Moore conquers Nogales

 Nick Trujillo

CACTUS CHRONICLE           

            

After a devastating three-point loss to Sahuaro, Tucson High traveled south to Nogales, taking home a 67-40 win Friday night.

“We went for the win,” head coach Justin Argraves said. “Go big or go home, baby.”

“We never lost focus. We always had our mind on the objective,” senior quarterback Donovan Moore, who accumulated 237 yards and four touchdowns on the ground, said.

Sophomore running back Bryce Coleman rushed for 195 yards and one touchdown.

Though the Badgers were on the road for the first time this season, the team led the entire game, and never looked back.

While Moore and Coleman did their part for the Badgers, many others found their way to the stat sheet, and both teams lit up the scoreboard during the third quarter.

Junior Joe Ornelas scored a 36 yard touchdown, his first touchdown of the season and of his high school career.

“It felt good to finally get my first touchdown,” Ornelas said. “I didn't even expect it,”   

Tucson High’s defense held the Apaches to only one touchdown in the fourth quarter, after both teams combined for a total of 50 points in the third quarter, 36 coming from THMS.

While both teams scored on their opening drives coming out of the half, junior Austin Perkins intercepted a pass and stopped a Nogales drive on the eight yard line.

Seconds later Coleman broke through the line for a 92-yard touchdown from the Apache eight yard line.

“Bryce is doing things seniors can't do, he isn't overly fast, but he has the vision for the gaps,” Moore said.

Almost a complete opposite to the second half, the game was a close race between both teams.

Junior Lawrence Wallace returned a 95-yard kickoff for a touchdown in the first 13 seconds of the game. 

Five minutes into the game, officials called a lightning warning delaying the action for thirty minutes.

After the lightning passed, Moore rushed 45 yards for a touchdown.

After a quick strike by the Apaches, Tucson High answered with a 13-yard rush by senior Markquise Simmons.

Moore was in control most of the game, scoring a 42-yard touchdown in the second quarter. 

Badgers tripped up in Jamboree game

Nicholas Trujillo

CACTUS CHRONICLE

Six yards from the end zone, and just over a minute on the clock, THMS elected to go for the win on fourth and goal, and steal a crucial win over Sahuaro High School at Gridley Stadium.

Though Badger senior quarterback Donovan Moore saw a lane to the goal line, he was caught on a shoestring tackle by Sahuaro's senior lineman Adrian Ramos, who effectively ended the first scheduled Division II game, with the Cougars running out the clock for a 31-28 win.

Though the team and crowd were disappointed with end result, THMS found themselves playing catch-up for much of the game.

The Badgers put up two touchdowns within six minutes of the fourth quarter to erase a 24-14 deficit.

Senior Elijah Anderson returned a Cougar punt 51 yards for the first score of the fourth quarter. Two possessions later, the Badgers put the ball in the end zone with a three-yard run into the end zone by sophomore Bryce Coleman.

After a 28-24 Badger lead, Sahuaro was able to put a 64-yard drive together, capping it off with a 34-yard go-ahead touchdown pass from Cougar senior Laramie Brown to fellow senior Cole Sterns.

While the team played well in the second half, the Badgers found themselves in trouble early, after multiple mistakes. 

“In the first quarter a lot of penalties were called back," senior Kalil Stubblefield said. “But going into the second quarter the offense put in work.”

Sahuaro scored on their opening drive, thanks to a goal line dive from junior Derik Hall. 

Tucson's ensuing drive resulted in an intercepted pass, leading to a 24-yard field goal from junior Demitri Fontinos. 

As the second quarter began, Moore landed a seam pass to Anderson, who returned the ball 74-yards--only to fumble the ball into the endzone for a Sahuaro touchback.  

Though the team suffered an opening-day setback, the game day atmosphere was electric.

New cheerleaders, trainers, and transfers gave a breath of fresh air to the THMS community, and cowbells and cheering could be heard from the stands to the THMS plaza.

The Badgers next game will be at Nogales High School on  Sept. 6, kickoff at 7:00 p.m.