The Maryvale Panthers will take on the Carl Hayden Community Falcons at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Maryvale has been dominant on offense recently, having racked up an incredible 148 points over their last three games.
Maryvale's defense heads into the matchup hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Thursday. They breezed past Alhambra to the tune of 74-0. The Panthers' offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.
Messan Alokpovi went supernova, throwing for 338 yards and seven TDs on only 18 passes, while also rushing for 51 yards and one score on only five carries. Julien Alokpovi was Messan's top target, picking up 157 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Maryvale's defense stepped up as well, laying out the QB three times. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: Alokpovi, Tariq Hannah, and Noah Hamilton, who each picked up one sack apiece.
Meanwhile, Carl Hayden Community came up short against North Canyon on Friday and fell 34-22. The loss continues a trend for the Falcons in their meetings with the Rattlers: they've now lost three in a row.
Maryvale will have to contain Mekhi Wright as he made an impact in Carl Hayden Community's last game. He picked up 85 receiving yards and one score, and also rushed for 51 yards and one TD. Wright was no stranger to the big play, turning on the jets for a run that went for 58 yards. Another player making a difference was Damiani Mitchell, who rushed for 72 yards and one touchdown.
Carl Hayden Community didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Wright and Elijah Evans. Aj Padilla was another major factor on D, picking up a sack and making 14 total tackles.
Maryvale pushed their record up to 4-4 with the win, which was their third straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 49.0 points over those games. As for Carl Hayden Community, their defeat dropped their record down to 2-6.
Maryvale took a serious blow against Carl Hayden Community in their previous matchup back in October of 2022, falling 56-6. Thankfully for the Panthers, Jaime Zayas (who rushed for 118 yards and four scores on only 15 carries) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? There's only one way to find out.
