D-V football: Tempe Prep punishes Arizona Lutheran

September 11, 2015 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


 

A normal meeting between Tempe Prep and Arizona Lutheran Academy in football goes down to the wire or at least the outcome is in doubt in the final period. Friday night's game was a rare exception when the two D-V powers collide.

Tempe Prep's punishing ground game put up 21 points in the opening quarter and the Knights went on to an easy 47-0 triumph at Arizona Lutheran.

Tempe Prep (2-2), coming off two tough losses to D-IV Northwest Christian and Snowflake, was intent on doing what it does best -- running the ball and playing physical defense. That plan came off to near perfection in this one. Tempe Prep rushed for 361 yards and limited ALA to 108 yards for the game.

This was the sixth meeting between the teams since 2009 and they are now even at 3-3. The previous five meetings were decided by 10 points or less and were all low scoring.

"I thought we controlled the line of scrimmage for the most part," Tempe Prep coach Thomas Brittain said. "I knew if we could battle the teams we just played without any serious injury we would be in good shape. With tonight, I like the direction we're going in."

Tempe Prep's rushing game was paced by the trio of Isaiah Brittain, Jacob Matsumoto and Ahmad Jones. Isaiah Brittain rushed for 101 yards on five carries and scored two touchdowns (runs of 35 yards and 52 yards). He didn't have a touch in the second half. Brittain also had a first-half interception that set up the Knights' fourth touchdown in the second perood.

Matsumoto also tallied twice (runs of 44 and 3) and finished with 102 yards on nine attempts. Jones got his only score in the second half. He carried 14 times for 82 yards.

 Also scoring for Tempe Prep were starting quarterback Gabe Lebeau on a 10-yard run late in the third period and backup quarterback Max Rich on a 1-yard sneak to conclude the scoring in the first minute of the final quarter.

"Having three running backs is really important for us," Thomas Brittain said. "I'm a running coach, and we're always trying to develop running backs. It enables us to play the way we like to. Not relying on one back is critical because there are going to be injuries."

ALA never established much offensively and was constantly battling poor field position. The Coyotes tried a short kickoff to open the game that set Tempe Prep up at its 49. Tempe Prep's possessions after that began in order at its 48, its 48, ALA's 45, its 45, ALA's 48, ALA's 22 and its 41.

ALA rushed for 53 yards and passed for 55. ALA completed just 5 of 23 passes. A mix of good coverage and several dropped passes led to the low total through the air. Gabe Galvan had four catches for 44 yards. The Coyotes rushing game was stymied from start to finish with one rush for double-digit yardage (10 yards to open the third period). Leading rusher Tremell Carson was limited to 17 yards on six carries. Carson was shaken up in the third quarter and did not return. ALA also turned the ball over three times -- all three were interceptions. Its deepest penetration was to the Tempe Prep 29 in the second quarter.