Canyon del Oro locked up its 18th consecutive win Thursday night - and did so without running back Ka'Deem Carey.
"I don't think we're really too worried about what the streak is," CDO coach Dusty Peace said. "We just worry about each individual game."
Carey sat out the Dorados' 24-7 win over visiting Queen Creek to nurse several injuries from the first three weeks. He said he decided during school Thursday not to play but added it was difficult watching from the sideline.
"It was pretty tough just watching, but they made me and everyone in the crowd proud that they came out with the victory without me," Carey said afterward. "It was a statement that we can do it with or without me."
He said his goal is to be 100 percent by Oct. 1, when CDO plays at Scottsdale Saguaro.
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The top-ranked Dorados (4-0) struggled early against Queen Creek, the No. 5 team in the 4A-I power rankings.
Senior quarterback Jason McBrayer stepped up for CDO with a game-high 167 rushing yards. He bolted for a 40-yard touchdown in the opening drive to give CDO a 7-0 lead with 7:18 left in the quarter.
The Dorados found themselves knocking on the door minutes later. But running back Eddie Smith fumbled at the 2.
That set up a 98-yard drive by the Bulldogs. Queen Creek quarterback Adam Brzeczek connected with Jeff Black on a 23-yard touchdown to cap a 12-play drive.
"It's a little bit embarrassing to let them go 98 yards and score after that turnover," Peace said. "It was a huge momentum swing in the game."
CDO took a 10-7 lead with 5:42 left in the third when Tilghman Harvey kicked a 27-yard field goal.
Two minutes into the fourth quarter, CDO had the ball back and knew what it needed to do. On third-and-20, McBrayer hit Blake Martinez on an 18-yard pass. That set up fourth-and-two at the 3-yard line.
Rather than attempt a field goal, the Dorados went for it. McBrayer dived into the end zone under a defender on a sweep left. The score gave CDO a 17-7 lead with 2:19 left, nearly guaranteeing the victory.
"Coach saw that they didn't bring anybody to the left side and just said run it that way," McBrayer said. "I got over the line, but I lost the ball. I didn't know if they were going to count it."
CDO's Smith extended the lead to 24-7 after Queen Creek turned the ball over on downs on its own 3-yard-line.
Peace credited his defense down the stretch.
"We made some big plays defensively in the second half," he said.
