Tobias Linkin is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Fountain Hills High School for AZPreps365.com.

 

Team captain Sam Barnard stands outside the locker room with beet-red eyes and his pads still on. He holds his helmet in his left hand and wipes his tears with his right hand as his voice trembles. 

“I’ve never played like this before. The emotion. It was just a whole other game for me,” Barnard said.  

It was senior night for the 2-7 Fountain Hills Falcons who hosted the Morenci Wildcats on October 18, losing 49-29. The Falcons came into the game against the Wildcats being outscored 207-21 in its last four games. When these two schools played the previous year, Morenci won 63-0. 

Tonight, Coach Pete Schermerhorn said the Falcons put together a better performance. 

“Tonight, we made huge strides,” he said. “I’m proud of the way these guys played.”

Fountain Hills took the first lead of the game on a 20-yard touchdown reception at the six-minute mark in the first quarter from senior wide receiver MJ Heaney. It was the Falcon's first lead in over a month. The Wildcats would then score two touchdowns before the Falcon’s quarterback and team captain, Logan Ledrew, ran for a 2-yard touchdown, giving Fountain Hills a 15-14 lead. 

A touchdown from Morenci running back Jeremya Cruz with two minutes left in the second quarter gave Morenci a 20-15 lead into halftime. 

After the half, the Wildcats took control of the game. 

Second-half turnovers were common for the Falcons. Three second-half interceptions from Ledrew, with one taken back for a touchdown, proved to be the ultimate difference. 

“We had some critical errors turning the football over. You just can’t do that,” Schermerhorn said. 

Despite losing 49-29, Coach Schermerhorn believed his team improved, especially the defense. 

“This is as hard-hitting a defense we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Schermerhorn said, adding that the defense’s physicality has been an emphasis in practice throughout the season.

Barnard also praised the physicality of the defense, giving them credit for setting the tone of the game.

“They weren’t doubling me, so we were able to sustain more success on offense,” Barnard said, who totaled well over 100 yards for the top seven highest receiving yard totals this season in Arizona. 

Before the action, Fountain Hills honored eight seniors and all four team captains, Logan Ledrew, Sam Barnard, Jack Boersma and Luis Leon with their families. It was the last time all eight seniors would play football at home for Fountain Hills. 

“It was rough for me out there just knowing it was my last time. You can’t get this from any other sport,” Barnard said. 

Ledrew agreed. He played with “all the emotion you can think of.”