Raymundo Frasquillo File Photo/Gila Herald: Duncan will be entering the field in Sells with the opportunity to earn its initial 1A South Region football title Oct. 18. The Wildcats left with a 44-0 Mercy-Ruled win the previous time played there in 2017, but the Warriors have improved. Two 1A East Region titles are part of Duncan’s resume, in 2003 and 2009.
Will win region title with victory over Baboquivari
By Raymundo Frasquillo
SELLS – The Wildkats head into the final region contest unbeaten. Duncan has been in this situation thrice before in its previous 16-year (2003-18) 8-man seasons, twice ending with no East Region losses. Duncan finished 3-0 during 2003 (Oct. 24) with a 56-12 win over Clifton and 5-0 in 2009 (Oct. 16) with a 26-12 win over Fort Thomas, both played on Packer Field. The other time in 2010 (Oct. 15), a 28-24 loss and a 2-1 runner-up region finish resulted in Fort Thomas.
Sixth-ranked Duncan (6-1 overall, 5.3577 rating, 4-0 South Region for 1st) faces the No. 13 Baboquivari Warriors (4-2, minus 1.3398, 3-1 for 3rd) in Sells Friday, Oct. 18.
The Wildkats have outscored the Warriors by an average of 56-18 (168-54) per game, or a 38-point margin through three previous pairings. The wins are 54-28 in 2016 (Sept. 2), 44-0 in 2017 (Oct. 6), and 70-26 in 2018 (Oct. 12).
Baboquivari has improved. The 2019 Warriors have wins of 32-26 over Fort Thomas (Aug. 23), 64-18 over California Winterhaven San Pasqual (Aug. 30), 44-20 over Elfrida Valley Union (Sept. 20), and 34-0 over Cibecue (Oct. 7). The losses have been 40-24 to Gilbert Arete Prep (Sept. 6), 42-20 to Winkelman Hayden (Sept. 13), and 50-48 in overtime to Saint David (Oct. 11).
The Warriors played two games in four days last week, on Monday and Friday, succumbing by a completed conversion in overtime on Friday. They are averaging a 44-28 (306-196) score per game or a 16-point margin. The offensive output is 2,852 yards through seven games, 2,146 on 279 carries and 706 on 37-61 passes, with an average of 7.7 yards and 19.1 yards, respectively.
Duncan has totaled 2,224 offensive yards in seven games, 1,894 on 284 carries and 330 on 22-61 passes, with averages of 6.7 yards and 15.7 yards, respectively.
The Wildkats have averaged a 39-16 (270-112) score per game or a 23-point margin. The wins are 26-20 over Kearny Ray (Aug. 23), 50-6 over Mohave Accelerated (Aug. 30), 60-0 over Cibecue (Sept. 7), 28-18 over Saint David (Sept. 27), 26-20 over Fort Thomas (Oct. 4), and 52-8 over Valley Union (Oct. 11). The loss was 40-28 to Salome (Sept. 13).
Other Oct. 18 remaining region pairings include No. 20 Valley Union (1-7, minus 9.3673, 1-3 for 4th) at No. 12 Saint David (4-3, minus 0.8087, 3-1 for 2nd), and No. 23 Cibecue (0-7, minus 16.7595, 0-4 for 6th) at No. 11 Fort Thomas (4-4, minus 0.5847, 1-3 for 5th).
Duncan – 52 Valley Union – 8
The Wildkats were short of tying their most points scored against Valley Union in the 8-man format. They had two points more during a 54-30 home win in 2013 (Sept. 6). Valley Union has scored more than 52 points four times, 68-28 in 2015 (Sept. 25), 64-20 in 2010 (Aug. 27), and 58-12 in 2017, all on Packer Field, and 54-22 at Elfrida in 2016 (Sept. 9).
Duncan improved to 7-9 versus the Blue Devils and to a 6-point deficit, averaging a 22-28 (358-450) score per game. The 2007 contest was called off because of a weather-related delay and not rescheduled.
The 2019 Wildkats scored eight times, six on rushes and twice on fumble recoveries. Two conversion runs were also added. Senior Lucas Basteen nabbed three scores, senior Cesar Contreras two, and junior Jason McGrath one on the ground plus junior Tommy Hille freshman Benjamin Harris on recovered fumbles.
Duncan gained 363 offensive yards, 330 on 37 carries and 33 on 3-9 passes, against Valley Union.
Contreras averaged 18.0 (12-216) yards per carry, sophomore Issac Duarte 9.0 (3-27) yards, Basteen 4.8 (16-76) yards, Harris 3.0 (3-9) yards, McGrath 1.0 (1-1) yards, and freshman Emiliano Ortega 0.5 (2-1) yards.
McGrath completed 3-8 passes for 33 yards with no interceptions. Contreras caught all three passes.
Defensively, Hille totaled 11 stops (8 solo, 3 assisted), freshman Gary Najar (3 solo, 4 assisted), Basteen (1 solo, 6 assisted), and Contreras (7 assisted) seven apiece, and senior Cliff Hansen (1 solo, 4 assisted) and Ortega (1 solo, 4 assisted) five each.
McGrath intercepted a pass, Hansen recorded a quarterback sack, and both Harris and Hille recovered a fumble.
