SEPTEMBER 11, 2013
Last Friday … at Willow Canyon, Falcons storm past Wildcats, 38-0!
“D-Robs” defense posts first shut-out; #6-ranked Apollo here tomorrow night, 7 p.m. kick-off
Whether golfing in the Desert Foothills or readying to play football on the flatlands of Surprise, when rogue lightning threatens the safety decision is to take cover. The Falcons and their Willow Canyon hosts wisely waited through a storm delay of some 40 minutes; but when the Falcons finally kicked off, it didn’t take very long before they began to brew up a different storm of their own. The Wildcats went “three-and-out,” then punted. Return man, senior Mikey Leonard, fielded the kick and raced some 50 yards to set up the first of five rushing touchdowns, three by workhorse senior running back, Joe Kuhlmann, and two by his classmate partner, Antonio Paoletti. For Kuhlmann, his three TDs gave him seven for the young season. Paoletti’s pair was his first varsity scores. A dominant “O” line, spearheaded by Quad-Captain Brad Souva at right tackle, paved the way for Assistant Coach Jim Marando’s running back tandem.
The Falcons would tally in every period; lead 17-0 at the half; and then tack on 21 insurance points in the second half. Sophomore place kicker/tailback Antonio Marchica booted a 41-yard second quarter field goal and was 5-for-5 perfect in the P.A.T. department.
Not to be outdone, Defensive Coordinator Darin Robidoux’s gang stuffed the Wildcats on the way to their first shutout. Quad-Captains Nathan Brockman and Tanner Buchert did the greatest damage, with Brockman and junior Taylor Wilson each credited with an INT.
But the CSHS passing attack sputtered again; and a one-dimension offense is a luxury the Falcons can’t afford when they take on 1-1, #6-ranked Apollo tomorrow (Thursday) night. The Hawks, upset 21-32 in their August 30 opener at Bradshaw Mountain, roared back last Friday night to upend #2-ranked (Oro Valley) Ironwood Ridge, 35-28, vaulting them into their #6 ranking. The Falcons are ranked at #16.
Cactus Shadows and Apollo last met in the 1st round of the 2010 4A-Division I State Playoffs. The home-standing Hawks stunned the Falcons, 52-21. Just to make certain that their visitors got the message, Apollo’s female place kicker, Jasmine Arollo, nailed a 15-yard field goal in the last two minutes to boost the Hawks over 50 points. For the Falcons it was, indeed, a l-o-n-g ride home.
And so, Falcons, as the old saying goes, “Don’t get mad … get even!”
~ Pete Mohr
