Friday night’s 25-6 win over Casa Grande assured the 2-8 Colts they would not finish in the cellar of the Class 5A Southern Region Division I, and according to first-year head coach Kent Holland, it was the first time in his five years in the program a Buena defense has held a team scoreless.
Casa Grande’s lone score came on a 64-yard punt return by Brodrick Thompson with 7:09 to play in the third quarter.
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“The defense rose up and pitched a shutout,” Holland said. “They allowed just 89 total yards — that’s just phenomenal.”
Junior linebacker DeAndre Little, with nine tackles, led a Buena defense that did not allow the Cougar offense a first down for 32 minutes of gametime, sacked Casa Grande quarterbacks four times and picked them off three times.
Offensively, the Colts got off to a quick start behind junior quarterback J.T. May, making only his second varsity start.
An interception by Gabe Samuels on the Cougars’ first possession gave May a short field to work with and he quickly took advantage, hitting Ryan Witt cutting across the middle. His defender went for the ball and missed and Witt strode untouched to the end zone for a 37-yard touchdown.
Buena took a two-score edge after senior Troy Haymore intercepted a Ben Rodriguez pass and returned it to the Buena 43. Buena’s ensuing drive was on the brink of stalling, facing a fourth-and-7 from the Casa Grande 14. May again looked for Witt, who hauled it in near the left corner of the end zone. Jon Sayler made the point after and Buena held a 13-0 lead with a minute to go in the first.
With the Cougars mindful of the playmaking ability of Buena wide receiver DeChé Milburn and often double-teaming him, May looked to a secondary receiver and found one in senior tight end Billy Grant. May had replaced Grant as the starting quarterback in the second half of a loss at Tucson High two weeks ago, and Grant finished his Buena career in strong fashion as a tight end, catching five balls for 63 yards — all in the first half.
In fact, all of Buena’s passing yards came in the first half. May was 10-of-15 for 133 yards at the break, but 0-for-4 with two interceptions thereafter.
“I don’t really know what happened,” May said. “I’m still wondering that myself.”
Holland said the difference was the pressure Casa Grande applied in the second half.
“They were getting to J.T. and he was getting a little rattled,” Holland said. “But it’s only his second game as a starter and he did a good job leading the team and that’s what you look for in a quarterback.”
Most surprisingly, Buena’s running game, which had been held to an abysmal 42 yards per game on the season, came alive in the finale. Starter Trey Brown rushed nine times for 41 yards before injuring his ankle. His replacement, Josh Miller broke free for a 65-yard touchdown run that made it 19-0 going into halftime.
As the Buena passing game struggled in the second half, Holland turned to his running game to shut the door on the Cougars.
Xavier Cooper, who all season had been lighting up JV opponents with his diminutive stature and blazing speed, made his first varsity carry a memorable one, racing 48 yards off tackle to paydirt to make it 25-6 with six minutes to play.
As a team, Buena rushed for 241 yards, more than half of their season total.
“Our defense stymied them and our offensive line took over the game,” Holland said.
May said the victory was a testament to focus and dedication.
“It was hard work all week in practice and wanting to win for the seniors,” he said. “It was really everybody pushing to pick it up, for the team, for the family.”
After the victory, Holland addressed his team and then separately spoke to his seniors under a goal post.
“I told them it wasn’t how they wanted it to end,” Holland said. “Going in to this season they wanted to be the first senior class to lead this team to the playoffs in over a decade. But I told them, you finished on a positive note, you go out a winner. And, you learn more from trying situations and controversy. Going into life they’re going to know a lot about trying situations and controversy — they’re a good group.”
