By Raymundo Frasquillo
MORENCI – Ninth-ranked Morenci (5-3 overall, 1-3 region, 5-3 seeding, 4.5858 rating) hosts 27th ranked Miami (3-6, 1-3, 3-6, minus 6.2532) for a 2A East Region and homecoming contest Friday, Oct. 20.
Photo By Raymundo Frasquillo: The 12th man should be in the house at Lawson Stadium as Morenci holds its homecoming game Friday, Oct. 20.
The Wildcats have posted a 16-4 record over Miami since 1972 and scored an average of 29-12 (574-235) or a 17-point margin per game over the Vandals.
Photo By Raymundo Frasquillo: Morenci junior Nathan Wright and freshman Trista Turner plus the rest of the cheerleaders are set to back the Wildcats.
Morenci had a string of eight consecutive wins before succumbing 32-40 during the 2015 homecoming contest and is 4-2 for homecoming with the Vandals as the opponent.
Since switching to the 2A class for the 1982 season, the Wildcats are 9-1 overall, 5-0 in region play, 2-1 in section play, 5-1 in Lawson Stadium, and 2-1 for homecoming against the Vandals.
“We should be at full strength,” first-year MHS head coach David Gallegos said.
The Wildcats have averaged a 32-24 (252-193) score per game or an 8-point margin this season compared to a 21-32 (192-287) score per game or an 11-point deficit for Miami.
Morenci’s wins have been 21-7 over Tonopah Valley (4-3 seeding, 0.6200 rating for No. 16 of 40), 32-26 over Benson (2-5, minus 3.4710 for No. 26), 47-13 over Willcox (4-4, 1.6603 for No. 14), 65-6 over San Carlos (2-6, minus 8.6882 for No. 32), and 69-14 over Tombstone (0-8, 0-3, 0-8, minus 15.1260).
The losses are 6-36 to Thatcher (7-1, 12.7745 for No. 3), 12-47 to Saint Johns (6-2, 6.6347 for No. 7), and 0-44 to Round Valley (8-0, 16.6473 for No. 1).
Miami has defeated Tombstone 54-16, Scottsdale Prep (0-8, minus 20.7630 for No. 40) 52-5, and San Carlos 32-18. The Vandals’ losses have been 12-44 to Pima (5-3, 2.6270 for No. 13), 6-26 to Whiteriver Alchesay (7-2, 3.9472 for No. 11), 12-40 to Globe (2-6, minus 4.7921 for D-III No. 27), 12-26 to San Manuel (6-2, 1.3003 for No. 15), 12-63 to Round Valley, and 0-48 to Saint Johns.
The rest of the 2A East Region standings are Round Valley first (4-0), Saint Johns second (4-1), Thatcher third (3-1), Pima fourth (2-2), and San Carlos seventh (0-5).
Round Valley hosts Pima and San Carlos hosts Thatcher in region play this week. Saint Johns hosts Ganado.
Morenci will have one game left in Lawson Stadium, Pima for parents’ night Oct. 27. The other remaining region pairings are Round Valley at Saint Johns and Thatcher at Miami. San Carlos hosts Chandler Arizona College Prep.
