Apodaca's late scramble, defensive stops, lead football past Phoenix. 21-10
MESA, AZ – A late scrambling, 41-yard TD run by quarterback Austin Apodaca, pictured right, (So., Longmont, Colo/Silver Creek H.S.), combined with several huge fourth-down plays by the defense, helped lift the Mesa football team to a 21-10 WSFL football victory over Phoenix Saturday at John D. Riggs Stadium.
Faced with a fourth-and-six situation at the Bears' 41-yard line and just over two minutes to play, Apodaca ran nearly from sideline to sideline before squeezing into a corner of the end zone to lift MCC to a 21-10 lead.
Meanwhile, the T-Bird defense came up big a number of times.
After MCC went in front 14-10 on a seven-yard TD pass from Apodaca to Garrette Craig (So., Phoenix, AZ/Mountain Pointe H.S.), which was set up by a 25-yard pass from Apodaca to Marquise Coleman (So., Denver, Colo/Eagle Crest H.S.), PC drove deep into Mesa territory.
The Bears had a first-and-goal at the Mesa five, but were stopped by the MCC defense, forcing a 20-yard field goal attempt that was missed by Ian Pietenik.
Four plays later Mesa attempted a fourth-and-one at its own 29 but was stopped short. PC reached the Thunderbird 21-yard line but was stopped a yard short on fourth-and-two.
Later in the fourth quarter Phoenix drove from its own 49 to the MCC 19 but was again thwarted on fourth-and-one.
That set up the Mesa eight-play drive that was capped by Apodaca's scamper.
After a scoreless first quarter, MCC took a 7-0 lead on a 76-yard drive culminated by a one-yard TD run by Carlton Williams (So., Avondale, AZ/Warren Central H.S.).
PC answered with an 81-yard march of its own with Isaiah Huston tossing a 35-yard TD to Israel Simpson.
That's the way it stood at halftime.
Phoenix scored on its first possession of the second half on a 22-yard field goal by Pietenik, but Mesa answered by going 52-yards ended with the TD pass to Craig.
Unofficially, Apodaca was 19-28 for 163 yards with Craig catching five balls for 67 yards, Chett Levay (Fr., Tampa, Fla/Sickles H.S.) four worth 44 yards and Tyler Eggers (So., Chandler, AZ/Hamilton H.S.) four for 18 yards.
Coleman racked up 146 yards on 33 carries.
The win improves Mesa to 1-2 on the season. PC is 0-3.
Mesa travels to meet Pima next Saturday in Tucson at 7:00 p.m.
Other WSFL scores:
Snow 24, Arizona Western 7
New Mexico Military 45, Pima 38
Eastern Arizona 59, Everett (Wash) 0
Glendlae-Scottsdale late, weather delays