Football Recap: Gilbert Starts Season with Victory on the Road

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Previous 3 Games

08/29/25 - Away	35-20 W
09/28/17 - Home	47-68 L
09/30/16 - Away	7-41 L

Gilbert had to travel to play their first game of the season, but the final result was worth the trip. They strolled past the Desert Ridge Jaguars with points to spare on Friday, taking the game 35-20. For the Tigers, this counts as revenge for the 68-47 victory the Jaguars walked away with the last time they faced one another back in September of 2017.

Leading Gilbert to victory were Jonathan Guy and Julian Mapalo. Guy rushed for 98 yards and two TDs, while Mapalo rushed for 160 yards and one touchdown while picking up 10.0 yards per carry.

Gilbert's run defense was locked in: Desert Ridge could only muster 3.2 yards per carry. The team can thank Jaymin King for the heroic effort on defense: he. Gilbert didn't have any issues in that department, having averaged seven.

Gilbert didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Denim Smith and Landyn Petterson.

When it comes to explaining why Desert Ridge lost, don't look at Gage Highsmith. Despite the final result, he picked up 172 receiving yards and a pair of scores. Highsmith was no stranger to the big play, cutting upfield on a catch that went for 51 yards.

Looking ahead, Gilbert will square off against McClintock at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. As for Desert Ridge, they will face off against Westwood at 7:00 p.m. on Friday.