GLENDALE — Still feeling the full sting of falling 23-21 in the final two seconds of Saturday's 4A-I state championship game, Canyon del Oro coach Pat Nugent was asked during post-game interviews to look nine months into the future, to next year's kickoff.
And if there was anything that could ease his pain, it was the knowledge that everyone who found their way into the end zone for the Dorados in the title game will return to erase Saturday's memory.
"The reality is that a freshman, a sophomore and a junior scored all of our touchdowns today," said Nugent, "... and we were just seconds away from doing something really special."
CDO freshman running back Ka'Deem Carey, a highlight reel per touch, was the first to burn the Saguaro Sabercats.
With 6 minutes 24 seconds to play in the third quarter, Carey fielded a kickoff near his 9-yard line, took a flurry of strides straight ahead, then cut directly left toward the far sideline. The 15-year-old blazed past the initial line of would-be tacklers, and by the time he reached midfield, there was no one left in his path.
People are also reading…
"I knew I could get us back in it with a big return," said Carey. "I wanted to give us that spark we needed."
Ninety-one yards later, the Dorados were finally on the scoreboard.
"Everyone keeps wanting to say that (Carey) is just a freshman," said Saguaro coach John Sanders. "But he is just a real fast freshman. And there is no substitute for speed."
That score brought Canyon del Oro within three points of the defending champions at 10-7, breathing a dose of life into a team that was showing the body language of the already-defeated.
"No one wants to kick to (Carey)," said Nugent. "And after today, I don't know that he'll ever get another kickoff kicked to him again. He's that explosive."
Sophomore wide receiver-safety Josh Robbins was the next to make a serious impact on high school football's biggest stage.
Trailing 20-7 with just over five minutes left, CDO quarterback Daniel Nicholas lofted a pass in Robbins' direction, near the right corner of the end zone. Robbins left his feet to grab the ball at its peak, and was hit while in air, but still managed to keep his right foot in bounds for the 15-yard score.
"It was a perfect pass," said Robbins.
"The only thing I had to do was come down with it."
And at the 3:09 mark of the fourth quarter, junior running back Griffin Ronstadt gave the Dorados their only lead.
Ronstadt secured a handoff from Nicholas before making a precise cut in front of a lunging Sabercats defender on his way to the end zone — and a 21-20 advantage.
In the end, however, Saguaro negated the efforts of the Dorados youngsters in dramatic fashion, a field goal with two seconds left on the clock.
"It hurts right now," said Robbins, fighting tears. "But we will be back."
Related links:
