Wildkats welcome Tigers for homecoming

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Senior Cesar Contreras, the second man through, positions his arms to receive the ball from junior quarterback Jason McGrath. Half of Duncan’s one-two offensive punch, Contreras has averaged 4.9 yards in gaining 215 yards on 44 carries through four games. He has added 42 points on seven touchdowns.

By Raymundo Frasquillo

DUNCAN – The Eric Bejarano-coached Duncan football team welcomes the Saint David Tigers Friday, Sept. 27. Saint David has been the event opponent twice before, in 2003 and 2006, with both ending in Duncan wins.

It is the Wildkats’ 17th homecoming game in their 8-man era (2003-18). Duncan is 12-4 and has a 4-game win streak for the special event on Packer Field. The Wildkats are also 70-47 overall, 30-22 region, 14-13 section, 35-34 at home, and 1-9 in the state playoffs during 16 1/2 seasons (2003-2019) of competing in the 8-man format.

A total of 12 different teams have taken the field opposite of the Wildkats for the event. Those have been Fort Thomas and Saint David thrice each, along with Clifton, Gilbert Arete Prep, Gilbert Christian, Kearney Ray, Phoenix Veritas Prep, Pima, Scottsdale Salt River, Sells Baboquivari, Superior, Tempe Prep once each.

Duncan’s homecoming game wins have been 42-20 over Saint David (Sept. 25, 2003), 52-08 over Tempe Prep (Oct. 22, 2004), 36-6 over Saint David (Oct. 13, 2006), 48-0 over Phoenix Veritas Prep (Oct. 12, 2007), 26-12 over Fort Thomas (2009), and 26-0 over Scottsdale Salt River (Oct. 1, 2010).

Other wins have been 58-14 over Fort Thomas (Sept. 23, 2011), 72-30 over Superior (6 Oct), 36-08 over Arete Prep (16 Oct. 16, 2015), 56-48 over Fort Thomas (Oct. 6, 2016), 66-20 over Saint David (Oct. 13, 2017), and 70-26 over Baboquivari (Oct. 12, 2018).

The losses were 16-22 in overtime to Clifton (Oct. 7, 2005), 14-66 to Pima (Sept. 26, 2008), 06-14 to Ray (Oct. 18, 2013), and 12-61 to Gilbert Christian (Oct. 17, 2014),

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Three woodpiles, not aligned as the Giza Pyramids to the stars of Orion’s Belt, were set ablaze on the eve of Duncan’s homecoming game Sept. 26. The senior class had the biggest pile, followed by the juniors, sophomores, and freshmen. A total of 20 events were part of the week’s class competitions. The Spirit Stick winner will be announced at the game.

Saint David brings 2-2 overall and 2-0 region records, averaging a 32-23 (129-90) score per game or a 9-point margin. The Tigers have wins of 45-0 over Cibecue (Aug. 29) and 28-20 over Fort Thomas (Sept. 20) plus losses of 48-40 to NFL Yet (Sept. 6) and 22-16 to Anthem Prep (Sept. 13).

The offensive output has been 1,380 yards, 950 on 113 pass receptions (12.5 yards per catch) and 430 on 90 rushes (4.8 yards per carry). Scoring has been on 10 receptions and seven rushes along with four conversion passes, three conversion runs, and three PAT kicks.

Saint David’s defensive unit has scored on an interception return and recorded nine quarterback sacks.

Duncan (3-1 overall, 1-0 region) has averaged a 41-17 (164-66) score per game or a 24-point margin. The wins were 26-20 over Kearny Ray (Aug. 23), 50-6 over Mohave Accelerated (Aug. 30), and 60-0 over Cibecue (Sept. 7). The loss was 40-28 to Salome (Sept. 13).

Offensively, the Wildkats have netted 1,222 yards, 993 on 146 rushes (6.8 yards per carry) and 229 on 34 receptions (17.6 yards per catch). Scoring has been on 21 touchdowns, 17 on runs and four aerials, plus 10 conversions, seven on the ground and three through the air.

The 1A South Region standings are the Baboquivari Warriors first (2-0 region, 3-2 overall), the Saint David Tigers second, the Duncan Wildkats third, the Elfrida Valley Union Blue Devils fourth (1-1, 1-4), the Fort Thomas Apaches fifth (0-2, 2-3), and the Cibecue Wildcats sixth (0-3, 0-5).

Kick-off for the region contest is 7 p.m.

Salome – 40, Duncan – 28

*Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Duncan football team members enter Packer Field for the second half against Salome.*

Duncan shut out the visitors and scored 20 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, but, “We ran out of time,” second-year Duncan head coach Eric Bejarano surmised. And, the Wildkats had trouble neutralizing the opponents’ speed during the first three quarters.

After going three-and-out with a punt on their initial possession, the visiting Frogs scored on each of their next three possessions. Salome drove 51 yards in one play using a few seconds, 96 yards in six plays using 2:53, and 34 yards in eight plays using 4:42.

Senior Joel Gonzalez caught senior Pedro Velasquez 1st-and-10 pass for a 51-yard touchdown with 2:32 left in the first quarter, sophomore Joel Dautel hauled down a Gonzalez 2nd-and-14 pass for an 82-yard TD with 7:35 left in the second quarter, and senior Octavio Martinez rushed for a yard plus a conversion run with 1:55 left in the first half. The Frogs intercepted a pass to set up a 92-yard drive in seven seconds but gained two before the break and the 20-0 halftime score favored Salome.

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Duncan senior wide receiver Christopher Smith hauled down a pass and turned to gain additional yardage against Salome. One reception netted 47 yards to set up an 11-yard scoring run, another a 2-point conversion, and another a 12-yard touchdown. In pursuit is Salome senior Joel Gonzalez (7) and sophomore Nick Dautel (8). The visiting Frogs left Duncan with a 40-28 win Sept. 13.

Meanwhile, Duncan needed 70 yards, went three-and-out, and punted on its initial possession; needed 70 yards, gained 21 before turning the ball over on downs; needed 75 yards, fumbled inside the 10, and turned the ball over on downs; fumbled on the kick-off; needed 71 yards, gained 64 before being intercepted inside the 10 in the closing 15 seconds of the first half.

Salome returned the second-half kick-off 76 yards to lead by 26 points with three seconds elapsed. Gonzalez scored the Frog’s fourth touchdown and his second of the game.

The Frogs also added 14 more points on their next two possessions, covering 48 yards in two plays using 1:50 and 80 in one play. Martinez ran in from 25 yards out and caught the conversion pass from Velasquez with 8:30 left in the third quarter (34-8 advantage), and on a long run 4:34 later to lead 40-8.

Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: The other half of Duncan’s senior one-two punch, Lucas Basteen hydrates at the end of game mid-field meeting. Basteen has averaged 8.5 yards per carry in gaining 577 yards on 68 carries through four games. He has also contributed 62 points, 54 on nine touchdowns and eight on conversions.

However, Duncan scored on four of its five second-half possessions, in two plays covering 49 yards in 31 seconds, from 65 yards away in 12 plays using 5:18, from 60 yards away in three plays using 1:18, and from 88 yards away in four plays using 1:50.

Senior Lucas Basteen went 45 yards on 2nd-and-6 plus senior Christopher Smith caught the Jason McGrath conversion pass (8-26), senior Cesar Contreras ran 13 yards with 10:32 left (14-40), Contreras ran in from 11 yards with 6:42 left, and a Josh Meyer interception set up a drive culminating in a McGrath to Smith 12-yard score plus McGrath to Contreras conversion pass with 3:04 remaining (28-40).

The Wildkats’ second possession of the second half resulted in a turnover on downs following an incomplete pass.

Salome’s final possession ended with the quarterback taking a knee to wind down the clock.