Canyon del Oro overcame a slow first half to cruise into the state semifinals for the first time in 12 years.
The No. 6-seeded Dorados (10-2) beat No. 14-seeded Phoenix Thunderbird 28-3 in the Class 4A quarterfinals at home on Friday night.
“The second half is about as good a football as we have played this season,” CDO head coach Dustin Peace said. “Anytime we can hold a team that stagnant on offense and doing what we did on defense, we’re gonna be a very successful team and we finally opened things up offensively, got our confidence back in the second half.”
Thunderbird scored first with a 36-yard field goal as the clock expired to end the first half.
“It just felt like we were shooting ourselves in the foot honestly,” CDO senior Jordan Thomas said. “We could get going, but we couldn’t finish it but our defense stepped up and did what we needed to do.”
CDO first scored on a Thomas 5-yard touchdown run halfway through the third quarter.
Canyon del Oro's Jordan Thomas (20) is tackled by Phoenix Thunderbird Nate Godoy in the first half Friday night.
Thomas scored again on a 6-yard touchdown run to put CDO up 14-3.
“We just came back from halftime ready to go,” said CDO senior receiver Daylon Beck. “Our defense put on a show, giving up only three points and it’s kinda easy to win when you only give up three points.”
Beck caught touchdown passes of 45 and 37 yards to seal the win.
Canyon del Oro junior quarterback Tristen McClelland also connected with senior Kendric Astacio for a 51-yard pass to set up one of Thomas’ scores.
“If I get open Tristen can put the ball there, he’s a great quarterback and we have a great line,” Beck said.
CDO plays at No. 2 Snowflake in the state semifinals next Friday. The Lobos beat No. 10 Prescott 23-3 in the quarterfinals.
Last year the Dorados reached the quarterfinals, losing to Glendale 38-27. This year they expected to practice on Thanksgiving again.
“We were excited about Thanksgiving last year, this year we expected Thanksgiving and were ready to take that next step,” Peace said.
