Sandra Day O'Connor hands Shadow Ridge 1st loss
October 24, 2020 by Jennifer Jimenez, AZPreps365
Score: Sandra Day O’Connor (2-2) handed the first loss to Shadow Ridge (3-1) in a 37-21 win Friday night.
Big plays: Shadow Ridge receiver/cornerback Isaac Yates pulled down a turnover but O’Connor’s defense forced a punt, and Daymian Stewart ran it back 55 yards for a touchdown and 7-0 lead.
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In the first series for Shadow Ridge, as it was working down the field, the ball came loose and O’Connor safety Jaden Jacobi picked it up on the 31-yard line, which ended with a 27-yard field goal by Christian Makanoeich.
- Zach Sutton put Shadow Ridge on the board with a 50-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Seth Gallardo.
- Two missed opportunities went through the hands of O’Connor receivers, turning the ball over to Shadow Ridge late in the third down 24-7. Gallardo then responded with a 24-yard touchdown to Yates.
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“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.
- During another drive, Gallardo was sacked by Carson McNutt, but on the next play Gallardo, forced out of the pocket, found Stewart, who made leaping catch in the north end zone while being challenged.
“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.
Who stood out: Special teams and its defense for O’Connor came up big Friday. Defensive coordinator Eric Bolus told the unit after forcing two incomplete passes by Shadow Ridge’s quarterback, “D-line, get some pressure on the QB.” And they responded, forcing the ball out late, which Brevin Czosnyka was there to the pick and score.
- Down 23 points, Shadow Ridge’s offense made some noise with less than two minutes in the game, when Kaden Zordani took over the offense and connected with Yates for a 55-yard scoring reception.
- O’Connor’s Donavin Fontaine impressed with his speed and athleticism, forcing defenders to miss and create escape routes for himself, as he did late in the 4th quarter when he worked through the opposition to find the end zone on a 26-yard run.
“It’s important to have versatility on offense with many different options, so it doesn’t matter who gets the ball. There are athletes all over the field,” he said.
- Shadow Ridge 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.
From the sideline: This particular Friday night under the lights felt different. The turn of the weather, the Shadow Ridge marching band, spiritline and the physically distant food trucks made it feel almost like a normal high school game prior to COVID-19. Of course, no spiritline for the opposition, limited fans and the athletes’ gear lined up on the track was a stark reminder the pandemic is still lingering.
“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.
There is no doubt both sidelines realized the opportunity and put in the effort.
Up next: Shadow Ridge will travel to take on Dobson (2-2), while O’Connor will host Boulder Creek (3-1).
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