At least one thing went right (sorta) for Scottsdale Desert Mountain in its 28-27 meltdown loss against Gilbert Highland last week, even though we’re taking a circuitous route toward getting there.
(Hey, when you gave up 28 unanswered points, a couple fumbles, a 76-yard kickoff return and lost your starting QB all in the same quarter, you have to find something).
Good news No. 1: The Wolves lost quarterback Drew Seaman to a left (non-throwing) shoulder injury when he got crunched by Highland defender, but coach Tony Tabor said MRI and X-ray this week revealed nothing broken or structurally wrong. He did some throwing at practice this week but Tabor said he’s unlikely to play this week.
Which leads us to good news No. 2 ….
The Wolves get San Luis. Yes, the team which lost to Carl Hayden a few weeks ago which ended the 66-game losing streak.
In other words, the Wolves will get an easy victory and won’t need Seaman at quarterback anyway, especially after Kevin Radcliffe ran for more than 200 yards in the loss last week.
As for the Wolves, I think last week is going to hurt them more from a power-points perspective by season’s end then psychologically, which is a credit to what Tabor has instilled the past few years.
“I told them it’s better to have it happen now than later,” he said.
A few changes will be made going forward, mostly involving special teams, but also sounded like a coach who, a few days later, was no longer the wreck he was over the weekend.
Scottsdale Chaparral coach Charlie Ragle and Tabor talk regularly as close friends, and it reminded Ragle of a 2007 game against Paradise Valley.
The Firebirds led 31-14 after three quarters and were up by 17 points with seven minutes left when it all fell apart.
“It’s an out-of-body experience,” Ragle said. “It’s like watching some really bad movie on your couch, and the remote isn’t right next to you, but you just won’t get up and get it to change the channel.
“Even then it was still in your control whether to get your (butt) up and get the remote. Coaching games like (last week) is a disaster and eventually you’re basically left standing there watching it, and there’s nothing you can do. There’s no remote and nothing anyone can do to change the channel.”
