’Rocks-Eagles ready for battle
Yuma Catholic hosts Thatcher Friday night in the AIA’s 3A state quarterfinals game
It’s been a while since the Yuma Catholic Shamrocks have been tested on the football field.
A 14-7 win over Pusch Ridge Oct. 9 is the last YC game decided by 30 points or less.
On Friday night, the top-seeded Shamrocks (8-0 AIA) could finally be tested. Coach Rhett Stallworth’s squad will host eighth-seeded Thatcher at 7 p.m. in Ricky Gwynn Stadium during the Arizona Interscholastic Association’s 3A state quarterfinals game.
Thatcher (5-3) enters the game on a wave of momentum, overcoming a 1-3 start to win four straight contests under first-year head coach Daniel Jones.
Star tailback Mark Wren’s move from quarterback to fully capitalized on his running ability has propelled the Eagles into a serious postseason threat.
“It’s nothing flashy,” Stallworth said of Thatcher’s offense. “You know what they’re going to do for the most part. We just have to line up and stop it.”
In five games at running back, Wren has accumulated 903 yards and 17 touchdowns – including 253 yards and three scores in last Friday’s 27-22 upset over then5th-seeded Arizona College Prep.
“There’s no secret, we’re going to have to stop the run and make them throw the
football,” Stallworth said. “We think if we can make them throw the ball, we win the game.”
However, unlike years past the Shamrocks boast a strong and physical defense boasting three shutouts during a season for the first time since 2017.
Much of the success is due to the play of middle linebacker Dezmend Esquivel, who leads YC with 73 tackles.
The Shamrocks junior said another shutout performance is the goal against an Eagles offense peaking at the right time.
“That’s the goal the entire playoffs,” Esquivel said. “We want more donuts on the scoreboard.”
A Shamrocks’ defensive line fresh off a four-sack performance aims to maintain a high level of intensity in the quest for a spot in the 3A’s state semifinals.
Defensive line coach Kenny Nelson understands the importance of having his unit continue to perform well in the trenches against a Thatcher offense that runs 80% of the time.
“We pump them up throughout the week,” he said regarding the energy. “We understand what we need to do. We’re the tip of the spear.”
While the defense pushes for another dominant performance, the Shamrocks’ offense looks to regroup after a mostly stagnant
showing last week against Bourgade Catholic.
A plethora of offensive flags and season-high five sacks allowed conspired to derail YC’s attack.
Senior center Brannon Weatherby – one of the few Shamrocks to play meaningful minutes in the 2018 state title game loss – looks to inspire a strong performance up front to allow quarterback Richard Stallworth time to exploit a susceptible Eagles secondary.
“I’ve talked to the O-line this week and have been giving some pointers,” Weatherby said. “Just trying to get us better as a unit so we don’t collapse like (last week).
Thatcher edge rusher James Shumway is sure to test YC. The quick 6-foot-2, 200-pound senior creates havoc for opposing teams.
“Up front we just have to man up,” Stallworth said. “We have to get toeto-toe, nose-to-nose, mustache-to-mustache and battle it out.”
“I think if we can stop (Thatcher’s) defensive line and give Richard some time to throw, we’ll be scoring all night,” Weatherby added.
QB Stallworth is eyeing another big night and has an opportunity to do so with a clean pocket. The sophomore gunslinger is the only quarterback in the state with over 3,000 passing yards and 40-plus touchdowns.
“We’re going to have to be able to throw the football,” QB Stallworth said. “We have a lot of weapons and we know how to tear their defense apart.”
YC throws the ball 68% of the time. But the Shamrocks are masterful keeping defenses off balance behind running back Devon Black, who averages 10.2 yards per carry.
“We just need to start smashing some heads,” Weatherby said if the offensive line wants to continue the run blocking success. “This is probably the best d-line we’re going to see all year, so if we can prove a point and shut them down, we can shut anyone else in the state down.”