Football Recap: Tonopah Valley Starts Season with Defeat on the Road

Tonopah Valley had to hit the road for their first game and it wasn't the result they were hoping for. They came up short against the Odyssey Institute Minotaur on Friday, falling 25-0. The Phoenix were given a dose of their own medicine in this game as the Minotaur apparently hadn't forgotten their defeat the last time these teams played back in September of 2024.

Phoenix

Sacks

Sir-jessie Caldwell	3
Corey Webb Jr.	3
Damian Acosta	2

Even if they lost, Tonopah Valley's defense still kept up the pressure with eight sacks. Sir-Jessie Caldwell and Corey Webb Jr. were the leaders of the group effort as each produced three apiece. Caldwell is also on a roll when it comes to total tackles, as he's now made seven or more in each of the last three games he's played dating back to last season.

A big part of Odyssey Institute's victory came down to the chemistry between Logan Stanton and his top target Angelo Avina. Stanton threw for 191 yards and one TD on only 17 passes while Avina picked up 101 receiving yards and one score. Avina was even better on defense, making four total tackles (2.0 for loss) and defending one pass in addition to snagging two interceptions.

Tonopah Valley has already played their next game, a 44-0 loss against Scottsdale Christian Academy on the 29th. As for Odyssey Institute, they also didn't take long to hit the field again: they've already played their next match, a 13-12 win against Winslow on the 29th.