WEEKLY BLOG: 8/30/19

We're only two weeks into the season, but it's time to give serious consideration to the Red Mountain football team as a viable candidate for the first Open Division tournament, or as we call it here at Arizona Varsity, The Ocho.

When you click on the above link, you'll see that not one of the five so-called "experts" (of which I am one) have predicted the Mountain Lions as one of the eight that will be selected for the state championship bracket at the end of the season (which are determined by computers).

During a 59-27 rout of Cesar Chavez Friday night on a 105-degree evening in East Mesa, Red Mountain (2-0) scored on eight of its 13 possessions with seven of those resulting in touchdowns. The Mountain Lions have a balanced offense with a pair of backs in Deonce Elliott and Ty McElroy. They have a mobile quarterback in Hyrum Boren that didn't turn the ball over. Red Mountain has a deep fleet of receivers (eight different players caught passes) with one, Ramses Rivera, appropriately nicknamed "Rocket". The offense didn't just score touchdowns in every quarter, it scored two TDs in every quarter.

And then there's the defense, which starts with the pass rush. Tre Smith got to the quarterback for 1.5 sacks and the team now has 10 through the first two weeks. The best player on the field, junior safety George Ramirez, brought the Red Sea into a frenzy with a pick-six shortly before halftime to open up what was a close game into a 31-14 advantage at the break.

As we all know, there are three aspects to the game of football and RMHS clearly had the edge in special teams. The Lions scored two of their first-half touchdowns due to breakdowns in the Cesar Chavez punting game. A bounced snap to the punter gave him no time to kick before Ramirez wrapped him up at his own 21-yard line. Later, a low punt bounced off the back of a Champions' lineman and Red Mountain started that possession at the CCHS 36-yard line. Both were converted into touchdowns.

It's a Red Mountain squad that prides itself on teamwork as it was uttered by head coach Mike Peterson after the game. The hallway of the field house was recently redecorated and a pair of Red Mountain jerseys hang in glass. Both have the numeral 1 on it. Where a player's name would go, a black one reads "Together" and a white uniform displays "Team".

"We pride ourselves on playing together," Peterson said. "We spread the ball around. We play lots of kids."

Of course, it helps to get some breaks as well. That's exactly what the Lions got on their first possession, when Boren took off for a run and shortly before he reached the goal line, the ball was popped out by a Cesar Chavez defender, and landed in the arms of receiver Daniel Butler in the end zone.

Cesar Chavez (1-1) matched that score with a big play on its second play from scrimmage. A short slant pass from Lucas Arnds to Deavon Crawford turned into a 75-yard touchdown as Crawford caught it in stride and then turned on the jets.

Cesar Chavez hung tough and trailed just 17-14 midway through the second quarter.

The interception by Ramirez came on a drive for Chavez that started inside its own 10-yard line with just over a minute remaining in the half. Always a potentially dangerous situation. The pick-six just felt like the backbreaker.

"He's a great player," Peterson said of Ramirez. "He's a great kid. He's a great student. He probably has the most time on Hudl. He prepares and it shows."

In the first half, the Red Mountain defense suffocated the Chavez run game (27 yards on 15 carries) and registered the two sacks. One of those came on a 4th-and-10 play from the Red Mountain 44 by Smith.

"We were working on reading screens and we get after it," Smith said. "I think this year we have a great defensive line. If we all work together and do our jobs, no one can stop us."

After being held to 66 yards on the ground in the first half, Red Mountain got the run game going in the second. Elliott scored the first of two touchdowns on a 17-yard run around the right side in the third quarter.

The field position was tilted towards Red Mountain all night. From midway through the second quarter until the end of the third quarter, CCHS started its possession four times from the 20-yard line and twice from the 7. Conner Gardner was consistently putting kickoffs across the goal line, he booted a 47-yard punt in the game, and added a field goal (33 yards) as well.

In addition to the interception by Ramirez, the Lions picked off Chavez on two other occasions. Sophomore Skylar Edmonds and Butler made the picks.

Boren, making his second varsity start, was 13-of-23 for 215 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He also rushed for 26 yards (9 carries) and a TD.

Down 45-14 entering the fourth quarter, Cesar Chavez could have waved the white flag. But, these Champions fought. Arnds got into a rhythm, completing a 49-yard pass to Jaleel Walker. That was followed by a 14-yard touchdown to Josh Garcia. Like last week, Arnds went on the run a little also (42 rushing yards) and scored on a keeper from the 5-yard line.

"We're still a young team," Cesar Chavez head coach Manny Alcantar said. "We're getting better. For them to fight back like they did is awesome."

Red Mountain tacked on two more scores in the last seven minutes with one coming on a highlight-reel play by Elliott. The senior back, who also played some cornerback in the second half, broke a pair of tackles up the middle, then showed his speed and burst through for a 57-yard run. That put his final statline at 105 yards (nine carries).

"I was being patient and waiting until I saw something," Elliott said. "I saw something, so I went through the hole."

When you post a 59-point total, it isn't always the skill players. Don't forget the Lions also have an offensive line with an Arizona State commit (Ben Bray) and one headed to the Air Force (Costen Cooley).

"We didn't run the ball until late," Peterson said. "That one that Deonce broke, there were about three pancakes on that play."

Cesar Chavez, the defending 6A Metro Region winner, shouldn't have any problem in league play. The postseason hopes ride on a four-week stretch that started Friday and continues with games at Queen Creek (Sept. 6) and at home in Laveen against Perry (Sept. 20).

"We're going through a gauntlet," Alcantar said. "We're going to see how good we are real quick. Tonight, we played our hearts out."

Like Chavez, Red Mountain shouldn't have much difficulty in region play. The Lions' five opponents in the East Valley Region are a combined 1-9 thus far with Mesa's win coming against Alhambra. No one really knows the math, since this is the first year of the new formula that will combine 6A, 5A, and 4A to pick out the eight top teams. But, it's likely Red Mountain will have to go at least 9-1. The Lions have two wins now, that means it will take a 2-1 record in games at home against Perry (Sept. 6), at Westview (Sept. 20), and at Basha (Sept. 27). Perry (1-1) and Basha (2-0) knocked the Lions off last year.

"Perry will be tough," Peterson said. "They'll be prepared. They're well coached. They're a big strong physical team."

First Quarter:
RM - Daniel Butler recovered fumble in end zone (Conner Gardner kick), 8:44
CC - Deavon Crawford 75 yard pass from Lucas Arnds (Alfredo Martinez kick), 8:19
RM - Nathan Lees 7 yard pass from Hyrum Boren (Gardner kick), 1:56
Second Quarter:
RM - Garnder 33 yard FG, 9:18
CC - Linwood Crawford 2 yard run (Martinez kick), 7:15
RM - Ramses Rivera 28 yard pass from Boren (Gardner kick), 4:13
RM - George Ramirez 52 yard interception return (Gardner kick), 0:43
Third Quarter:
RM - Deonce Elliott 17 yard run (Gardner kick), 6:01
RM - Boren 1 yard run (Gardner kick), 3:00
Fourth Quarter:
CC - Josh Garcia 14 yard pass from Arnds (Martinez kick), 10:51
CC - Arnds 5 yard run (run failed), 7:15
RM - Elliott 57 yard run (Gardner kick), 6:13
RM - Jackson Beecher 24 yard pass from Evan Svoboda (Gardner kick), 1:29