Wildkats take on Blue Devils for homecoming Friday

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Junior quarterback Diego Montoya (3) eludes Ray junior Joseph Morales (83). Montoya rushed for 26 yards on seven carries and passed for 163 yards on 6-9 completions. The Wildkats welcome Valley Union for a South Region and homecoming game on Friday, Oct. 14.

By Raymundo Frasquillo

DUNCAN – The Eric Bejarano-coached Duncan Wildkats take on the Elfrida Valley Union Blue Devils on Friday, Oct. 14. Valley Union will step on Packer Field as No. 23 (1-6 seeding, minus 11.73014 rating, 1-4 South Region for 5th), facing No. 14 Duncan (4-3, minus 0.5491, 3-2 region for 3rd) of 24 1A teams.

It is the regular season finale and the 20th 8-man homecoming game for the Wildkats. Valley Union was also the 2020 opponent, leaving with a 60-26 loss to its host, and one of 13 different opponents.

Duncan is 14-4 with an average score of 41-21 (732-371) for its homecoming game. Although the 2021 game with Kearny Ray (Oct. 8) was not played, a ceremony was held in the gymnasium, a king and queen were crowned, and a picnic followed on Packer Field.

The Wildkats are 4-0 over Saint David (42-20 in 2003, 36-5 in 2006, 66-20 in 2017, 28-18 in 2019), 3-0 over Fort Thomas (26-12 in 2009, 58-14 in 2011, 26-20 in 2016), and 1-0 over Tempe Prep (52-8 in 2004), Phoenix Veritas Prep (48-0 in 2007), Scottsdale Salt River (36-0 in 2010), Superior (72-30 in 2012), Anthem Prep (36-8 in 2015), and Sells Baboquivari (70-26 in 2018). Clifton, Pima, Ray, and Gilbert Christian left with wins in 2005 (22-16), 2008 (66-14), 2013 (14-6), and 2014 (61-12), respectively.

Valley Union Blue Devils

Last season, Valley Union finished 4-4 overall, 4th (2-3) in the region, averaging a 26-36 (210-285) score per game or a 10-point deficit. The team posted records of 2-3 (.400) at home and 2-1 (.667) on the road. The No. 11 Blue Devils did not participate in the 2021 post-season, forfeiting a first-round pairing at No. 6 Winkelman Hayden.

Raymundo Frasqullo Photo/Gila Herald: Duncan senior captains Gary Najar (24), Logan Basteen (65), Jeremy Galvin (37), and Carson Potter (24) head to midfield for the pre-game coin toss.

In the previous 10 seasons (2011-20), the Blue Devils went 43-43 (.500) overall, averaging a 36-35 (3,122-3,002) score per game or a 1-point margin. Valley Union was 24-22 (.522) at home and 19-21 (.475) on the road. The post-season games numbered eight, qualifying during 4-10 seasons, and capped by a runner-up finish in 2015.

This season, Valley Union (1-6 overall, 1-3 region) has defeated Fort Thomas 56-6 on Sept. 30. The losses are 0-64 to Hayden (Aug. 19), 0-28 to Kearny Ray (Aug. 26), 0-46 to Chandler Lincoln Prep (Sept. 2), 16-24 to Sells Baboquivari (Sept. 9), 6-58 to San Manuel (Sept. 16), and 6-55 to Saint David (Sept. 23). The Blue Devils are 0-4 at home, 1-2 (.333) on the road, and have averaged a 12-40 (84-281) score per game or a 28-point deficit.

Duncan Wildkats

The Wildkats (4-3, 2-3) have won three consecutive games, are just over .500 on the season, and average a score of 35-30 (244-212) per game or a 5-point margin. They are 1-2 (.333) on Packer Field and 3-1 (.750) on the road under fourth-year head coach Eric Bejarano.

Duncan numbered 25 at the season’s start, but only 14 were suited out recently. Those include seniors Logan Basteen, Jeremy Galvin, Ben Harris, Gary Najar, and Carson Potter; juniors Adriano Bejarano, Marvin Bennett, Preston Clark, Diego Montoya, and Cutter Scarsella; sophomores Nathan Dunnam and Isaac Harris; and freshmen Ky Coats and Taygan Jensen.

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Fourth-year Duncan head coach Eric Bejarano reminds freshman Ky Coats of an assignment.

The Wildkats have wins of 50-22 over Fort Thomas (Aug. 27), 32-28 over Baboquivari (Sept. 24), 50-22 over Kearny Ray (Sept. 30), and 62-6 over Dishchii’bikoh (Oct. 7). The losses are 14-38 to New Mexico Lordsburg (Aug. 19), 18-40 to San Manuel (Sept. 2), and 0-52 to Saint David (Sept. 9).

Last season, Duncan finished 4-4 overall, 4th (2-3) in the region, averaging a 26-36 (210-285) score per game or a 10-point deficit. The team posted records of 2-3 (.400) at home and 2-1 (.667) on the road. The No. 14 Wildkats did not qualify for the 2021 post-season.

In the previous 10 seasons (2011-20), the Wildkats went 40-47 (.460) overall, averaging a 31-33 (2,719-2,896) score per game or a 2-point deficit. Duncan was 20-22 (.476) at home and 20-25 (.444) on the road. The post-season games numbered seven, qualifying during 7-10 seasons, each time being one-and-done.

Duncan went 13-11 (.673) during three seasons (2018-20) under Bejarano and 36-43 (.516) during nine seasons (2009-17) under Eldon Merrell.

1A State Rankings

Rankings released Oct. 11 list Winkelman Hayden No. 1 (8-0 overall, 16.9898 rating), Saint David No. 2 (8-0, 16.9868), Heber Mogollon No. 3 (6-2, 12.2288), Williams No. 4 (7-1, 11.9273), Salome No. 5 (6-1, 10.3656), Scottsdale Cicero Prep No. 6 (6-2, 7.3634), Bagdad No. 7 (5-3, 6.1811), Superior No. 8 (5-3, 5.2549), San Manuel No. 9 (5-2, 5.2216), Colorado City El Capitan No. 10 (5-2, 4.5686), Joseph City No. 11 (5-3, 2.6135), and Duncan No. 12 (4-3, 0.9261).

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Diego Montoya (4) takes the snap and turns to hand it off to Ben Harris (1). Seeking blocking assignments are Gary Najar (24), Logan Basteen (65), and Carson Potter (25). Harris rushed for 99 yards with two touchdowns and caught a pass for 35 yards against Ray. Defensively, Najar had eight tackles, Harris seven, Montoya five, and Basteen three.

Regular season pairings for the top 12 teams on Friday include No. 2 Saint David (South Region-1) visiting No. 1 Hayden (East Region-1), No. 11 Joseph City (North Region-4) visiting No. 3 Mogollon (North Region-1), No. 4 Williams (North Region-2) visits No. 10 El Capitan (North Region-3), No. 5 Salome (West Region No-1) visits No. 15 Mohave Accelerated (West Region-3), No. 6 Cicero Prep (season completed), No. 7 Bagdad (West Region-2) hosts No. 18 Anthem Prep (West Region-5), No. 8 Superior (East Region-3) hosts No. 14 Tempe Prep (East Region-5), No. 9 San Manuel (South Region-2) hosts No. 20 Baboquivari (South Region-4), and No. 12 Duncan (South Region-3) hosts Valley Union (South Region-5).

No. 1A South Region

Through eight weeks of competition, the Saint David Tigers are 8-0 overall and 6-0 in the region, the San Manuel Miners (6-2, 4-1), the Duncan Wildkats (4-3, 3-2), the Baboquivari Warriors (3-4, 3-2), the Valley Union Blue Devils (1-6, 1-4), the Fort Thomas Apaches (1-8, 1-5), and the Ray Bearcats (1-8, 1-5).

The remaining region games include Baboquivari at San Manuel and Fort Thomas forfeited to Ray.

This week’s rankings have Saint David No. 2 (8-0 seeding, 16.9868 rating), San Manuel No. 9 (5-2, 5.2216), Duncan No. 12 (4-3, 0.9261), Baboquivari No. 20 (3-4, minus 6.7705), Ray No. 22 (1-5, minus 9.8473), Valley Union No. 23 (1-6, minus 11.9060), and Fort Thomas No. 24 (0-8, minus 16.4977).