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O'Connor forces turnovers to stall Stallions' sterling start

Posted 10/26/20

A battle-tested O'Connor team spoiled the perfect record for Shadow Ridge football team on the Stallions' home field Oct. 23, leading throughout and winning 37-21.

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WEST VALLEY PREPS

O'Connor forces turnovers to stall Stallions' sterling start

Posted

A battle-tested O'Connor team spoiled the perfect record for Shadow Ridge football team on the Stallions' home field Oct. 23, leading throughout and winning 37-21.

It was a slow start for both teams in their opening 6A Southwest Region game.

“That’s just a lack of concentration and it is not finishing with your eyes, which are things we tell the guys all the time. We’ve got to clean up some things, and we have to make those plays when the opportunity arises. Dropped passes set you back and the players know that and take it personal,” O’Connor head coach Steve Casey said.

O’Connor special teams got the Eagles on the board on a 59-yard punt return for a touchdown by Daymian Stewart for the 7-0 lead late in the first quarter.

Shadow Ridge started the second quarter with a six play series, leading to a 50-yard touchdown reception from Zachary Sutton. O’Connor (2-2) answered back on the next possession with a 35-yard reception to James Groff to pull ahead 14-7.

With Shadow Ridge worked down the field, O’Connor’s defensive coordinator Eric Bolus yelled out to the group, “D-line get some pressure on the QB.” And the team responded forcing the ball out late, which Brevin Czosnyka picked and took back the other way into the end zone, going up 21-7.

Shadow Ridge fumbled the ball in the third quarter, which resulted in a 27-yard field goal from O’Connor’s Christian Makanoeich and a 17-point differential.

Despite trailing, Sutton said his team continued to fight.

“We were down and not satisfied so we kept fighting and you need that,” he said. “Next time if we get down we can fight again and this time pull out the win.”

Teammate Isaac Yates added a touchdown reception from O’Connor quarterback Seth Gallardo leaving the home team down by 10 at the start of the fourth quarter.

But O’Connor kept position of the ball for six minutes, leaving little time for a comeback. An added touchdown by Stewart in the end zone, with an impressive leap left made the task more difficult.

“The offense gives me a chance to get the ball, and I knew when it was in the air, I was going to get it,” Stewart said.

Then a fumble by Gallardo on 33-yard line set up O’Connor’s Donavin Fontaine finding the end zone two plays later.

With less than two minutes in the game, the offense of Shadow Ridge continued to fight and sophomore quarterback Kaden Zordani found Yates who went 55-yards for the final touchdown of the game, but left Shadow Ridge behind 37-21.

Stallions head coach Sean Hegarty said his group faced a team that was very well coached and had a very good defense.

“The effort was there, but we struggled on both sides of the ball and in special teams,” he said.

“It’s like a rallying cry among several coaches, reminding the boys that every day could be our last,” said Hegarty about the opportunity to play another week.

Shadow Ridge (3-1) travels to Mesa to play Dobson  (2-2) in its first road game. 

Editor's Note: Jennifer Jimenez can be reached at jjimenez@newszap.com or follow her on Twitter @SCW_Independent.