Entering the second game of the season on Friday, Sedona Red Rock High School’s football team knew that it would have its hands full. Not only were they coming off of a blowout loss, but their opponent, Trivium Prep, hadn’t lost a regular season game in more than two years. The Scorpions couldn’t snap that streak as they fell 55-27 to the Crimson Knights.
The ultimately lopsided final score, though, may not completely reflect the progress and effort shown by an outmanned SRRHS team.
“It was a game,” coach Bob Young said. “In the first half, we played toe-to-toe with them. They played hard. They didn’t quit. It was 100 degrees out, even at 9 and 10 p.m., and we had guys going both ways. The effort was outstanding, obviously. We’re getting better.”
The turning point of Friday’s game came just before halftime. Trailing 14-6 late in the second quarter, Sedona had the ball deep in Trivium Prep territory with a chance to tie things up. But a Scorpion fumble inside of the 10 ended those hopes. The Crimson Knights kept that momentum in the second half, scoring two quick touchdowns in the third quarter to effectively put the game out of reach.
“In the second half, we finally ran out of gas,” Young noted. “The numbers took their toll. But we made a lot of progress.”
Not unlike the opening game against Kingman, the Scorpions were at their best in the early part of the game. A short touchdown run from senior Jackson Coughlin gave SRRHS a 6-0 lead after one.
Young opined that the Scorpions couldn’t have scripted the drive any better. Not only did it end in a touchdown but the lengthy drive kept the offense of the Crimson Knights on the sideline.
Another unfortunate similarity to the Kingman game is that the Scorpions had a hard time keeping up with the opposition as the game wore on.
Unlike that game, though, Sedona continued to apply pressure not just with a strong effort, but also on the scoreboard. Even as the game was being put out of reach, SRRHS scored two third-quarter touchdowns and added another in the final frame.
“Blocking and tackling we’re struggling with; but that’s just football,” Young said. “They’re getting better. Even the guys that haven’t played a lot. We saw that on film. That was our whole goal. Get better and come out healthy. We accomplished both of those … They’re improving and I’m really proud of the effort.”
The Scorpions will return home on Friday when they’ll host Rock Point in an earlier than usual 6 p.m. start. Rock Point comes into the game 0-2, having lost both of their first two games 56-0.
Michael Dixon can be reached at 282-7795 ext 131 or email to mdixon@larsonnewspapers.com
