Citizen Staff Writer
CANYON DEL ORO 54 PRESCOTT 21
ASH FRIEDERICH
sports@tucsoncitizen.com
Canyon del Oro High School still has Prescott’s number.
The No. 6-seeded Dorados beat Prescott in the Class 4A Division I state tournament for the second straight year, winning 54-21 at CDO on Friday night.
CDO beat Prescott 34-0 in the state quarterfinals last year en route to finishing second in the state.
The Dorados (10-1) fell behind 7-0 in the rematch but pretty much had their way with the Badgers after that.
“We haven’t really been tested in the past couple of weeks,” said CDO’s Griffin Ronstadt, who finished with 155 yards on 23 carries and two touchdowns. “They’re a big, physical team. You have to beat them all to get to the (state championship).”
Jake Jarvis intercepted the first pass by CDO’s Doug Steele and returned it to the Dorados’ 9-yard line. Prescott scored three plays later.
“The first series wasn’t too hot for me,” said Steele, who finished with 214 yards passing and four touchdowns. “After that (interception), I felt I stepped it up big time for my team. We knew that our speed was going to beat them and it did.”
Steele put CDO up for good when he connected with Paul Carter for a 16-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter that gave the Dorados a 14-7 lead.
CDO scored 35 straight points at one time to take a 35-7 lead before Prescott finally scored again.
The Dorados responded right away as Josh Robbins returned the ensuing kickoff 63 yards to set up Steele’s 28-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Retz.
“We played our game and we were real focused,” said Robbins, who also had an interception.
CDO visits No. 3 Paradise Valley next week in the quarterfinals. Paradise Valley beat Catalina Foothills 21-7 on Friday.