D-VI FB: Pima trims Bagdad with strong 4th quarter

September 25, 2015 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365



Offense is omnipresent in Division VI and eight-man football. It was Friday night when unbeatens Pima and Bagdad battled for midseason supremacy.

The heroic effort in this one, however, belonged to Pima's defense late as it protected a two-point lead for 10 minutes of the fourth quarter. The Roughriders turned away three potential Bagdad scoring drives in the final period to come away with a nail-biting 40-38 win over the Sultans at Gilbert Christian High School. Pima avenged a 38-32 loss to Bagdad in the regular season last year and did so in this game that saw nine lead changes.

Pima (6-0), frustrated the post four seasons with tough playoff defeats, emerged the winner as its defense stopped three fourth-quarter possessions by Bagdad (5-1) with a red zone interception, on downs at its 28 and an ill-fated, perhaps blocked game-winning field goal attempt with 12 seconds left from 29 yards out. Pima managed to shut out Bagdad in the final quarter -- the only quarter a team failed  to put up points in the game. 

Pima coach Jace Hancock has been on the wrong end of tight games and was proud his team hung on the way it did.

"They had a different offense from last year, and they're really tough passing it," Hancock said. "They burned us a few times on guard eligible plays and with screen passes. We made some plays at the end. This is a real good one for us to win."

Pima trailed 38-32 heading to the fourth quarter and took the lead for good with the game's final touchdown with 10:05 to play. That TD was Pima senior running back Curtis Hancock's fourth tally of the game -- a 2-yard run. It tied the game at 38 and the Roughriders got the decisive two-points on the conversion as quarterback Parker Blair passed successfully to burly tight end Johny Boren.

Hancock scored on runs of 79 and 20 yards and also on 69-yard screen pass from Blair. Hancock finished with 156 yards on 21 carries. He added 73 yards on two catches. Blair had a good night, too. The senior rushed for 182 yards on 13 attempts, scoring on runs of 80 and 1 and passed for 124 yards. Blair had the interception that ended Bagdad's first drive in the fourth period.

Bagdad, the D-VI state champ in 2013 and runner-up to Mogollon last year, has undergone offensive revision this season. A ground and pound team last year with two quality backs and a senior quarterback, this year it's about speed and getting players in space. The Sultans were paced by a trio of Lovealls -- sophomore quarterback Israel, junior wide out Benjamin and senior lineman Jeremiah. Israel and Benjamin are brothers and Jeremiah is their cousin.

Israel Loveall threw five TD passes to run his season total to 28. Three of those TDs went to Benjamin, one to Jeremiah and the other to running back Devin Nelson. Israel Loveall was 24-of-49 for 392 yards. Benjamin Loveall caught eight passes for 159 yards. Nelson had six receptions for 107 yards.

"We made too many mistakes," Bagdad coach Dalton Mills said. "They were more disciplined than we were. We'll have to play better the next time. We're counting on there being a next time."

Pima has little time to enjoy this win. The Roughriders face unbeaten Valley Union next week and finish the regular season in mid-October vs. St. David, also currently undefeated. Bagdad has a good chance of winning out with three games left on its schedule.