Another week, another undefeated challenger for Salpointe Catholic.
The Lancers (6-0) have handed three other teams their first loss of the season, but Friday, Canyon del Oro, riding high off an impressive 21-7 win over Sahuaro, takes its shot at what most believe to be the best Tucson team in years.
It’s true that Salpointe dominated those same Cougars at Sahuaro two weeks ago, winning 58-13, but Sahuaro was without top running backs Jamir Gasaway and Izaiah Davis for most of that contest. The Dorados were unfazed by their return this week, keeping them contained for the most part in a dominant defensive showing.
It will be even tougher this week, as Salpointe running back Bijan Robinson has been unstoppable, rushing for 1,437 yards on just 64 carries. He has scored a total of 30 touchdowns despite being a spectator for pretty much every second half.
CDO (7-0) counters with a tough and gritty linebacking corps. Mason Catterson leads the group with six tackles for loss so far this season.
“Week to week he’s making a play where I’m turned around in coverage, and I hear a boom,” safety Gavin Davis said. “I turn around, I see a guy on the ground and Mason is getting up pounding his chest.”
Back and running
About those Sahuaro running backs: Coach Scott McKee liked what he saw from them in their return, even though they were limited.
It was the first game both Gasaway and Davis had been available since a 50-14 win over Cholla on Sept. 20.
“Both had short weeks of prep but both are outstanding football players,” McKee said. “Our goals are still within reach. Those guys getting healthy and getting their feet back under them, they’re going to be dynamic at the end of the year.”
Having this week off should help. After playing eight straight weeks, Sahuaro (6-2) gets its first bye of the season. Only two games remain, against Casa Grande on Oct. 25 and Catalina Foothills on Nov. 1, to lock up a playoff berth.
Amphi already in “playoff mode”
For Amphitheater, there’s no more room for error.
A 3-1 start raised expectations for coach Jorge Mendivil’s group, but the 46-43 loss at Palo Verde on Oct. 4 stuck a dagger in those playoff aspirations. Amphi bounced back with a 44-7 victory over Rio Rico last week.
“The effort was there it was just one of those things that just happens on Friday night and you’re like ‘holy cow, I can’t believe that just happened,” he said.
“Our special teams and defense let us down and that’s what we focused on this week. They both stepped up. Our defense had three takeaways. We had a scoop and score for a 55-yard touchdown and another where the guy got tackled on the 1-yard line. Special teams, we pinned them deep on every kickoff and didn’t punt once.”
Three tough games remain, at Douglas, at Walden Grove and Pueblo at home. Mendivil believes his Panthers (4-3), who have already surpassed last year’s three-win total, aren’t out of it just yet, but knows they have to impress if they want to make their first postseason appearance since 2016.
“We’re in playoff mode right now,” Mendivil said. “We’ve got to win to keep our chances alive.”
Need for some space
Fullback Julian Lopez, at 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds, has been the workhorse for Pueblo (6-1) this season.
A downhill wrecking ball, he plows his way for seemingly five to eight yards every carry, but while that consistent production has been the bedrock to the Warriors’ offense, coach Brandon Sanders wishes he could make a little easier on Lopez.
“We have found a number of ways to get him the ball,” Sanders said. “But we have mixed it up a little more with our play calling trying to get it to our other backs, and that helps him open it up. Looking at some of our games where we have struggled, our opponents have put more guys inside and slowed him down.”
A night like no other
Catalina Foothills (3-4) scored a season-high 61 points in a dominant win over Casa Grande Vista Grande on Friday.
That output surpassed the Falcons’ scoring total over the previous three games, including losses to Sabino and CDO.
It came off the backs of the defense, which scored twice on interceptions by Max Duenas and Julian Paukune and repeatedly turned away the pass-heavy Spartans.
Quarterback Will Parker, who has filled in for an injured Connor Alubowicz, was usually working with a short field.
He had a breakout performance, completing 12 of 19 for 235 yards with four touchdowns. He also rushed for 77 yards on four carries with a score.
