The Carl Hayden Community Falcons will head out on the road to face off against the Maryvale Panthers at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Carl Hayden Community has given up an average of 31.5 points per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
On Friday, Carl Hayden Community came up short against North Canyon and fell 34-22. The Falcons have struggled against the Rattlers recently, as the game was their third consecutive lost matchup.
Carl Hayden Community might have lost, but man, Mekhi Wright was a machine: he picked up 85 receiving yards and one score, and also rushed for 51 yards and one TD. Wright showed off some serious burst, turning on the afterburners on one carry for 58 yards. Damiani Mitchell was another key player, rushing 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. Another thorn in North Canyon's side was Aj Padilla, who picked up a sack and made 14 total tackles.
Meanwhile, Maryvale waltzed into their game on Thursday with two straight wins... but they left with three. They simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat the Lions 74-0. The contest marked the Panthers' most dominant win of the season.
Maryvale found their leader in sophomore Messan Alokpovi, who threw for 338 yards and seven TDs on only 18 passes, and also rushed for 51 yards and one score on only five carries. A healthy portion of Alokpovi's aerial production (136 yards to be exact) went to Miles Woods, who also brought in two receiving touchdowns.
One reason for the win was Maryvale's imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for three sacks. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: Julien Alokpovi, Tariq Hannah, and Noah Hamilton, who each picked up one sack apiece.
The victory got Maryvale back to even at 4-4. As for Carl Hayden Community, their defeat dropped their record down to 2-6.
Everything came up roses for Carl Hayden Community against Maryvale when the teams last played back in October of 2022, as the squad secured a 56-6 win. Will the Falcons repeat their success, or do the Panthers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
