Following a 36-0 road loss Friday, Sept. 9, it would be hard for regional football play to be any worse to Sedona Red Rock High School than its first three opponents.
“I’m not going to lie, that was a tough one,” head coach John Bradshaw said after his third straight loss — the second by shutout — at Holbrook High School. “We got beaten pretty good right off the bat.”
The Scorpions defensive line allowed the Roadrunners to live up to their name, as senior running back Cade Maestas had a touchdown and 134 yards on the ground — barely half the total rushing yards surrendered to the Roadrunners.
“He was able to get outside our contain [men] on a fairly regular basis,” Bradshaw said of Maestas. “He was their stud. Unfortunately, we just underestimated [Maestas], and that cost us.”
As a receiver, Maestas had only two receptions, but both of them, including a 62-yarder, went for touchdowns.
“We knew going in we had to stop him. But, plain and simple, he was just a better athlete than I gave him credit for.”
The loss of one two-way lineman near the end of the first quarter and another two near halftime did not help the beleaguered SRRHS offense, which surrendered a tackle for loss and eight more by Maestas and two other sacks.
The defense gave up 264 total rushing yards to the Roadrunners and was in a 30-0 hole by halftime.
“We just were running out of linemen,” Bradshaw said. “I’m hoping the injuries aren’t that substantial, but for the sake of the kids’ safety, I just couldn’t play them.”
Needless to say, that didn’t allow senior quarterback Chas Rescigno nor junior running back Javier Pacheco to get much going.
“We were able to get an offensive line together somehow and stop the bleeding,” Bradshaw said. “We just didn’t have the depth we needed to compete.
“All in all, it’s just one of those games you wish you could have back.”
Fortunately for Bradshaw, Parker High School, the Scorpions’ 2A Central Region opening opponent, is also winless.
So one team will pick up a much-needed confidence booster Friday, Sept. 16, beginning at 7 p.m. at John Ordean Stadium.
