Camp Verde High School can finish no higher than third in Division V, Section III after a 54-6 Senior Night loss to Paradise Honors High School.
The Cowboys [3-6] fell behind by two touchdowns in the first quarter and faded under four more in the second quarter Friday, Oct. 23, behind the massive line of the state playoff-bound Panthers [7-2].
“The size of [the] line was challenging for us, as we knew it would be,” head coach Steve Darby said. “After a great week of practice, we just came out flat.”
While the pressure of the Panthers’ two six-foot, 300-pound linemen proved to be too much on both sides of the ball for the Cowboys, it did not help that a “rising star” for Darby, sophomore slotback Jon Taylor, suffered a season-ending injury during that same week of practice. Taylor had taken over for senior Dakota Brueland, who had ended his own season with a broken shin Oct. 9 at North Pointe Prep.
“In pregame, we noticed there wasn’t much energy, and it showed in the game,” Darby said. “We have the potential to play so much better, and that’s the frustrating thing.”
For the second straight game, senior Jaysen Leonard couldn’t get the Cowboys’ running game going, finishing with just 13 yards rushing after leading his section in the category. Panthers junior Brandon Brown and sophomore Sekou Tyler would combine for 339 yards on the ground to both overtake Leonard for the section lead.
“Some of our seniors had never played football before, but that didn’t stop them from giving us everything they had,” Darby said. “This was a great lesson for the younger kids.”
Leonard would end the contest tied with senior linebacker Jesse Etienne for the team lead in tackles with 11 on the night. Senior cornerback Trevor Heyer added 10 but could not augment his six interceptions, which continue to lead not just Section III but all of Division V.
Senior Bryce Wantland scored the only CVHS touchdown on a four-yard fly sweep within the first minute of the second quarter and led the team with 84 all-purpose yards. The Panthers, however, responded with 28 straight points that put the game away by halftime.
For the full story and standings, please see the Wednesday, Oct. 28, issue of the Camp Verde Journal.
