Yuma Catholic bucked out of postseason by Willcox

PHOENIX - Yuma Catholic made its run to the state semifinals with an overpowering rushing attack. The Shamrocks got a taste of what their opponents had felt all season long Saturday night.
 
Willcox running back Rudy Verdugo rushed for 167 yards and two touchdowns as the Cowboys defeated the Shamrocks 21-13 in the semifinals of the 2A State Playoffs at North Canyon High School in Phoenix.
 
Verdugo accounted for more than three quarters of Willcox's 214 yards of total offense.
 
The Shamrocks, who were carried through the first two rounds of the playoffs by Ed Harris, were unable to get much productivity from the senior running back.
 
Harris finished the game with 76 yards on 18 carries and two fumbles, each of which were recovered by Willcox.
 
"We didn't execute. We've got a lot of young kids and we got some bad breaks," Yuma Catholic coach Rhett Stallworth said. "A guy drops a ball and you're like 'Come on!' Then you get a couple fumbles from a running back that doesn't fumble all year. It's the breaks and it's not meant to be."
 
Yuma Catholic went three-and-out on its first possession and the second drive lasted just one play longer. The Shamrocks then gave up a fumble on the first play of the next series and an interception the following drive to end the first quarter.

"They were really physical," Yuma Catholic quarterback Julian Higuera said. "I think the O-line tried to stick it out, but Willcox got the best of us."
 
The Cowboys were only able to pick up seven points off the turnovers. Willcox attempted two fourth down conversions with two and four yards to go, but were unable to convert either of them.
 
It wasn't until Higuera's interception, which placed the Cowboys at the Shamrocks' 19-yard line, that the Cowboys were able to score.
 
The next drive was more of the same. Harris fumbled again on his first handoff and the Cowboys took over once more at the Shamrocks' 19.
 
"We just wanted to keep Higuera under control and keep Harris under control," Willcox coach Jim Hughes said. "We felt like they had to be stopped."
 
Verdugo took the handoff in from 6 yards out to cap the four-play drive and give the Cowboys a 14-0 lead.

"He's a tough runner, those plays he makes are all heart," Hughes said. "He had no blocking and got loose and took off."
 
The Shamrocks got back into the contest late in the second half after Verdugo fumbled the ball, which Yuma Catholic recovered at the Willcox 45-yard line.
 
With 1 minute 15 seconds left in the half, Higuera completed three passes and ran for 21 yards to lead YC down the field. His 9-yard pass to Tanner Mixon, with 6 seconds remaining, brought the Shamrocks within a score.
 
But Yuma Catholic's defense was unable to contain Verdugo, who touched the ball 11 times during the first 16 plays of the third quarter. He then ran the ball in from the 1-yard line to put Willcox ahead 21-7.
 
"Our 'D' was just sliding off him," Higuera said, who also plays corner for the Shamrocks. "That was the main thing, we just couldn't get a hold."
 
The Shamrocks took possession once again with 11:15. At that point, Stallworth pulled out the gadget play. Higuera dropped back and threw a lateral pass to Mixon, who had Brent Bash wide open down the sideline. Bash bobbled the ball before it fell to the ground.
 
"Momentum got killed when we dropped a wide-open touchdown," Stallworth said. "From there, I don't know, it's a dog fight."
 
The Shamrocks were able to get points off the drive as Higuera ran the ball in from the 25-yard line, but not until the 8-minute mark.

After forcing Willcox to punt, the Shamrocks were given one last drive to score, trailing 21-13 after a botched 2-point conversion.
 
After one completion to Mixon, Higuera was sacked on three consecutive plays, including fourth-and-4.
 
Higuera finished the game with 84 yards passing and 26 net yards rushing. Mixon totaled 59 yards on five catches.
 
"Maybe we shouldn't of been here at this point, but we're here because we fought hard and just didn't have it in them tonight," Stallworth said. "Our kids are great kids, they just got outplayed tonight."