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SIERRA VISTA — Buena and Casa Grande are two schools with huge enrollments that have long been considered sleeping giants in the world of Arizona prep football.
Both have continued to snooze throughout the 2008 season. But after tonight’s season finale between the two at Casa Grande, one will finish last in the region standings, and the other will have a big win to build on heading into next season.
“Right now we’re talking about playing a one-game season,” Buena head coach Kent Holland said. “If we can come out on top, our seniors will be able to go out on a positive note and those coming back will have something to build on.”
Buena comes in with a 1-8 record, losers of their last five, while Casa Grande comes in with a 3-6 record, having lost its last four.
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The problems for both teams start with an utter inability to run the football.
Through nine games Buena has just 412 rushing yards on 224 carries for an average of less than two yards per rush. Casa Grande, having played a much weaker non-region schedule, hasn’t fared much better, gaining 493 yards on 124 carries.
Buena’s passing game has been far more productive than Casa Grande’s. The Cougars’ Ben Rodriguez has lasted all season at quarterback and completed 50 percent of his passes for 805 yards.
Buena has used four quarterbacks and has outpassed opponents 1,452 yards to their opponents’ 1,203.
In last week’s 59-21 loss to Salpointe Catholic, J.T. May, who was called up from junior varsity just two weeks earlier, threw for 301 yards, most of that yardage coming after the Lancers had built a comfortable lead.
Tonight, May gets his second start and has a chance to make some plays before an opponent puts the outcome out of question.
“He did a really good job for a first start last week,” Holland said of May, who figures to be in quite a duel next season for the starting quarterback job with sophomore Jeremy Tuttle, who was injured in the second half of the homecoming game vs. Ironwood Ridge. “That’s the kind of situation you want. You want people fighting for jobs. It creates a competitive atmosphere.”
Probably the most consistent bright spot this season for the Colts has been the receiving tandem of juniors DeChe Milburn and Ryan Witt.
The two have combined for 52 catches for 1,084 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Buena is in danger of breaking school records tonight — all of them dubious.
If Casa Grande scores 25 tonight, it will break the previous mark of 377 points allowed in a season (2002). If Casa Grande gains 550 yards, it will mark the previous high of 4,224 gained by Buena opponents in 2007.
The Colts have already set a low mark for fewest rushing yards in a game with -9 three weeks ago at Mountain View, and the Colts 412 rushing yards could well be the least in school history.
08grad wrote on Nov 7, 2008 2:10 PM: