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Loss to Eloy ends season for Bears
By Sean Higgins
Staff Writer
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Staff photo by Sean Higgins, Seth Ellis looks upfield during last Friday’s game against Eloy Santa Cruz. Ellis will return to next year’s squad.
It marked the first Bear loss against Santa Cruz since 1990, breaking the Dust Devils’ 18-game losing streak to Coolidge, as well as bumping the Bears out of a playoff position.
Going into the contest, CHS was within the 16 teams slated for the playoffs, tied at 14. But after the loss, the Bears fell to 19, ending the season.
The win wasn’t good enough though for the Dust Devils, who just missed a playoff birth, finishing the season 17th in power points.
The contest began slowly, with a near scoreless first quarter. CHS struck first with just 25 seconds left to play in the first, on a two-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Justin Rico to Seth Ellis. The ensuing PAT was good from Frankie Luna giving the Bears a 7-0 advantage.
But the Dust Devils weren’t about to lay down, having a big second quarter recording three scores. The last was a 60-yard jaunt to paydirt, after a CHS fumble was recovered by Santa Cruz.
The defensive touchdown came midway through the second quarter, and gave the Dust Devils its first lead of the game.
But the Bears fought back and on his second touchdown pass of the game, Rico connected and put the Bears ahead with a mere 44 seconds left in the first half, giving the Bears a one-point advantage, 14-13.
The CHS lead wouldn’t last long though, as the Dust Devils connected on the very next play from scrimmage, on a 67-yard touchdown with only 37 seconds left in the half, and a 19-14 lead after a botched PAT attempt.
Both squads recorded scores early in the second half and the Bears continued to play from behind.
A 41-yard rush from Tone Hooker would leave the Bears only one touchdown behind, 27-21, but would be the closest CHS would get after the Dust Devils opened up and ran with the lead.
Santa Cruz went on to record four more scores before the buzzer, and Coolidge only two, leaving playoff hopes in the dark and the season at a close.
The Bears finished the season at 4-6 overall with a 2-5 region performance, and with a relatively young team and new coaching staff should be a team to watch for in the years to come.
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