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Bulldogs’ Gavin Danielson stiffarms a Mountain Lions’ defender. Luberda | Ledger
Southeast Valley Ledger
The Queen Creek football team scored all of its points in the first 12 minutes and six seconds of last Friday’s game at Marana Mountain View, jumping to a 22 – 0 lead versus the Mountain Lions. What looked like a blowout early almost turned into a blown opportunity, but the fifth-ranked Bulldogs were able to hang in there for a 22 – 20 victory.
“The defense played their (rear ends) off to get the win for us,” Bulldogs’ head coach Travis Schureman said after the game. “We have to do better on offense, that’s just the bottom line.”
Senior Zane Whiting, who has been shuffled around at different positions throughout the season, had two big punt returns at the start of the game, including one he returned 75 yards for the Bulldogs’ first touchdown.
“They’re my brothers. I’ve been playing with them for my whole high school career and I just want to win,” Whiting said about being moved around in the lineup. “I have to do whatever I can to try to get us victories and I just want to play, so I’m going to play whatever position I’m put at and try to make plays.”
His second punt return of 53 yards set up his team with a short field, inside the Mountain Lions’ 10-yard line. Quarterback Kaleb Honea scored from a yard out and Jace Koester’s two-point PAT gave the Bulldogs a 15 – 0 lead with 1:49 left in the opening quarter.
“We’ve been working on hitting the sideline and getting to the wall,” Whiting said about his two punt returns. “We had it blocked well and I just turned it up the field.”
An interception by sophomore Dante Coleman gave the Bulldogs another first-and-goal before running back Gavin Danielson scored on a 1-yard run on the first play of the second quarter. A Zach Glaess PAT made it 22 – 0.
Queen Creek’s offense stalled after that, and really, before then too. The Bulldogs were able to capitalize on good field position and Whiting’s punt returns. They didn’t have any long sustained drives that resulted in points.
The Mountain Lions, thanks to two second-quarter touchdowns, pulled within eight points at halftime, 22 – 14.
The second was filled with turnovers by both teams with each intercepting the other twice for a total of four interceptions. The biggest though was made by Mountain View, which intercepted a Bulldogs’ pass in the end zone on a fourth down play.
Mountain View scored a touchdown with about three minutes remaining in the game to make it 22 – 20. They went for the two-point PAT and benefited from a pass interference penalty, giving them another shot at it, but Queen Creek’s defense made the stop to preserve the lead.
The Mountain Lions, who averaged nearly 50 points per game in its four wins, had one last chance to win the game with about a minute left, but, again, the Bulldogs’ defense came up with the stop and forced an incomplete pass on fourth down to seal the win.
The Bulldogs play three of their final four games at home, beginning with a huge test this week versus second-ranked Ironwood Ridge.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Andrew Luberda began writing for Copper Area News Publishers (CANP) in February 2013 after working 15 years in Healthcare Financial Management. Andy covers sports for 11 high schools. His stories are published in Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner and Superior Sun, in addition to the San Tan Valley Daily PRSS and CopperArea websites. Additionally, he has written human interest stories and business profiles. In May 2012, he earned an AAS in Sports Management at Central Arizona College before graduating with a BS in Communication from Arizona State University in 2014. He and his wife, Kelli, have three sons – AJ, Kyle, and Kade.
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