North kicked off their season on the road on Thursday and hit a couple of potholes. They took a 34-25 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Paradise Valley Trojans. The Mustangs gained 140 more yards on the day, but it was the Trojans that made the best use of them.
Despite the loss, North still got an impressive performance from Mareon Davis, who rushed for 152 yards and two scores while picking up 9.5 yards per carry. The Mustangs also got help from Xavier Gracia, who showed off his sure hands for 84 receiving yards.
North didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Gracia and Tyler Richmond.
Paradise Valley's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Aarush Behera led the charge by throwing for 177 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for 70 yards on only nine carries. Alonzo Gonzales was Behera's top target, picking up 70 receiving yards and a pair of TDs.
Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. North will challenge Casa Grande at 7:00 p.m. on September 5. As for Paradise Valley, they will face off against Tolleson at 7:00 p.m. on September 5.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
