Coronado rides balance to win

The phrase “team effort” is usually a cliche in sports.

On Friday, it was an apt description of the biggest win in the history of Coronado’s football program.

Coronado quarterback Kevin Lucero brought his accuracy, running backs Trevor Spina and Derrick Keller kept the chains moving on a game-clinching drive, and the Cougars’ defense was its usual suffocating self. It all added up to a 29-14 Coronado victory over host Green Valley in the semifinals of the Division I Sunrise Region playoffs.

“Everything went right for us,” Spina said. “We made mistakes here or there, but we came back and did what we had to do.”

Coronado (9-2) will visit Liberty (10-1) in the Sunrise Region title game at 1 p.m. next Saturday. Liberty eliminated Canyon Springs on Friday, 10-0.

Green Valley’s Christian Lopez threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Conor Perkins with 5 minutes, 55 seconds remaining, and Perkins’ extra point pulled the Gators to within 22-14.

But Coronado responded with a nine-play, 80-yard drive capped with a 4-yard TD run by Keller, and Chris Laliberte’s extra point gave the Cougars a 29-14 lead with 2:30 remaining.

Spina had four consecutive runs on the clinching drive, including rushes of 31, 17 and 7 yards. The senior was more than happy to watch Keller finish the drive, as well as the Gators (9-2).

“I would like to thank the whole team and Derrick Keller for finishing off my drive,” Spina said with a smile.

Green Valley lost a fumble on its ensuing possession to seal its fate, setting off chants of “Talich” from Coronado fans paying tribute to first-year coach Brad Talich.

The Cougars will play for their first region title next week.

“Green Valley’s a great football team,” Talich said. “For us to beat a very good football team like coach (Brian) Castro’s developed, it’s a big step for our program. You’ve got to give it to our kids and coaching staff; they did an excellent job of preparation this week.”

Coronado scored on its second snap, when Lucero fired a screen pass to Brock Taeubel, who rambled 78 yards down the right sideline for a touchdown.

Green Valley answered on its ensuing possession when Lopez threw a 28-yard touchdown strike to Markus Varner, but the Gators’ offense then was silenced until late in the fourth quarter.

Coronado avenged a 33-26 loss at Green Valley on Sept. 21.

“We corrected a lot of mistakes we made in the first game,” Talich said. “We changed some things up, and the kids were able to understand the game plan.

“Hats off to our defense, because that’s an explosive offense. Our defense is a senior-led defense, and they understand what we’re trying to get done. They sure executed tonight.”

Coronado held Green Valley to 283 yards.

“There’s not one specific part that’s good. I think our whole defense is good,” said Spina, also a defensive back. “We have a really amazing defense.”

Spina rushed for 117 yards on 16 carries, and Keller had 43 yards and two touchdowns on 13 rushes. Keller ran for 2 yards on a fourth-and-1 play from Green Valley’s 3-yard line early in the second quarter, and he scored on a 1-yard run on the next play to help the Cougars take a 19-7 lead.

“When you have the ability to rotate backs like we have, each one possesses a different thing,” Talich said.

Lucero, a senior, completed 12 of 17 passes for 192 yards. He connected with Taeubel three times for 129 yards.

Coronado also got a 7-yard touchdown run by Jackson Cofer and a 32-yard field goal from Laliberte in the first half.

Lopez went 9-for-17 for 165 yards and two touchdowns with an interception for Green Valley. Varner caught four passes for 68 yards.

Green Valley’s Gino Jonassaint rushed for 81 yards on 11 carries, all in the second half.