A quick look around the Desert Valley Region, which has a couple interesting matchups on Friday in Phoenix schools Pinnacle vs. St. Mary’s and Scottsdale schools Desert Mountain vs. Horizon (plus what should be a snoozer of a Thursday night TV game in Chaparral vs. North Canyon).
–Desert Mountain shook things up again this week in the wake of scoring three offensive points in a 27-17 loss to Pinnacle last week.
It’s not often a team returns both an interception and blocked punt for touchdowns, only to lose, but it happened to the Wolves last week, and Tony Tabor shook up his play-calling and offensive coaching staff as a result.
He called this week’s practices the best of the year, but there’s more bad news for the Wolves.
Leading receiver Dekota D’angelo is out for at least the rest of the regular season (and possibly the postseason) with a partially torn ligament in his knee.
Easily the team’s leading receiver (31 catches for 345 yards) and its long-snapper, there’s a small chance he could rehab enough to get through the playoffs, but while hopeful, the Wolves aren’t holding their breath.
–St. Mary’s gets QB Bryan Holland back after he barely played last week with a shoulder injury. Originally fearful it was a tear or separation, Holland instead has done rehab after he took a hard hit two weeks ago against Horizon, and the Knights think he can at least make serviceable throws.
Last week he played but only handed the ball off while St. Mary’s used R.J. McGill and Laron Tarkington to run a “Wildcat” type of offense. It worked to the tune of 363 yards rushing against Chaparral, but lost 32-14.
