Big plays unkind to Falcons in 49‑7 loss
Saguaro 49, Cactus Shadows 7
by Jason Stone

CAVE CREEK – If only Cactus Shadows could just erase the second quarter. Those 15 minutes is all that separated the Falcons from No. 1‑ranked Saguaro.

Playing the Sabercats on a Thursday night in front of a Cox‑TV audience Oct. 4, the Falcons appeared ready for prime time in the first quarter, but Saguaro rolled off 35 unanswered points in the second quarter to turn the game into a rout.

Cactus Shadows (2‑4 overall, 0‑3 Desert Sky Region) fell in power points to No. 22, which is six spots out of qualifying for playoffs, but the postseason is far from the Falcons’ minds. They just want a win after dropping their third straight.

The Falcons appeared ready to pull a big upset against Saguaro the way they drove the ball in the first quarter. Cactus Shadows used up more than seven minutes of the clock and needed 19 plays to drive more than 70 yards for a tying touchdown late in the first quarter.

But bad luck, turnovers and big plays for Saguaro (6‑0, 2‑0) did in the Falcons in the second quarter. Lightning quick strikes turned a tight game into a blowout in the blink of the eye, which is something Saguaro, the defending 4A‑Division I state champion, is accustomed to doing to opponents.

Saguaro’s defense also slowed down Cactus Shadows’ running game after the first‑quarter scoring possession. The Falcons gained only 57 yards on the ground on 35 carries for an average of only more than 1.5 yards per carry. When taking out a 19‑yard run from Chris Gonzales, Cactus Shadows barely gained a yard per carry.

The deficit forced Dillon Classen to pass the ball more than normal. The sophomore completed 14 passes for 140 yards, including a 39‑yard pass completion to Danny Trittler on the first‑quarter scoring drive. Trittler led all receivers with seven catches for 110 yards.

Cactus Shadows will try to break the losing streak this week in Prescott. The Badgers enter the game at 2‑4 and are coming off a 27‑7 win over Sunnyslope a week ago.