Turnovers doom Cactus Shadows in blowout loss
MARC BUCKHOUT ~MANAGING EDITOR ~ 10/12/2011

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After opening the season with four straight losses the Cactus Shadows varsity football team took two steps forward with victories over Prescott and then Goldwater heading into Thursday’s matchup with Horizon.
Against the Huskies (4-3), all the issues that plagued the Falcons in their slow start to the season resurfaced in a decisive 49-15 loss that saw Cactus Shadows step back into the hole, dropping to 2-5 on the season.
As they have all season, the Falcons found themselves fighting from behind from the word go as the Huskies marched 62 yards in seven plays on the opening drive, needing only 3:16 to take the lead for good.
A drive highlighted by a 21-yard run also saw the Huskies convert a 4th-and-5 with an 18-yard pass and then finish it off with a 6-yard touchdown run by junior Charlie Quinn.
Cactus Shadows would respond with an impressive-looking running game. Opening their first drive with 10 consecutive runs the Falcons moved from their own 14 to the Huskies 37, converting a 4th-and-1 from their own 48 in the process.
Following consecutive incomplete passes the Falcons faced 4th-and-7 from the Huskies 37. After a timeout the Falcons elected to go for it again. This time junior quarterback Bryce Kinsler attempted to find Connor Cozen over the middle. Instead Horizon’s Josh Glidden picked off the pass and returned the interception 75 yards for a touchdown.
Having bounced back from a six-interception performance against Queen Creek by throwing five touchdowns against one interception the next two weeks Kinsler struggled once again.
The Glidden pick would be one of three overall for the junior and one of two returned for a touchdown by a member of the Huskies secondary.
Down 14-0 the Falcons once again put together an impressive drive, marching from their own 23 down to the Huskies 5-yardline.
On 2nd-and-goal Kinsler tried to go to Cozen in the corner of the end zone, but the late throw was intercepted by Huskies defensive back Ryan Neel at the goal line. Neel would cash in on the mistake, returning the ball 100 yards for a touchdown.
Despite falling behind 21-0 the Falcons offense came up with another march, this time capitalizing on their success with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Kinsler to junior Matt Hartlen with 5:13 remaining in the half.
Set to receive the second half kickoff the Falcons had a chance to get back in the game if they could get a defensive stop before the half.
Instead the Huskies returned the ensuing kickoff to the Falcons 30 and scored on the very next play.
The third interception of the half for Kinsler followed and the Huskies took advantage, scoring again. By the half the score was 35-7 in favor of the visitors. Kinsler spent the second half with an ice bag on his hand as R.J. Anderson, normally the team’s top running back, filled in at quarterback.
The Falcons (2-5) will look to rebound when they head back on the road to face 3-4 Notre Dame at 7 p.m. Friday.
BOULDER CREEK
In Anthem, the Jaguars bounced back from a 13-10 loss to Mountain Ridge with a 23-20 win over North Canyon (4-3) to improve to 5-2 on the season.
A week after setting the school’s record for longest interception return for a touchdown, an 80-yard return for a score, in the team’s loss to Mountain Ridge, junior Isaiah Huston almost matched that effort with a 76-yard return for a score in the final minutes to earn the Jaguars a win, completing a comeback from a 20-8 first half deficit.
Huston also caught a 43-yard touchdown pass from senior Trevor Bonifasi.
Up next for the Jaguars is a showdown with 7-0 Pinnacle, a 22-20 win over Mountain Ridge on Thursday. The 7 p.m. Friday game is the regular season home finale for the Jaguars. The Jaguars, who sit at No. 7 in the Div-I power ratings, will challenge the Pioneers, who sit at No. 3.