Win provides relief for emotionally drained Green Valley

The Gators have spent the past two weeks on the emotional roller coaster after senior LaQuan Phillips suffered a bruised spine in a game against Centennial on Sept. 5.

But on Friday night in the Southeast League opener, host Green Valley used a strong defensive effort and came up with just enough offense for an 18-7 win over Foothill.

It was the first home game and victory for the Gators (2-2 overall, 1-0 Southeast League) since Phillips’ injury. The senior continues to recover at Northern California Shriners Hospital in Sacramento.

“Coming off the last couple of weeks has got the team down,” Green Valley senior receiver Kyle Larimer said. “LaQuan has been our main focus. We’re playing the rest of the season for LaQuan, so this felt good. We let the shutout slip away at the end, but we’re tied for the division lead, which is always good.”

Senior Quincy Bagsby rushed for 49 yards and a score and senior Derrick Garrett added 44 yards for the Gators, but it was the defense that was the story against Foothill (2-2, 0-1).

Falcons running back Algernon Sewell, who was coming off a 219-yard performance in last week’s blowout win over Mojave, was limited to 72 yards. Foothill was held to 198 yards.

“The defense did a fantastic job,” Gators coach Matt Gerber said. “They shut down a very good running game. For our defense to step up the way they did is a big job.”

Green Valley took control early, marching 56 yards in six plays on the opening possession of the game. Bagsby reeled off a 19-yard run and capped it off the drive with a 29-yard touchdown run less than 3 minutes in for a 6-0 lead. Bagsby’s interception then set up a 35-yard field goal by Nolan Kohorst that made the score 9-0.

Larimer’s 35-yard punt return gave the Gators great field position once again in the second quarter — Green Valley’s average starting field position in the first half was the Falcons’ 48-yard line . The senior finished off the drive by taking a lateral 22 yards for a 15-0 lead at halftime.

“They showed in the first half they had a lot more emotion. They came out with a purpose,” Foothill coach Marty Redmond said. “They kicked our butt that first series.”

Foothill’s offense continued to struggle and the Falcons were forced to throw 21 times in the second half. The bruising, 210-pound Sewell had just 10 yards on nine carries after halftime.

“We hurt ourselves all night on offense,” Redmond said. “When you get behind and you’re making mistakes at the same time you can’t be successful.”

Foothill managed to break the shutout with 27 seconds left in the game as quarterback Aaron Dupin hit Connor Afoa for an 8-yard score after the Falcons recovered a fumble deep in Green Valley territory.

The shutout was lost, but that didn’t seem to matter to a team that needed an emotional boost.

“The last time we were on this field was when it happened,” Gerber said, referring to Phillips’ injury during the 24-20 loss to Centennial. “I heard a fire truck go by at one point (Friday) and my mind flashed back to that night.

“We wanted to get one last week (against Arbor View). It’s been weighing heavy on our minds. This is good for him and for the guys.”