Black Hawks run past Lions in Fiesta Region tilt
WEEKLY BLOG: 11/5/21
As we come ever closer to the end of the 2021 regular season, you want your team to be playing its best football as the playoffs approach. Williams Field seems to be doing that as the Black Hawks won their fourth straight game on Friday night with a 21-7 victory at Jim Jones Field on the campus of Red Mountain High School.
Williams Field did it with a total team effort. The Black Hawks overcame two turnovers inside the Red Mountain 5-yard line. Their feature back, Kaden Cloud, ran for 150 yards and had the highlight run of the night. He wasn't the only one doing damage on the ground as Joshua Dye and Aziya Jamison also scored touchdowns. The passing game wasn't always consistent, but quarterback CJ Tiller hit on four passes of 30 yards or more. On defense, The Black Hawks sacked the QB three times and forced three turnovers (two in the fourth quarter).
"It's just a matter of guys doing the little things correct," Williams Field head coach Steve Campbell said. "It's about doing the little things time and time again, so you can make a big play."
With the win, Williams Field (7-2 overall, 3-1 6A Fiesta Region) denied the Mountain Lions with a chance to take the region title. Both Red Mountain (8-2, 2-1) and Queen Creek (7-2, 2-1) have one region game remaining. If Red Mountain finishes in a two-way tie with Williams Field, the Black Hawks win region. If Queen Creek finishes in a two-way tie with Williams Field, the Bulldogs win region. If all three end up even with 3-1 region records, it comes down to which school is ranked the highest in the final AIA power point rankings. That is currently Queen Creek (and will likely remain that way in the event of a three-way tie).
Both teams have similarities. They are led by a junior quarterback and have a tall wide receiver that makes plays and will be seen on Saturdays at the college level in a couple years. The defenses have been strong as well as both schools came in allowing fewer than 14 points per game.
The first quarter was a defensive scoreless battle. Both teams had their chances. Red Mountain muffed a punt that Williams Field recovered at the 1. However, the Black Hawks fumbled on their way into the end zone and senior linebacker Skylar Edmonds recovered. The Lions went for it on fourth-and-one at the Williams Field 31, but linebacker Fili Snuka made the tackle on a run play.
"There's a point in time when you need to get aggressive in there," Snuka said. "This was one of our best team defensive games all season."
Later in the quarter, Williams Field went for it on fourth-and-four at the Red Mountain 19-yard line. Sophomore Champ Gennicks knocked the ball away to end the drive on downs.
That pass play above went for 31 yards. In the second quarter, Tiller connected with Kyler Kasper for 47 yards. That was followed by a 23-yard run by Cloud which set up Jamison with the game's first score on a two yard run around the left side.
Kasper, who received an offer from Ohio State this week, caught three passes for 84 yards in the first half.
The Black Hawks added to that lead on their next possession as Dye, a junior, went right, shook off a tackle and got up the sideline for a 38-yard touchdown and a 14-0 lead.
Red Mountain cut the lead before the half with a 36-yard pass from Carter Crispin to Ja'Kobi Lane. The Lions flooded the right side of the field with receivers and Lane, who has a few Pac-12 offers, beat the defender and reeled in the pass in the end zone.
In the third quarter, Williams Field threatened to add to its lead, but fumbled inside the 5-yard line. A pitch play was fumbled and ended up in the arms of Parker McClure for the Lions.
But, Red Mountain was unable to take advantage of the turnover. Jamison, also playing defense, picked up a sack on third down to force a punt.
Williams Field was looking for a first down on third-and-one at midfield. Cloud was just wanting to get through the hole before it closed up for two or three yards and a first down to move the chains. He got a lot more.
Cloud had 111 yards after that run and finished with 150 on the night.
"I knew we had to get the first down," Cloud said. "I hit the hole as fast as I could. I saw the cutback lane through the offensive line provided one. I just hit it as fast as I could."
Cloud credited the rest of his offense for the productive night.
"My receivers blocked their butts off for me," Cloud said. "Also, the O-Line, because they do their jobs every day."
Early in the fourth quarter, Red Mountain tried to make it a one-score game. On third-and-13, a pass fell incomplete. However, Williams Field was flagged with two unsportsmanlike penalties after the play. Moving the ball half the distance twice, the Mountain Lions had a closer shot on fourth down from the 3. But, defensive back Donovan Guyton made the play.
Red Mountain's next drive also ended with an interception. That one was by Josh Sovereign, who pulled down his fifth of the season.
"I thought the defense played really well," Campbell said. "They played their butts off."
Red Mountain was celebrating its Senior Night for about 30 of their players. The Lions were ranked No. 12 in the Open rankings (which take 8 into its bracket). That means, Red Mountain should be looking at another home game in the 6A Conference bracket on Nov. 19.
"We need to play better in all three phases of the game," Red Mountain head coach Mike Peterson said. "You win or you learn. Everybody learned tonight. The coaches have to put their kids in a position to be successful."
Both teams ended the night with more than 100 yards in penalties. Some were dead ball penalties that resulted in unsportsmanlike conduct.
"There's going to be emotions and intense things," Campbell said. "We've got to grow up and mature in that area."
Peterson was of the belief that there were a few too many calls.
"The referees should be like children, seen and not heard."
Red Mountain finishes its regular season next Friday at Higley (2-7). Williams Field will be at home in Gilbert against Brophy (6-3). The Broncos were defeated at Liberty on Friday.
"We've just got to stay focused," Snuka said. "We can't deviate from the pattern that helps us be winners."
First Quarter:
No Scoring
Second Quarter:
WF - Aziya Jamison 2 yard run (Marten Van Rey kick), 10:50
WF - Joshua Dye 38 yard run (Van Rey kick), 8:57
RM - Ja'Kobi Lane 36 yard pass from Carter Crispin (Kai Evans kick), 5:51
Third Quarter:
WF - Kaden Cloud 50 yard run (Van Rey kick), 2:17
Fourth Quarter:
No Scoring
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