Pumas surge in second half to improve to 3-0
WEEKLY BLOG: 9/14/24
After a pair of double-digit wins, Perry was tested.
But once again, the Pumas came out on top. This time it was a battle as they found their deep passing game on offense and controlled one of the top recruits and dual-threats in the state to beat Queen Creek 21-12 in front of a packed Homecoming house.
"Our motto is relentless and scrappy and they showed that," said Perry head coach Joseph Ortiz, whose team outscored Desert Vista and Granite Hills (Calif.) by a combined 51 points. "Queen Creek came fighting. They had a good game plan at running the ball and shortening the game."
The two teams entered Friday's game averaging right around 40 points each, but it was the defenses that stood out in the first 24 minutes.
A Maddox Ford sack forced the Bulldogs to punt on their initial series. Later in the opening quarter, a Nick Carter sack ended a Perry possession that started at the Queen Creek 27-yard line.
Both teams had golden opportunities to score, but couldn't punch it across. Queen Creek found success running the football and got to the 5-yard line before fumbling the ball. Senior cornerback Simba Mahaso recovered it for the Pumas. Perry then went on a marathon 16-play drive that consumed nearly the entire final six minutes of the half. PHS went 90 yards and had its turn from the 5-yard line, but a pass into the end zone was intercepted by senior cornerback Darien Kattner and the teams went into their respective locker rooms still scoreless.
"We moved the ball down the field and Perry beat Perry," Ortiz said. "We figured it out in the second half enough to hold off."
At the half, each team had just 110 yards of total offense and each defense had recorded two sacks and forced a turnover.
The Perry defense was indeed relentless and scrappy. On Queen Creek's first drive in the third quarter, the Bulldogs went for it on fourth-and-one from the PHS 42-yard line. Quarterback Tait Reynolds, a Clemson commit, was stopped on a keeper.
Reynolds was Queen Creek's leading rusher through the first two weeks and went over 100 yards in each one. But the Pumas were able to limit his ability to run. When the sacks (five) are deducted from his rushing totals (which they are in high school), Reynolds rushed for just 19 yards.
"We never put a spy on him because we thought he was too fast," Ortiz said. "We did a good job of being gap sound. Our defensive line was able to contain him all game."
The Pumas finally broke through with a deep pass. Sophomore Kael Snyder had tried a few in the first half, and we went deep to senior LJ Walker, who hauled in the bomb for a 60-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead.
A third-down sack from junior linebacker Ricky Stewart got the Pumas the ball back to continue the momentum.
"We spent all week on this," Stewart said. "It was game plan. We've been watching film and that really paid off."
Stewart said the defense didn't get down during the second half as they were relied upon so heavily in the first half.
"We were acting the same as when the game started," Stewart said. "We're going to come out and we're going to hit somebody."
Perry (3-0) has been cycling in several different players at running back these first three weeks. The Pumas found the most success on Friday with sophomore Talen Frazier (52 yards rushing). Snyder got into a rhythm, completing seven consecutive passes at one point. The last of those, was a nine-yard strike to Frazier. That TD pass came after a fourth-down conversion from Nate Wheeler (two-yard gain).
Queen Creek (2-1) scored 27 points in the fourth quarter last week to rally for a win against Casteel. The Bulldogs looked like they might have another one in them as Reynolds scrambled before completing a pass to Crew Leavitt. The senior bounced off of would-be tacklers and managed the right sideline for a 60-yard touchdown (almost 50 yards of it after the catch). A missed extra point made the score 14-6.
Midway through the quarter, another Perry stop on a quarterback run (this time by Ethan Austin) forced a punt. Two plays later, it was another long and beautiful pass from Snyder to Walker that went for 61 yards to the other end zone this time. The long pass play boosted the Puma lead to two scores.
Walker was awarded the Fiesta Bowl belt for Player of the Game. The senior receiver had six catches for 208 yards and the two TDs.
On film, Queen Creek showed a lot of zone. However, they played man defense Friday night and it played into the Pumas strength.
"The first route, I just trusted my speed and route running," Walker said. "I just ran a hitch and go and it was there. The second route, the corner couldn't keep up with me. I knew the safety would pick either me or (Hayden) Moon. He chose Moon and I got the touchdown."
Queen Creek didn't give up and drove 80 yards to score a touchdown with another connection between Reynolds and Leavitt (who was wide open in the corner of the end zone). But, the Bulldogs went for two and the pass was incomplete leaving it a two-score game.
Offensively, the Pumas were led by Snyder, who completed 16-of-27 passes for 302 yards and three touchdowns (giving him 10 for the season). It's a good thing the pass game was working because QCHS limited the run game to just 34 yards (almost 200 below Perry's average entering the contest).
For Queen Creek, Reynolds had 205 passing yards after having just 33 in the first half. Tight end Dylan Sims, a UCLA commit, had a strong game with six catches for 97 yards.
Queen Creek will take a long road trip next week to Waddell to face Canyon View (2-1). The Bulldogs were able to grind out tough yards with junior David Rosson (77 yards on 13 carries).
Up next for Perry will be a home date with Brophy (3-0). It could give them some insight on future Premier Region matchups with Chandler, Hamilton, and Basha.
"We wanted to get out of these first five into the Premier with a winning record and we guaranteed that," Ortiz said. "We have one of the Games of the Week next week with Brophy. That should be a great game. I'm really looking forward to that, especially being a St. Mary's guy."
First Quarter:
No Scoring
Second Quarter:
No Scoring
Third Quarter:
Perry - LJ Walker 60 yard pass from Kael Snyder (James Dean kick), 7:10
Perry - Talen Frazier 7 yard pass from Snyder (Dean kick), 1:55
Fourth Quarter:
QC - Crew Leavitt 60 yard pass from Tait Reynolds (kick failed), 11:40
Perry - Walker 61 yard pass from Snyder (Dean kick), 6:58
QC - Leavitt 9 yard pass from Reynolds (pass failed), 3:05
