Football Recap: Verrado Comes Up Short at Home Against Horizon + How To Watch

Verrado unfortunately couldn't capitalize on their home-field advantage in their season opener. They came up short against the Horizon Huskies on Friday, falling 44-23. The matchup was up for grabs at halftime, but sadly the Vipers struggled afterwards.

When it comes to explaining why Verrado lost, don't look at Carter Bliss. Despite the final result, he picked up 124 receiving yards and a pair of scores. Bliss was no stranger to the big play, lighting up the secondary with a catch that went for 55 yards. The team also got some help courtesy of Malachi Wilt, who threw for 291 yards and two TDs.

Verrado didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Adrian Ochoa and Blake Bliss. Bliss got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.

Horizon's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Bodie Zamorano, who rushed for 202 yards and one touchdown while picking up 10.6 yards per carry. Those 202 rushing yards gave Zamorano a new career-high. Another player making a difference was James Klopfenstien, who gained 106 total yards and three touchdowns.

Verrado and Horizon should be looking forward to their upcoming games as both have a sizable advantage in the MaxPreps Arizona Rankings. The Vipers (ranked 41st) will meet West Point (ranked 143rd) at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Meanwhile, Horizon will face off against Apollo at 7:00 p.m. on Friday with a big rank advantage (18 vs. 61).