Desert Mountain has gone a perfect 3-0 against Cactus recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Friday. The Wolves are taking a road trip to face off against the Cobras at 7:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Desert Mountain is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat Gilbert 54-8. The Wolves have beaten the Tigers the last three times they've met, but they better watch out: this was the closest the Tigers has come to flipping the script.
Easton Conner
| 11/07/25 vs Gilbert | 3 |
| 09/19/25 @ Mountain Pointe | 3 |
| 10/10/25 @ Ironwood Ridge | 2 |
| 10/03/25 vs Cactus Shadows | 2 |
| 09/26/25 @ Kellis | 2 |
| + 2 more games |
Easton Conner was his usual excellent self, rushing for 135 yards and three TDs on only seven carries, while also picking up 54 receiving yards. He is becoming a predictor of Desert Mountain's success: when he posts at least two rushing touchdowns the team is undefeated (and 2-3 when he doesn't). Grant Garduno was another major influence, as he rushed for two yards and ran in a TD.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Desert Mountain was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 237 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've managed all season.
Desert Mountain didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. It was truly a group effort as Braylon Wilkerson, Brolin Roberts, and Cole Yerman picked up one apiece. Another thorn in Gilbert's side was Davian Whitener, who made six total tackles (5.0 for loss).
Meanwhile, Cactus really took it to Sunrise Mountain for the full four quarters, racking up a 55-17 win. The Cobras pushed the score to 35-10 by the end of the third, a deficit the Mustangs had little chance of recovering from.
Cactus' win came from a few key players Desert Mountain will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Robert Bell, who picked up 137 receiving yards and four scores. Those four receiving touchdowns gave him a new career-high. Tevin Marrufo also helped with two touchdowns in total.
Desert Mountain's record is now 8-3. As for Cactus, their record now sits at 8-2.
Friday's game will pit two of the most dominant backs against one another: Conner and Nathaniel Linares. Conner just won't slow down this season and has run in 15 touchdowns while averaging 64.4 rushing yards per game. Linares has been a dominant force too and has run in 6 touchdowns while averaging 116.2 rushing yards per game.
Everything came up roses for Desert Mountain against Cactus in their previous meeting back in September of 2024, as the squad secured a 44-0 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Wolves since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
