First homegame claims sole victory
Scott
Thomas
Mesa Legend
 |
| Chinh Chi
Pham Mesa Legend
|
| Thunderbird’s Justin
Douglas (77) and Arrmonn Kennedy (98) attempt to tackle the
Phoenix Bears’ runningback Diondre Travis in the Oct.
18 victory. |
The Thunderbird football team’s dominating performance
over the Phoenix Bears Oct. 18 kicked them right back into contention
for the conference lead.
The night started off very shaky for the Thunderbirds, Rodney
Burnes bobbled the kickoff return for Mesa and Phoenix recovered
the fumble at Mesa’s 15-yard line. The Bears took an early
lead with a 1 yard run by quarterback Hunter Walden only two minutes
and three seconds into the first quarter.
After a ten minute delay due to Phoenix’s Jovan Jackson
injuring himself and being taken off the field via ambulance,
Mesa approached the field ready to score.
Mesa’s offense started to pick up when Jacob Richardson
took the ball 14 yards to Phoenix’s 6-yard line. MCC would
then tie up the score at 7-7 with three minutes and 43 seconds
left in the first quarter on a 4-yard touchdown ran in by fullback
Andrew Trejo.
Late in the second quarter, the Thunderbirds drove down the field
to Phoenix’s 11-yard line. MCC quarterback Greg Mortensen
would evade the Bears’ defense and run it in for the remaining
11 yards. After Phoenix would be called for offsides on Mesa’s
extra point try, Mesa players decided to take their chances going
for two but failed.
Phoenix continued to struggle against the stingy Mesa defense.
Walden never seemed comfortable in the pocket and although he
was only sacked twice in the game, there was rarely a play where
he was not feeling the pressure to leave the pocket.
Mesa defensive backs Andre Bailey and Leo Christensen blanketed
the Bears’ receivers. Christensen had an interception off
of a tipped ball.
Bailey was pleased with MCC’s defense’s performance.
“I feel like we came in and just took their heart away from
them early in the game and when the second half started, we took
all the life out of them,” he said.
Running back Jeremiah White rushed to the outside and lured the
defense to the ball while receiver, Jacob Richardson, was wide
open down the field for a 53-yard touchdown pass thrown by White,
putting Mesa up 20-7 at halftime.
At the beginning of the second half, Mesa wasted no time getting
back to form of the first half. After making another defensive
stop on the Bears’ offense, the Bears failed to make a good
long snap to punter Rhian Madrid and MCC recovered at the Bears’
24-yard line.
On the following play, White had a 24-yard touchdown run.
Mortensen put away the game after he avoided a sack and threw
a 60-yard touchdown pass to receiver Jeff McKane.
Phoenix’s offense was able to put fourth some fight in the
fourth quarter, but there was too much of a deficit to come back.
Mesa prevailed 34-21 and brought their record to 3-3.
Walden led the bears in rushing with 80 yards.
Receiver Steve Kennedy did not see the ball as much as he is used
to, but was still eager to give his quarterback, Mortensen, praise.
“He did great; he made a lot of right heads and just got
it done. There was nothing negative about his performance tonight,”
he said.
Kennedy added, “We want to finish the season 7-3 and get
into a bowl game.”
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