Cibola blows past Eagles, 47-0

YUMA — Football can be a complicated game, but not matter the case one thing always remains true.

Speed kills.

The Southwest High School football team learned that on Friday night in a 47-0 thrashing at the hands of Cibola High School, in a game where only one team ever really had a chance.

The Raiders (2-1) were able to move the ball at will on the Eagles (0-2) with 504 total yards of offense (336 in the air and 168 on the ground).

The showcase was clear early with junior running back Zeke Rios breaking the first play from scrimmage for a 54-yard touchdown only for that to be called back. He would get plenty more opportunities.

Six plays later Rios jammed in a touchdown from three yards out for Cibola to go up 7-0 just over three minutes into the game. Rios would finish with 13 carries for 91 yards and two touchdowns.

The running game worked early, but senior quarterback Ethan Arvizo was able to get into a rhythm after that. Late in the first quarter he hooked up with senior Jesse Chavez for a 7-yard touchdown to go up 14-0.

That would be the first of three touchdowns that those two would connect on. The other two touchdowns were from 47 and 64 yards out, both of which came by the way of go-routes.

Arvizo finished 13-for-16 with 336 yards and four touchdowns, and Chavez had four receptions for 123 yards and three touchdowns.

Southwest struggled to get anything of its own going on offense. The Eagles were only able to break into the Raiders’ red zone once, and that wasn’t until early in the fourth quarter.

On that possession Southwest quarterback senior Logan Chell tossed a jump ball up, and Cibola senior Isaiah Torres was able to intercept it up at the goal line and return the play for 42 yards.

Southwest will be looking to get on track when it faces another Yuma school, Kofa, at home on Sept. 7.