Oree Foster
Staff Writer, AZPreps365.com

3A North, 2A North schools continue hunt for post-season play

October 11, 2018 by Oree Foster, AZPreps365


3A North Region and Little Colorado 2A North Region schools continue its quest for post-season football playoff berths tonight, as the regular season winds down.

3A North Region

Page (6-1, 2-0) at Ganado (4-3, 1-1) - 7 p.m.

The Page Sand Devils controls its own destiny in the 3A North Region.

Page travels to Burnside Junction to face the Ganado Hornets in a 3A North Region gridiron battle at 7 p.m. tonight.

Page and the Chinle Wildcats own an identical 2-0 mark in region play. Page manhandled the Window Rock Fighting Scouts, 94-0, last Friday in region action. Ganado defeated the Tuba City Warriors, 39-8, in region play last Friday.

Page head coach Mitchell Stephens said Ganado is a team to watch.

"Ganado has several athletes that can create big plays," Stephens said. "They're big up front and very balanced on offense."

Ganado head coach Connor Simmons said he knows Page will be strong on both sides of the ball.

"We know they are a great team," Simmons said. "They're coming off back-to-back games where they haven't allowed a touchdown and they have scored 160 points combined. We need to come ready to play physical, fast and aggressive."

Window Rock (3-4, 0-2) at Chinle (3-4, 2-0) - 6 p.m.

The Window Rock Fighting Scouts hopes to regroup after its disastrious 94-0 loss to the Page Sand Devils last Friday.

Window Rock and the Chinle Wildcats renew its gridiron rivalry, which dates back to the 1950's. The Fighting Scouts visits the Wildcats in Chinle at 7 p.m. tonight in a 3A North Region contest.

Chinle and Window Rock enter the contest with identical 3-wins, 4-losses in regular season. More importantly, the Wildcats have a 2-0 undefeated region record, while the Fighting Scouts are winless in two league games.

Meanwhile, Chinle edged the Kayenta Monument Valley Mustangs, 14-13, in a slugfest at Kayenta last Friday.

Chinle first-year head coach Alan Barwick said Window Rock will be ready after losing big at Page last Friday.

"They (Window Rock) have great coaches, who love the game and the community," Barwick said. "The Chinle / Window Rock game is a huge game for both sides. I expect a brutal fight against a much-improved and under-appreciated group of athletes."

Window Rock first-year head coach Wilbur Begay Jr. said the Fighting Scouts have to be ready to play four quarters of football and play until the whistle blows.

"We have a very tough Chinle team," Begay said. "We have our hands full. We will match up with them. It should be a good game."

Tuba City (1-6, 0-2) at Kayenta Monument Valley (2-5, 1-1) - 7 p.m.

It's homecoming in Kayenta for the Mustangs of Monument Valley.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. tonight in a 3A North Region gridiron battle between nearby rivals, Tuba City Warriors and Monument Valley.

Veteran Kayenta Monument Valley head coach Bryan Begay said the 3A North Region is a competitive league.

"Everybody (3A North Region) has really good players," Begay said. "Everybody in our league is very well-coached. So you have to be able to do it week-in and week-out in your preparation and your performance on the field. That's what makes it so difficult. I think certainly it is a big game for us....homecoming week."

Begay said Tuba City is vastly improved football team.  He said he sees the game as a great challenge.

"I think our guys are extremely excited about it because it is their homecoming game," he said. "They are trying to make waves of getting better each week. The number one thing, we have to do is believe that we can go in there Friday (tonight) and beat them so that when you truly believe in something then you come out and play your best."

Begay said what is important to the Mustangs is to play the best of their ability.

"If there is any disbelief at all, usually you underachieve and that's the main thing we can't do," Begay explained. "We need to play our best game to give us an opportunity to win."

He said the Mustangs have to prepare for Tuba City like any other opponent.

"They showed us on our scouting report they have an accurate passer and he was able to execute their offense at a very high level," Begay said. "You have to be able to prepare for them. They have some athletes that play hard every single play. That is what I'm impressed with. We've been working on it, watching video and breaking things down since Monday."

First-year Tuba City head coach Floyd Haven said he doesn't know much about Kayenta Monument Valley, but the Warriors will play hard football for 32 minutes.

"Tuba City versus Monument Valley is always a rivalry, no matter what sport," Haven said. "Coach (Bryan) Begay will have his team ready. MV will be disciplined on both sides of the ball. We will be ready for the challenge. It will be a typical TC / MV game, hard-hitting and low scoring. The team that makes fewer mistakes will win the football game."

Little Colorado 2A North Region

Rock Point (1-6, 1-3) at Pinon (2-6, 2-2) - 7 p.m.

The Rock Point Cougars and the Pinon Eagles square off tonight at 7 p.m. in Pinon in a Little Colorado 2A North Region ball game.

Rock Point dropped a 59-0 decision to the Alchesay Falcons in region action last Friday. Meanwhile, Pinon lost to unbeaten Red Mesa, 60-0, in region play last Friday.

"We will try and regoup and lay down discipline and the law for Rock Point at home tonight," said Pinon head coach Brad Burghart.

Red Mesa (7-0, 4-0) at Valley Sanders (1-5, 1-3) - 7 p.m.

Red Mesa puts its unbeaten record on the line, when they play at Sanders against the Pirates tonight at 7 p.m. in a Little Colorado 2A North Region contest.

Head coach Pita Olomua said his players play Red Mesa football every time they hit the field.

"The kids play four quarters of football....they play hard on both sides of the ball for 32 minutes," Olomua said. "No matter who we play, we respect our opponent. We do not look past anyone. The kids have bought into Red Mesa football program."

First-year Valley Sanders head coach Patrick Boone said Red Mesa is strong and filled with talent.

"They (Red Mesa) is one of the toughest team we will play this year, besides Alchesay," Boone said. "They (Red Mesa) are very well-coached. Head coach Pita Olomua has built a powerhouse and doing one heck-of-job reloading every year. "They are very sound on offense and defense. They play very hard on each down. This will be a tough test for us to see how far we need to go to be at their level."