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Rivalry games can be great season-openers.
But in Friday night’s ‘Battle of the River Rock’ high school football game between Tolleson at Avondale Agua Fria, it was a disappointment the latter team would like to forget for their first game in two seasons.
The Owls (1-0) hooted loudly as they cruised to a 28-6 win over the Wolverines.
Agua Fria’s rivalry with Tolleson dates back to the 1940s, and their annual Battle of the River Rock game is usually near the start of both team’s regular season schedules. The River Rock is football-shaped stone painted with both team’s school colors, which is a bragging right item to be held for one year by the game’s winner. They’ve been exchanging the stone for nearly 50 years.
More: Beyond the Gridiron: Tolleson
The Owls lost in their previous matchup to Tolleson, 10-7, on Aug. 30, 2019. They weren’t able to compete against Tolleson High, which is about five miles away from the Agua Fria campus, because the Tolleson Union High School District canceled its sports programs during the 2020-21 academic year because of the area’s high COVID-19 metrics.
Friday’s game had a lot of sloppy plays and a litany of fumbles and penalties between both teams, but mostly by Tolleson.
“Both teams (had) first-game jitters, playing for the River Rock and a lot at stake,” Agua Fria head coach George Martinez said.
On Agua Fria’s first play of the game around the 10 minute mark, the Owls starting senior quarterback Angel Soto attempted a screen pass from their own 27-yard line, which was caught and then bobbled by one of its wide receivers. The loose ball was fumbled, which Tolleson junior defensive back Clinton Moindi picked up and ran in for the game’s first touchdown. That extra point was no good and the Wolverines were up, 6-0.
“Just miscommunication with the quarterback and the running back,” Agua Fria senior wide receiver/backup QB Brian Fullwood said. “We just came on the sideline, coaches talked us, we kind of got in our heads, we calmed down, we did what we had to do.”
Agua Fria redeemed its mistake in their next series with their ground game within five minutes later. The Owls’ junior fullback Brady Salines rushed for 35 yards down to the Tolleson 43, and they eventually got into the red zone on several other run plays. Agua Fria got down second-and-goal when Soto rushed for his team’s first TD into the right corner. Then, after a fumbled snap, and senior running back Jovonte Trimble was handed the recovered ball by Soto and scored a two-point to lead Tolleson 8-6.
Both team’s didn’t score for the rest of the first half, which ended with two consecutive sacks by Tolleson senior linebacker Jorge Delgado on Soto.
“At halftime, I said, ‘We’re not gonna win 8-6,'” Martinez said. “And we made some adjustments in some of our run game and our linemen are young. One senior, all sophomores, one junior one freshman. I said, ‘You gotta grow up or you’re not gonna win.” And I thought they blocked better in the second half, our running backs ran real hard, our little quarterback (Soto) is gonna be good. He made some big mistakes, but he’ll be alright.”
The second half was dominated by Agua Fria as Tolleson had trouble with their passing game.
Tolleson heavily relied on their junior running back Marcus Hernandez and Moindi to get downhill into Agua Fria territory. The Wolverines starting quarterback junior Tommy Cravens went 3-of-9 on his passes before he was substituted by senior QB Michael Johannes (1-of-7) late in the third quarter.
That switch didn’t help Tolleson’s game plan as Agua Fria’s offense had its way with the Wolverines.
The top play of the game was when Soto threw a 41-yard pass caught by senior WR/DB Kai Boykins on third-and-9 near the midpoint of third quarter. That play set up first-and-goal, which Trimble rushed in a five-yard TD at the 7:09 minute mark, and the extra point put Agua Fria up, 15-6.
The rout continued in the final period as Fulwood ran in the Owls’ third TD of the game, a 2-yd TD rush with a good extra point to lead Tolleson, 22-6.
Agua Fria’s victory was sealed when Michael Johannes threw an interception, which turned into a pick-six caught by Agua Fria senior LB Luis Lomeli, who ran it back down the flat next to the Owls’ sideline for 55 yards at the 1:56 minute mark.
Up next
Tolleson will play its first home game against Phoenix Sandra Day O’Connor, Friday at 7 p.m.
Agua Fria remains at home for their next game against Phoenix Barry Goldwater, Friday at 7 p.m.
Have tips for us? Reach the reporter at [email protected] or at 480-486-4721. Follow his Twitter @iam_DanaScott.
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