Wildcats welcome Yellow Jackets on Friday

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Morenci sophomore Daylen Johnson calls the next play in the team huddle. The Wildcats (3-0 overall, 1-0 region) return to Lawson Stadium following two road games, hosting Tombstone (0-3, 0-1) for a region contest Friday, Oct. 23.

By Raymundo Frasquillo

MORENCI – The Joseph Garcia-coached Morenci Wildcats welcome the Tombstone Yellow Jackets for a region game Friday, Oct. 23. The teams have met 30 times since the Wildcats switched to the 2A class in 1982. Morenci has a 24-6 overall advantage and is 10-3 in Lawson Stadium. The Wildcats have averaged a 31-15 (802-386) score per game or a 16-point margin in the same span.

During the most recent 10 pairings (2008-2017), Morenci is 9-1 overall, 4-0 at home, and averaged a 39-18 (390-178) score per game or a 21-point margin. The previous contest in Morenci ended with a 27-26 overtime win in 2017.

To date in 2020, Morenci (3-0 overall, 1-0 region) has averaged a score of 45-9 (136-28) per game or a 36-point margin. The 3-0 Wildcats have wins of 76-0 over Verde Region Phoenix North Pointe Prep (Oct. 2), 21-14 over Salt Region Gilbert San Tan Charter (Oct. 9), and 39-14 over East region member Bisbee (Oct. 16).

Tombstone (0-3, 0-1) has averaged a score of 6-50 (17-149) per game or a 44-point deficit. The 0-3 Yellow Jackets have losses to Verde Region Scottsdale Prep (Oct. 2), 0-55 to Gila Region Maricopa Sequoia Pathway (Oct. 9), and 0-47 to East Region Willcox (Oct. 16)

The other East Region pairings are Pima (0-1, 0-0) at Willcox (1-0, 1-0) and Bisbee (0-3, 0-1) at Benson (2-0, 0-0).

Wildcats – 39, Pumas – 14

After both teams failed to score on initial seven-play possessions, Bisbee grabbed an early 7-0 lead on an 85-yard drive taking seven plays plus a 15-yard penalty. Senior Geoffrey Gribble covered the final 37 yards and classmate Zergyo Adame added the conversion kick for a 7-point lead with 1:28 left in the first quarter.

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Senior Brenden Enriquez (10) uses the block by junior Tony Roybal (9) for a positive gain. Enriquez averaged 10.5 (2-21) yards per carry against Bisbee.

Morenci came back to tie with 1:57 elapsed in the second quarter, covering 65 yards in eight plays. Senior Lance Morey lunged in from four yards out and classmate Brendon Enriquez added the conversion kick.

The Wildcats recovered a Bisbee 4th-and-2 fumble and went 45 yards in three plays to take a short-lived 13-7 lead with 6:51 left in the second quarter. Morey slipped in on 1st-and-goal from the 9. The conversion kick was blocked.

Bisbee gained its final advantage, marching 66 yards in eight plays plus a 5-yard penalty. Gribble ran 49 yards and Adame added the conversion kick for a 1-point advantage with 2:04 left in the half.

Morenci took the lead for good 21 seconds later (19-14). The Wildcats covered 55 yards in three plays, a 5-yard penalty along with a 50-yard Morey run. The conversion run was unsuccessful.

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Bisbee senior Geoffrey Gribble follows the blocking of junior E.J. Hernandez (60). The senior running back accounted for the Pumas’ two touchdowns on runs of 37 and 49 yards. He averaged 9.9 (14-138) yards per carry against Morenci.

Bisbee was intercepted on its next possession after gaining 15-yards in three plays and lost four yards in a lone play on its final possession of the half.

Morenci’s last possession of the half resulted in a gain of six yards in three plays plus a punt on 4th-and-4.

Bisbee and Morenci both had seven second-half possessions, but the Wildcats scored thrice and the Pumas were kept out of the end zone.

The visiting Wildcats scored during three successive possessions, in one play covering 16 yards, in seven plays covering 32 yards, and in two plays covering 31 yards.

Morey ran 16 yards on 1st-and-10 for a 25-14 advantage with 15 seconds left in the third quarter; sophomore Daylen Johnson went in from a yard out on 1st-and-goal for a 33-14 advantage with 7:43 left in the fourth quarter, and freshman Michael Casillas sprinted six yards on 1st-and-goal. The conversion pass fell incomplete, Morey added a conversion run, and junior Dimitri Briggs added the other conversion run.

The Wildcats’ other possessions resulted in a punt after gaining 26 yards in five plays, a turnover on downs after a gain of 46 yards in 11 plays, a turnover on downs after a gain of 25 yards in four plays, and a fumble after a gain of 21 yards in one play.

Bisbee gained 24 yards and turned the ball over on downs, lost two yards in two plays and was intercepted, punted after a loss of two yards, fumbled in one play, fumbled on the kickoff, punted after gaining seven yards in three plays, and ran out of tine after gaining 29 yards in four plays.

The Wildcats netted 412 yards, 377 on 45 carries, and 44 on four receptions compared to 227 yards, 219 on 39 carries, and eight on two catches by the Pumas.

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Juniors Jericho Sanchez (76) and Gavin Baca (87) get in the backfield to alter the plans of Bisbee senior Zergyo Adame (10).

Freshman Micheal Casillas averaged 12.0 (7-84) yards per carry, senior Brenden Enriquez 10.5 (2-21) yards, Morey 9.3 (19-176) yards, Briggs 9.0 (2-18) yards, Johnson 5.7 (7-40), sophomore Patrick Chavez 5.3 (7-37) yards, and junior Gavin Baca 1.0 (1-1) yards.

Senior Maddux Martinez averaged 25.0 (1-25) yards, junior Tony Roybal 6.5 (1-13) yards, and junior Nicolas Patterson 6.0 (1-6) yards. Johnson completed 4-11 passes for 44 yards with no interceptions.

Defensively, 10 Wildcats recorded five or more tackles. Junior Shawn Hudman totaled 10 tackles (5 solo, 5 assisted); senior PaulDaniel Moreno nine (3 solo, 6 assisted), senior Dakota Bamburg (2 solo, 4 assisted), sophomore Dominick Chavez (1 solo, 5 assisted), Patrick Chavez (3 solo, 3 assisted), and Enriquez (3 solo, 3 assisted) six apiece; and senior Adam Chacon (2 solo, 3 assisted), Martinez (3 solo, 2 assisted), Roybal (3 solo, 2 assisted), and freshman Tristan Sanchez (3 solo, 5 assisted) five each.

Roybal had an interception; Chacon and Martinez both recovered a fumble, and freshman Donovan Vozza recorded a quarterback sack.

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: The score was knotted 7-7 following two possessions by each team during the initial 1:57. Morenci outscored Bisbee 32-7 during the rest of the game, taking the lead (19-14) for good with 1:43 left in the first half.

For the Pumas, Gribble averaged 9.9 (14-138) yards per carry, senior Tyler Schasteen 6.0 (1-6) yards, sophomore Diego Chavez 3.7 (14-52) yards, junior Oscar Mendoza 3.0 (5-15) yards, and Adame 1.8 (5-8) yards.

Adame completed 1-9 passes for eight yards with two interceptions. Senior Manny Amaya made the reception.

Defensively, eight Pumas made five or more tackles. Amaya had nine total stops (8 solos, 1 assisted); senior Christian Contreras (5 solo, 2 assisted) and junior E.J. Hernandez (5 solo, 2 assisted) seven apiece; Adame (6 solo), Chavez (4 solo, 2 assisted), and Schasteen (6 solo) six each; and senior Jonathan Chacara (3 solo, 2 assisted) and junior Edward Holly (3 solo, 2 assisted) five each. Schasteen and sophomore Luis Valdez both recovered a fumble.