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The sister schools' flag football programs had about as different of a debut season as is possible.
Mountain Ridge went on a Cinderella run to the 6A state final as a No. 11 seed and nearly winning the title. O'Connor finished 4-8.
This fall, things are much more even, with the Mountain Lions squeaking out a 10-7 win over the Eagles to end the regular season. That locked in Mountain Ridge (11-1) as the #8 seed and O'Connor (10-2) at #9, setting up a rematch at Mountain Ridge tonight.
“A few of us have known the game, like me and Ava Hannosh. But a lot of the girls had not played football. Coaches did very good on teching everyone the basics and breaking it down so we could go forward,” Eagles junior receiver/defensive back Becky Currence said Oct. 22.
It was the toughest game for the Mountain Lions since its lone regular season loss Oct. 3 at Millennium.
Mountain Ridge coach Whitney Warmus said in the last month, her team has improved at dealing with pressure and pressing forward in all scenarios of the game.
"Our defense was on lock down," Warmus stated in an email about last week's game. "It's always harder to win twice, let alone in a row. Our offense struggled a little but never gave up. We need to keep working hard and stay focused for today's game."
O'Connor coach Robert Latona said. looking back at 2023, the new team had little clue how to play last year. This offseason and early season, the Eagles learn why the coaches make certain calls or handle the offense a certain way.
His team's 7-3 win Oct. 16 at Avondale West Point, was the defining victory of the season.
“There was 10 seconds when we snapped it. When we scored the winning touchdown there were four seconds on the clock,” Latona said. “And I think they saw that we can do what we want to do. Our offense struggled that entire night. We had to drive down with seconds left. That was the first drive all night that we did everything the right way.”
It is a team full of young playmakers. But, Latona said, his small senior class leads even if they're not making the big plays.
Center Madison Coons, inside linebacker Allie Lawler and outside linebacker Morgan Willis are captains and really good about watching film, he said. Willis became a true leader in her first year of flag football.
O'Connor's defense allows an average of 10.2 points a game.
“That’s our pride, our defense,” Latona said.
Talia Nelson has been the go to senior leading this team as a whole and on defense, Warmus stated. Senior Isabella Ceja stepped up for offense.
"Our offense as a whole really came together. Cameron (Mallioux), our quarterback, really stepped up, along with Tahlia Hempen, Emma Langer, Peyton Yankovich and Kaliyahna Baldwin. It's a total group effort," Warmus stated.
Hannosh is the leading rusher, and also has 49 catches for 871 yards. Currence and sophomore quarterback Kylie Pruitt developed a special connection.
Currence has 75 receptions for 1,212 yards this year and 14 touchdowns.
“It’s on God. I take care of her and give her rides all the time. We blast Christian music when we’re together and talk about God. It’s a blessing that brought us together,” Currence said. “On the field we always throw the ball together before games.”
Richard Smith News Editor | Glendale & West Valley Preps
Richard Smith has been with Independent Newsmedia since 2016, and worked at a Sun City-based news outfit covering the Northwest Valley for 22 consecutive years.
An NAU alum and lifelong Arizona resident, Richard began as a copy editor and page designer at Surprise Today and the Daily News-Sun, then rekindled his love of sports writing by taking the reins on West Valley Preps in 2008.
For most of the mid-2010s he was the Surprise editor and West Valley Preps reporter. Now he’s the West Valley Preps Editor and Surprise Associate Editor.
As COVID restrictions slowly lift, Richard is cautiously optimistic he will visit book stores, football fields and gyms again this fall.
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