoff squirted free, and Joel Baca pounced on it at the Warriors’ 38. Aragon needed just one play, scampering 38 yards untouched for TD No. 4 and a 31-0 cushion. Tuba City finally showed pulse when Cole Dash aired it out to Justin Nelson for a 42-yard gain, setting up at the 5. Chance Tallsalt capped the drive with a 5-yard plunge—the Warriors’ lone score of the night, making it 31-6.
But the Wildcats’ defense slammed the coffin shut. Aundre McCauley picked off a deep ball in the end zone, and later Joshwa Sandoval sealed the deal with a late interception. Offensively, Morenci mixed it up: Miller’s fake handoff and 9-yard keeper set up first-and-goal, followed by McCauley’s 3-yard dive to make it 38-6. Rodriguez dazzled with a 47-yard grab over the middle, positioning Anthony Rogers for a 9-yard TD run, which made it 45-6 and triggered the mercy-rule clock with 8:00 left.
“Our boys did a great job buying into the game plan this week,” Gonzalez said. “They all read their keys. They knew where the ball was going before the ball was even snapped, so all credit to the boys defensively. They flew to the ball and, like I said, there were 11 hats on the football pretty much every play. The front seven dominated the game tonight.”
Aragon’s monster night—four rushing scores totaling 180 yards—headlined a ground attack that overwhelmed Tuba City’s front, while Miller added two passing TDs on efficient 6-of-10 passing for 112 yards.
The Wildcats’ D forced three turnovers and three sacks, holding the Warriors to 142 total yards. Tallsalt’s TD was a bright spot for Tuba City, but their 66.6 season passing average couldn’t keep pace.
For Morenci, the win sets up a daunting road trip to face the two-time defending 2A champs, Scottsdale Christian Academy (9-1), in the quarterfinals next week. The Eagles, known for their aerial assault, will test if the Wildcats’ Halloween magic can carry into November. One thing’s sure: With Aragon leading the charge, Morenci’s playoff run is anything but dead.
“If we come out (and) play with our right mindset and our coaches set us up for greatness, we just gotta take the key and put it in the hole and lock in,” Aragon said. “I definitely think we can win, I definitely think everyone around here thinks we can win, so (I’m) definitely excited.”
No. 15 Morenci will travel to No. 2 Scottsdale Christian Academy for round 2 of the 2A Playoffs on Friday, Nov. 7, starting at 7 p.m.
In other local 2A Playoff Action
No. 10 Pima defeated No. 23 Holbrook 47-6. Pima was without quarterback Cedrick Grimes and lineman/end Charlie Richardson, who were out with injuries. Pima will next travel to face No. 7 San Tan Charter on Friday, Nov. 7, starting at 7 p.m.
