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Tigers fall to defending state champs
| Preston Goodman caught this pass from quarterback Tyler Davis. The Tigers were eliminated from the Class 1A football playoffs Friday losing to Heber Mogollon. (Chris Dabovich/photo.) |
Chris Dabovich/San Pedro Valley News-Sun
Host St. David's season came to a crushing halt Friday as defending state champion Heber Mogollon defeated the Tigers 34-13 in a quarterfinal game of the Class 1A state football playoffs.
The defeat marked the first time this season that the Tigers found themselves on the short end of the score.
"We're obviously disappointed, but I'm really proud of our guys," said Head Coach Brett Davis, at the conclusion of the tightly contested, hard-hitting game.
The Mustangs took an early 6-0 lead on a 14-yard run by quarterback J.T. Maner that held through the first quarter. The PAT attempt failed.
The Tigers scored all 13 points in the second quarter. Quarterback Tyler Davis connected with Nathan Mayberry on a 5-yard touchdown pass, then found Jordan Tracey in the end zone midway through the quarter. Davis added the PAT kick that gave the Tigers a slim 13-12 lead.
But that was short-lived as Mogollon added 14 second-quarter points, scoring on a 65-yard pass from Maner to J.T. Slade with 9:52 remaining in the first half, then connected again with slade as the half neared expiration on a 20-yard strike touchdown pass with 36 seconds left, regaining the lead it would not relinquish.
The long bomb came right after St. David's offense stalled on a fourth-and-1 play and seemed to take steam away from the Tigers.
The Tigers' defense stiffened and halted several Mogollon possessions throughout the second half, and it's not like the Tigers' offense did not have opportunities.
St. David missed at least one scoring opportunity when David and Tracey could not connect an a play in the end zone that would certainly have provided the Tigers a needed score and momentum. Preston Goodman blocked a punt that gave the Tigers the ball on Mogollon's 16-yard line but the Tigers could not punch it into the end zone.
The Mustangs' defense kept the pressure on, sacking Davis in the end zone for a safety with 10:55 left in the third quarter, adding to the Mustangs' lead 22-13. The Mustangs would get on the board again on Maner's third touchdown pass to Slade, this one from 13 yards out.
The Tigers fought back and showed resilience converting a 32-yard pass play from Davis to Murray on a fourth-and-14 play. In the end though, Mogollon's battle-tested team knew how to close the show, with Boone Baker scoring on a 65-yard run with 5:09 left in the game. Maner added the 2-point run to complete the scoring.
The game was closer than the score would indicate and Mogollon had high praise for the Tigers. "I thought that's one heck of a team we beat tonight," said Head Coach Ron Tenney. "I don't think many people would have picked St. David to be No. 1 in the South. They've got a great group of kids and coaches. We were able to make some plays and we caught a couple of breaks tonight, but that was one tough football game."
The Tigers, 8-1, put up decent numbers against the defending state champions. Davis completed 17 of 36 pass attempts for 229 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, while the Mustangs did limit Dallon Murray to under 100 yards rushing. Murray ran for 62 yards on 16 carries.
Defensively Jeremy Gillette had nine tackles and Braden Murray had eight to lead the Tigers.
"We did win the conference championship ... no one can take that away from us, but of course we're disappointed. It's a tough loss but the sun's going to shine tomorow," said Davis.
Host St. David's season came to a crushing halt Friday as defending state champion Heber Mogollon defeated the Tigers 34-13 in a quarterfinal game of the Class 1A state football playoffs.
The defeat marked the first time this season that the Tigers found themselves on the short end of the score.
"We're obviously disappointed, but I'm really proud of our guys," said Head Coach Brett Davis, at the conclusion of the tightly contested, hard-hitting game.
The Mustangs took an early 6-0 lead on a 14-yard run by quarterback J.T. Maner that held through the first quarter. The PAT attempt failed.
The Tigers scored all 13 points in the second quarter. Quarterback Tyler Davis connected with Nathan Mayberry on a 5-yard touchdown pass, then found Jordan Tracey in the end zone midway through the quarter. Davis added the PAT kick that gave the Tigers a slim 13-12 lead.
But that was short-lived as Mogollon added 14 second-quarter points, scoring on a 65-yard pass from Maner to J.T. Slade with 9:52 remaining in the first half, then connected again with slade as the half neared expiration on a 20-yard strike touchdown pass with 36 seconds left, regaining the lead it would not relinquish.
The long bomb came right after St. David's offense stalled on a fourth-and-1 play and seemed to take steam away from the Tigers.
The Tigers' defense stiffened and halted several Mogollon possessions throughout the second half, and it's not like the Tigers' offense did not have opportunities.
St. David missed at least one scoring opportunity when David and Tracey could not connect an a play in the end zone that would certainly have provided the Tigers a needed score and momentum. Preston Goodman blocked a punt that gave the Tigers the ball on Mogollon's 16-yard line but the Tigers could not punch it into the end zone.
The Mustangs' defense kept the pressure on, sacking Davis in the end zone for a safety with 10:55 left in the third quarter, adding to the Mustangs' lead 22-13. The Mustangs would get on the board again on Maner's third touchdown pass to Slade, this one from 13 yards out.
The Tigers fought back and showed resilience converting a 32-yard pass play from Davis to Murray on a fourth-and-14 play. In the end though, Mogollon's battle-tested team knew how to close the show, with Boone Baker scoring on a 65-yard run with 5:09 left in the game. Maner added the 2-point run to complete the scoring.
The game was closer than the score would indicate and Mogollon had high praise for the Tigers. "I thought that's one heck of a team we beat tonight," said Head Coach Ron Tenney. "I don't think many people would have picked St. David to be No. 1 in the South. They've got a great group of kids and coaches. We were able to make some plays and we caught a couple of breaks tonight, but that was one tough football game."
The Tigers, 8-1, put up decent numbers against the defending state champions. Davis completed 17 of 36 pass attempts for 229 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, while the Mustangs did limit Dallon Murray to under 100 yards rushing. Murray ran for 62 yards on 16 carries.
Defensively Jeremy Gillette had nine tackles and Braden Murray had eight to lead the Tigers.
"We did win the conference championship ... no one can take that away from us, but of course we're disappointed. It's a tough loss but the sun's going to shine tomorow," said Davis.
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