Aggies pounce quickly in win over Diamondbacks
If there were any worries about a sandwich game Thursday for Arbor View — after last week’s three-overtime win over Coronado and before next week’s annual Battle of the Bulls at Legacy — they were quickly squashed.
Senior Charles Louch took the opening kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown. Roughly five minutes later, Herman Gray scored his first of two touchdowns for the Aggies, rumbling in from 15 yards out.
And after holding Desert Oasis on its next possession, Maurice Harvey returned a punt 65 yards for a score as the No. 3 Aggies jumped out to a 21-point lead in the first quarter en route to a 42-20 home victory.
“We knew after the big game last week that, could this be a letdown week,” Arbor View coach Dan Barnson said. “But the kids battled, the kids played hard, but so did (Desert Oasis).
“We got a lot of kids playing time tonight, and you get better when you do that, and that’s what it’s all about.”
The Aggies (5-0, 1-0 Northwest League) got 267 yards rushing from nine different running backs, including Gray, who rushed for 103 yards on 10 carries.
“The running game starts with the (offensive) line, obviously, their aggressiveness,” Gray said. “Without the holes, the score wouldn’t have been the same.”
After falling behind by three touchdowns in the first quarter, the Diamondbacks (0-5, 0-1) battled back in the second. Quarterback Qwade Huff plunged in from 2 yards out and later hooked up with Alec Gomez for a 79-yard catch-and-run TD reception to cut Arbor View’s lead to 21-13.
But the Aggies answered immediately as Louch’s 62-yard kickoff return set up Arbor View at the Diamondbacks’ 26-yard line. Three plays later, quarterback Bryce Poster hit Mitchell Durkee for a 15-yard score to push the lead back to double digits.
The Aggies’ Tyreace Smith recovered a fumble during Desert Oasis’ next drive, and Arbor View needed only three plays to capitalize. Gray broke free for his second rushing TD, this time from 46 yards out, to give the Aggies a 35-13 lead.
Arbor View’s Quamaree Harris contributed with 76 yards rushing on five carries, while Poster went 3-for-10 passing.
Huff finished 9-for-24 for 218 yards, while Gomez rushed for 79 yards to lead the Diamondbacks.