FLORENCE, AZ — The Pima Roughriders flexed their dominance on both sides of the ball Friday night, crushing ALA Anthem South 58-7 in a performance marked by explosive offense, special teams brilliance, and suffocating defense.
Pima wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, with senior running back Jeremiah Martinez breaking through the ALA Anthem South defense for a 17-yard touchdown run early in the first quarter. Martinez, who would go on to score three touchdowns in the game, set the tone for what would be a dominant night for the Roughriders.
Quarterback Cedrick Grimes then added to the lead, connecting with Martinez on a 45-yard touchdown pass later in the first quarter, as Pima surged ahead to a commanding early advantage.
Pima’s special teams also played a critical role. Jaxon Mcbiles wowed the crowd with two punt return touchdowns—one for 50 yards in the first quarter and another for 48 yards late in the second, giving the Roughriders a commanding 44-0 halftime lead. Mcbiles was a force all game, contributing 135 punt return yards and even rushing for a successful two-point conversion in the second quarter.
Pima’s ground game continued to pound away in the second half, with Joe Palmer rushing for two touchdowns, including a 39-yard run in the third quarter and a 10-yard scamper in the fourth. The Roughriders racked up 281 rushing yards, led by Martinez’s 166 yards on just nine carries, averaging 18.4 yards per carry.
ALA Anthem South struggled to gain any momentum, finishing the night with negative rushing yards (-29) and just 41 passing yards. Their lone score came late in the fourth quarter, when Jayden Rosemond returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown to avoid the shutout. The Roughriders tallied three sacks, forced two fumbles, and blocked a punt in a relentless defensive effort.
With this win, Pima improved to 5-1 on the season, while ALA Anthem South dropped to 2-5. Pima will look to keep their momentum going as they host Scottsdale Christian this Friday night at home.
