ASDB/St. Augustine Wins Final Home Game
by Andy Morales on Oct.22, 2009, under Sports
ASDB/St. Augustine Wins Final Home Game
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There were no marching bands, no cheerleaders, no painted bodies, no mascots, no TV stations, no print media and no concession stands……and I loved it.
Arizona Schools for the Deaf and Blind/St. Augustine defeated Ajo at home last night 18-16 in a classic 8-man football game.
The two schools combined their forces again due to small numbers of athletes at both schools. St. Augustine travels everyday to ASDB for practice and when the two teams are on the field one cannot tell which is which.
It becomes very clear from the opening kickoff, however, that their achievements belong in the sports pages like all other high school athletes rather than buried on page four in some human-interest section.
I didn’t know what to make of only 8 men playing a game where 11 usually play. The only difference was the use of 4 linemen. The other so-called “skilled” position appeared to remain intact.
I also didn’t know what to make of the first two minutes and 12 seconds of the game.
ASDB/SA took the opening drive down to the 17-yard line before they fumbled the ball away. Ajo fumbled it back on the next play. Starting QB Mike Lucio had the ball taken from his hands on the very next play by Ajo’s QB/DB Isaac Manuel.
Three fumbles in a little over two minutes on three consecutive plays made me wonder if it was going to be a long night.
Manuel returned the third turnover 69 yards to the 14-yard line. He eventually ran the ball in from 6 yards out to make the score 8-0 after the two-point conversion.
ASDB/AJO fumbled the ball away on their next drive and Manuel recovered it for Ajo.
Ajo had a couple of drives end on downs and ASDB/SA had a punt in between until they fumbled again on the 16 yard line after RB Emmanuel Gurule reeled off runs of 23 yards and 13 yards on the drive. It looked like they wanted to give the ball up every time they were about to score.
Manuel threw a 70-yard touchdown a couple of plays later to bring the score to 16-0 after another two-point conversion with 5:03 left in the first half.
ASDB/SA was able to drive down to the 6 yard line with 30 seconds left in the half but, you guessed it, a fumble brought the ball back to the 11 yard line and a dropped pass ended the half.
I lost track on how many fumbles and bobbles ASDB/SA had in the first half. I lost count at seven. It was clear that they would be in control of the game if not for the turnovers so deep in Ajo’s territory.
Ajo was held to downs to start the third quarter and it looked like the defense for ASDB/SA came alive in the locker room to make up for the offensive mistakes.
Gurule had a 22-yard run on their first drive and they were aided by a “horse collar” tackle on the same play. Gurule was then able to scamper 11 yards for the touchdown bring it to 16-6 after the failed conversion with 3:52 left in the quarter.
Ajo was forced to punt and Emmanuel eventually ran in again for his second touchdown of the night from 9 yards out. The score was now 16-12 after another failed conversion with 11:52 left in the game.
Ajo tried a fake punt on their next drive but they were stuffed at the 44-yard line giving the ball back to ASDB/SA with 8:44 left in the game.
A huge sack and an intentional grounding call forced them to punt back to Ajo with 5:51 left.
Ajo punted back with 3:40 left placing ASDB/SA on the 43-yard line. RB/QB Brandon Davis took the ball down the sideline for 43 yards on their first play to take their first lead 18-16. The conversion failed.
It looked like they scored too quickly and Ajo got the ball back with 3:24 left. They were aided by a facemask but their last drive but came up empty as their 4-7 pass went incomplete.
Gurule was able to run the clock out for the win.
ASDB/SA gathered together after the game and the co-head coaches talked to the team. After they were finished Gurule raised his hand to speak.
This was his last home game, “This is my senior year. I want that trophy back here – that’s all that matters.” ASDB/SA travels to play Phoenix SDB on Saturday and the winner gets a trophy. They “smashed” Phoenix last year 48-6.
“We struggled this season. We have a very young team. Last year was our best team but we lost a few kids and we are rebuilding. We are young,” ASDB coach Gerald Young told me. “Emmanuel is our senior leader. He loves to play the game – he loves football.”
Arden Dohman is the coach with St. Augustine and he explained the travel and the team struggles also, “This feels great, they (Ajo) are a good team and we scrimmaged them earlier in the year. This was a makeup game and we wanted to get it in.”
The AIA forgot to schedule officials for a game the two teams were supposed to play earlier in the year and, despite no playoff berths on the line, the AIA was obligated to reschedule the game.
“Finally, we were finally able to win a home game this year. I’m happy but a little disappointed. We have a lot of kids who never played football before and we didn’t have all of our players this year (for various reasons),” Gurule.
“I encouraged my team at half time to get serious. I played more serious in the second half. I tried to play with heart.”
Gurule dreams of playing for Pima next year and if Pat Nugent needs someone with heart and talent I know a player he should see.
Gurule finished with 195 yards on 22 carries and two touchdowns. Davis ran for 136 yards on 13 carries and a touchdown.
Manuel was 4-8 and 107 yards passing with a touchdown running and throwing for Ajo.
