Senior running backs Juan Ruiz and Jason Groth combined for nearly 300 yards on the ground to power Mingus Union High School to a 48-12 win over visiting Prescott on Friday, Oct. 7.
The victory improves the Mauraders’ record to 4-3 overall and 3-1 in the Grand Canyon Region, second to Bradshaw Mountain High School at 3-0.
Mingus was impressive in a bounce-back game after losing to the Bears the previous week.
As a team, the Marauders rushed for 436 yards on 55 carries, while holding the Badgers to 79 yards rushing on 19 attempts.
Groth ran 17 times for 145 yards and two touchdowns, while Ruiz carried the ball 10 times for 143 yards and a score. Each had a 64-yard touchdown run. Â
Prescott relied on its passing game — gaining 225 yards on 13 completions and both of its touchdowns. However, the Marauders’ defense intercepted four passes on the night, one each for senior Alejandro Stabreff, junior Tyler Kelly, and sophomores Colby Fanning and Chaz Taylor, who returned his pick 21 yards for a touchdown.
Senior quarterback Trey Meyer completed three of seven pass attempts for 55 yards, and ran for an eight-yard touchdown.
He was perfect as a kicker, hitting both field goal attempts — from 36 and 31 yards — and all six extra points.
His first field goal got the Marauders on the board about midway through the first quarter.
After the teams punted on three straight series, Mingus took possession at its own 36. On the first play from scrimmage, Ruiz sliced through the defense, sprinted down the right sideline and stutter-stepped past the last defender and into the end zone. With Meyer’s extra point, the Marauders led 10-0 with 42 seconds left in the opening quarter.
Kelly’s sack marked the end of the first quarter, and on the first play of the second, Prescott struck for an apparent 65-yard touchdown pass, but it was nullified by a false start penalty.
The Badgers punted and on the first play of the series, Meyer fumbled while being sacked. Prescott took over on the Mingus 45 and four plays later scored on a 21-yard touchdown pass. The kick failed, leaving the score 10-6.
It didn’t take the Marauders long to respond. Taking over on their own 29, they needed six plays to put the ball into the end zone, as Groth ran it in from nine yards out. The extra point made it 17-6.
After the defense forced the Badgers to punt, Groth reeled off a 31-yard run, but limped to the sidelines after the play. He would return.
The drive fizzled, prompting Meyer’s second field goal and a 20-6 lead.
On Prescott’s next drive, Kelly picked off a pass at midfield, but Mingus was unable to move the ball and punted to the Badgers’ 12-yard line with 2:45 left in the first half.
On the first play, Taylor stepped in front of a Prescott pass and took it to the end zone to give the Marauders a 27-6 lead at halftime.
The teams exchanged punts to open the third quarter.
Mingus took possession at its own 12, and seven plays later scored. Ruiz and Groth each carried the ball three times, including the latter’s 12-yard touchdown scamper to give his team a 34-6 lead with 5:57 left in the third quarter.
After an exchange of punts, Prescott was able to sustain a drive, but after moving the ball from its own 16 to the Mingus 35 in seven plays, the Badgers fumbled and Marauders senior Josh Scalf recovered.
Mingus took advantage of the turnover and, with the help of a Prescott personal foul penalty, drove it down the field to set up Meyer’s touchdown run and a 41-6 lead just seconds into the fourth quarter.
A few minutes later, Stabreff would intercept a pass to set up another scoring drive that was capped off by a Taylor touchdown run. The Marauders led 48-6.
Prescott would gets the final score of the game on a 48-yard touchdown pass.
The next game for Mingus is at Flagstaff High School on Friday, Oct. 14.
