Steve Darby, Camp Verde High School head football coach, is looking forward to returning home for the start of Division V, Section III play Friday, Oct. 2, at 7 p.m. against Chino Valley High School.
Going 1-4 in the Cowboys’ first five games can have that kind of effect.
“We just need to execute our plays better and protect the ball,” Darby said after eight turnovers led to a 37-6 loss Friday, Sept. 25, at Monument Valley High School. “You can’t turn the ball over that much and expect to win against anyone.”
Certainly not as athletic and well-coached a team as Monument Valley, one of just five undefeated teams in Division V, who averaged over 10 yards per play on offense against CVHS. Their previous encounter was a last-second, seven-on-seven semifinal win by the Cowboys, knocking them out of a tournament championship over the summer.
Senior Trevor Heyer had 62 yards rushing and a touchdown on the ground late in the fourth quarter, but it merely averted the shutout, as by then MVHS had already put 30 unanswered points on the scoreboard.
“Monument Valley was more physical than us,” Darby said. “They beat us at the line all night and limited us on what we could do offensively.”
Running back Jaysen Leonard, 10 yards short of the section lead in rushing, continued to do his part, carrying the ball 11 times for 68 yards while also collecting 53 receiving yards.
Fellow senior Dakota Brueland was the leading receiver on the night for CVHS with two catches totaling 60 yards, as sophomore slotback Ryan Loza was virtually shut out offensively.
Most of the 68 other Cowboys net yards on the ground, however, were gained scrambling by sophomore quarterback Payton Sarkesian, who also lost two fumbles.
For the full story and standings, please see the Wednesday, Sept. 30, issue of the Camp Verde Journal.
