Colts force six turnovers in season-opening road win
WEEKLY BLOG: 9/3/21
With high school football back after a shortened, pandemic season in 2020 due to COVID-19, Buena's offense got off to a slow start before turning it on in the second half defeating Barry Goldwater 41-0 in a road game in North Phoenix Friday night. It marked the first season-opening shutout for Buena since 1987 (against Douglas).
The Colts scored touchdowns in all five of their second-half possessions with four of those scores coming via the run. Buena left its campus in Sierra Vista at 11:30 a.m. for a 4.5-hour trip on a "hot, yellow bus" which included a 20-minute stop. Colts coach Joe Thomas was happy to get the win despite the lackluster first 30 minutes.
"We're just excited to play," Thomas said. "We came out hyped, but flat in the first half. It was frustrating because we practiced better than we played in that first half."
The BHS defense was making plays all night and forced six turnovers (three each half). Those takeaways led to 28 points.
It was a fumble recovery by Joe Wallace that led to the only points in the first half. The senior recovered it at the Goldwater 13. Buena (1-0) took a 6-0 lead on a run by freshman Andres Bonilla. Bonilla was getting early action due to injuries by a pair of senior backs.
To illustrate the sloppiness of the first half, there were just the six points and six turnovers (three a side). Each team had nine penalties for nearly 70 yards in the first half alone.
The Buena defense continued its intensity in the second half. Wallace sacked the quarterback on the Bulldogs' first play of the third quarter and that was followed by a fumble recovery by senior defensive tackle Jadon Steward at the BGHS 36-yard line.
Jalen Everette was just named the starting quarterback this week and after some struggles in the passing game in the first half, was turned loose on the run during the adjustment period in the locker room. Everette, a senior, scored on a 4-yard run and later threw a touchdown pass to Keyon Taylor.
"I was seeing they were leaving the gaps wide open," Everette said. "We watched their scrimmage on film."
Thomas said the adjustment in having Everette run more was so he wouldn't lose confidence. It paid dividends and also freed up the other running backs with another threat behind the line of scrimmage.
Buena also lost Bonilla in the third quarter due to a knee injury. Thomas said both of the backs that went down during the game could have come back, but with the score already 20-0, it was best to leave them out as a precaution. Senior Jelani Brown (ankle) did not play and senior Austin Cox (arm) left the game early after just three carries.
Goldwater (0-1) put its longest drive together late in the third quarter. The Bulldogs were helped by a pair of unsportsmanlike penalties on Buena and faced fourth-and-three from the 11-yard line. Rhubin Harris stopped the running back for a loss to thwart Goldwater's best scoring opportunity. Harris also had a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in the game. He is one of just two linebackers that return for the Colts this season (along with William Stemler).
"We worked on swarming the ball more," Harris said. "We're working as a team more on communication, so we're all on the same page."
Harris doesn't have any particular liking towards any type of big play (of which the Buena defense made many). It's staying in the present and constantly looking ahead like a chess master.
"I got that short term memory, whether it's a good play or a bad play," Harris said. "I'm always looking for that next interception or fumble recovery."
Stemler, a 6-2, 225-pound athlete was in the mix at quarterback, but also plays tight end and linebacker. The senior even had a carry and took it right up the middle for a six-yard touchdown.
With Bonilla out of the game, Buena stretched into its depth and youth with Danny Bohlen. A fourth-quarter touchdown gave the Colts one of each of their two freshmen backs.
Goldwater runs an old-school Single Wing offense. Head coach Frank Lautt is in his third year with the Bulldogs and the team has been run-heavy. Operating this type of offense will take a little bit of a rebuild as Friday was the first varsity game for the entire BGHS offensive line.
"We have a lot of inexperience," Lautt said. "We're trying to get them their reps and build them up."
For the Bulldogs' defense, Jesse Martinez and Smith Jones had interceptions, Robert Schade recovered a fumble, and Osyruss Rodriguez registered a sack.
Goldwater will travel to Avondale next Friday to play Agua Fria (1-0). Lautt said conditioning will be the primary thing to focus on at practice next week.
"We've got to get in shape," Lautt said. "We'll get some more kids back next week."
The hot yellow bus can stay parked next week for Buena because the Colts will play their first home game since 2019 next Friday against Cienega (0-1). Last year, Buena had to reconstruct its entire schedule as Southern Arizona public school teams were shut down. The Colts finished 2-2 before having their own quarantine ending the season early. All four games were played away from Sierra Vista.
"The last time we played at home was Senior Night in 2019 against Sunnyside," Thomas said. "This year, we're excited to be back and we want to put on a show."
Cienega was ranked No. 6 in the 5A Conference by Arizona Varsity in the preseason (the Bobcats lost Friday at Sunrise Mountain). So, this will also be a chance for Buena to make a statement against a stronger opponent and possibly place themselves in those rankings.
"They're going to have to learn who Buena is," Harris said.
First Quarter:
No Scoring
Second Quarter:
Buena - Andres Bonilla 9 yard run (kick blocked), 3:59
Third Quarter:
Buena - Jalen Everette 4 yard run (Benjamin Marturello kick), 10:29
Buena - William Stemler 6 yard run (Marturello kick), 1:16
Fourth Quarter:
Buena - Keyon Taylor 13 yard pass from Everette (Marturello kick), 10:58
Buena - Danny Bohlen 4 yard run (Marturello kick), 3:01
Buena - Maddox Cox 20 yard run (Marturello kick), 0:47
