Verrado volleyball enters season’s final stretch

Verrado's Kayla Steg goes for the kill against two Sunnyslope opponents.

  The Verrado High School volleyball team is nearing the end of its 2014 season with  just three matches to go beginning with a match against Glendale on Oct. 23.

  The Vipers record, through the team’s 3-0 loss to Sunnyslope on Tuesday, now stands at 11-3  in regular season play and 8-3 in section play.

  Verrado is currently ranked in third place in the Div. II, Section III standings behind Sunnyslope and Notre Dame Preps and just ahead of Agua Fria based on division winning percentage.

  As of the AIA power rankings of Oct. 22 the team is sitting in 16th place, with the result form the Sunnyslope game yet to be figured into the ranking.

  Prior to the Sunnyslope game the team fell to district rival Agua Fria 2-3.

  Verrado has been without a key player for the past few games. Senior Rylie Steg, a key hitter and defender up front, has been unable to play due to injury.

  In AIA State Tournament play 16 teams will be award playoff berths. The winner from each of the six Div. II sections will receive an automatic bid and 10 teams will receive at-large bids based on the division rankings.

  In addition to the Glendale match, the Vipers will also face section foe Paradise Valley on Oct. 28 and non-division opponent Cactus on Oct. 30.

Verrado's Celine White (right) taps the away from a Sunnyslope opponent for a point during Verrado's 3-0 loss to the Vikings.

Verrado football rebounds vs Shadow Ridge; Wins 45-27

Verrado's Johnny Johnson goes airborne while returning a kick during Verrado's 45-27 victory over Shadow Ridge.

  The Verrado High School varsity football team got back in the winning column following a 45-27 victory over the Shadow Ridge Stallions in a game played at Verrado on Oct. 17.

  The Vipers jumped into the lead handily during the first half of the game by scoring 14 points in the first quarter and 21 points in the 2nd quarter.

  Verrado’s first score came on a 5-yard pass from Lathon Lax to Anthony Enriquez.

  The Vipers scored again shortly afterward when Ja’Tai Jenkins returned a Stallion punt 83 yards down the left side for the touchdown.

  In the second quarter the Viper scoring was done by players who have demonstrated they know how to find the end zone.

  Ross Dietz scored twice—once on a 6-yard run, and again on a 65-yard run.

  Verrado finished out the scoring during the second quarter with a 4-yard pass from Lax to Roehl.

  After the halftime break the Stallions found their legs and managed to put some point on the board, but not before Verrado scored again when Lax found Xavier James over the middle for a 15 yard touchdown to make the score 42-0.

  Shadow Ridge then followed with touchdown runs of 17, 11 and 22 yards to make the score 42-20.

  Verrado place kicker Paden Goucher hit a 35-yard field goal to make the score 45-20.

  The Stallions had one more answer for the Vipers, scoring on a 10-yard run with just under two minutes remaining in the game.

  For the Vipers the win marked their seventh victory in their year of firsts—first time beating Buckeye; first time beating Agua Fria and first winning season.

  Following the game Verrado head coach Derek Wahlstrom said he was happy with the teams effort after a week of preparation following the team’s loss to Desert Edge the previous week.

  “I was real pleased with the kids’ focus on what what coming up,” Wahlstrom said. “I felt like we’d come out and play the way we did during the first half.”

  With two winnable games to play during the regular season the Vipers stand to finish the season among state playoff contenders. The Div. III playoff picture is dominated by East Valley teams, but Verrado, Buckeye and Desert Edge at still in contention.

  The prospect of a 9-1 season for the Vipers is very real, but Wahlstrom is hesitant to stray from his “1-0” philosophy of taking one game and one win at a time.

“9-1 is out there,” Wahlstrom said, “But you can’t be 9-1 without 8-1 so that means we’ve got to go 1-0.”

  Div. III has seven sections. Each section winner will get an automatic bid to the 16 team playoff. The remaining nine teams will get at-large bids based on power rankings.

  Verrado’s two remaining games are at Sierra Linda this Friday and at Kellis on Oct. 31.

Verrado Football’s Unbeaten Streak Snapped by Desert Edge

  The Verrado varsity football team suffered its first loss of the 2014 season at the hands of the Desert Edge Scorpions last Friday. Desert Edge won 40-7.

  The Vipers entered the game with high hopes following the team’s 6-0 start; however the Scorpions speed and strength proved too much for the Vipers.

  The game started with the appearance of perhaps being a defensive duel. Neither team was able to put any points on the scoreboard during the first quarter. It was only the second time both teams had been held scoreless in the first quarter this year.

  Verrado benefitted from two big defensive plays to thwart Scorpion drives.  The Vipers held on a 4th down with 1 yard to go on Desert Edge’s first drive. A subsequent Scorpion drive was stopped when Verrado’s Devin Draper made a diving interception in front of the Desert Edge bench at mid-field.

  Desert Edge broke open the scoring during the second quarter with a 19-yard passing play and a two yard run.  A third touchdown by the Scorpions with seconds remaining in the first half gave Desert Edge a 20-0 lead at halftime and allow them to take momentum into the locker room.

  The Vipers had a promising start the second half by recovering their own onside kick attempt, but the drive ended without a score.  Another Verrado drive ended with a punt attempt. A high snapped caused the ball to roll through the end zone resulting in a safety and the score was 22-0.

  Desert Edge continued to dominate. With the score 34-0 in the fourth quarter Verrado’s Nathan Roehl picked up a rolling kickoff attempt, found the wedge and veered toward the sideline all the way to the end zone for the score to make the score 34-7.

Verrado's Nathan Roehl returns a kickoff for a touchdown during the fourth quarter of Verrados 40-7 loss to the Scorpions.

  The Scorpions managed one more score on the following drive to close out the scoring.

  The game was widely watched by followers of high school football throughout the Valley and state. It was seen as the first real test for Verrado to prove its worth as the team is enjoying its most successful varsity football campaign in the school’s history.

  Statistically, the game yielded fewer all purpose yard than other games for Verrado this season.

  Quarterbacks Lathon Lax and Maverick Gamez combined for 52 yards passing on 18 attempts. 11 sacks by the Scorpions had an affect on rushing yards with the Vipers netting a –42 yards on the night.  Ross Dietz was the leading rusher with 29 yards.

  Xavier James led the Vipers in receiving with 2 catches for 24 yards.

Verrado's Xavier James turns the corner during a touchdown return against Desert Edge.

Defensively, Dillon Ratliff led Verrado with 12 tackles followed by Emilio Rodriguez who had 8 tackles.

  Desert Edge has set the standard for football in the west valley.  The team has gone deep into the play offs and reaching the finals in previous years only to suffer defeat at the hands of strong programs from the east valley.

  Verrado head coach Derek Wahlstrom has acknowledged Desert Edge successes. The road to success for any west valley program does pass through Desert Edge. With a few stronger programs in the Section - Agua Fria, Buckeye and, now, Verrado - the potential exists for the Scorpion to feel more heat from this region in the near future.




  Next up the Vipers face Shadow Ridge during Verrado’s homecoming game on Friday, Oct. 17.

  Defensively, Dillon Ratliff led Verrado with 12 tackles followed by Emilio Rodriguez who had 8 tackles.

  Desert Edge has set the standard for football in the west valley.  The team has gone deep into the play offs and reaching the finals in previous years only to suffer defeat at the hands of strong programs from the east valley.

  Verrado head coach Derek Wahlstrom has acknowledged Desert Edge successes. The road to success for any west valley program does pass through Desert Edge. With a few stronger programs in the Section - Agua Fria, Buckeye and, now, Verrado - the potential exists for the Scorpion to feel more heat from this region in the near future.

  Next up the Vipers face Shadow Ridge during Verrado’s homecoming game on Friday, Oct. 17.

Verrado Football maintains perfect record through 6 games

Squares off against district rival Desert Edge Friday

  This coming Friday is the game for which the Verrado football program has been waiting for years.

 

  The Vipers (6-0) will face district and section foe Desert Edge in a game that will likely have a great bearing on who gets the automatic section bid to the 2014 state football tournament.

  As of this printing Verrado leads Division III, Section 7 with a 3-0 section record and an undefeated overall record. Desert Edge sits second in the section with a 2-0 section record and a 5-1 overall record.

  A win by the Vipers over the Scorpions could put the Vipers in the proverbial catbird seat with no losses and remaining games against Section 7 teams Sierra Linda and Shadow Ridge and a non-conference game against Kellis, all of which have struggled on the field this year.

  A win by the Scorpions gives Desert Edge the advantage in head-to-head play. Verrado would have win its remaining two section games, and rely on Buckeye and Agua Fria to defeat the Scorpions to win the section outright.

  Verrado Head Coach Derek Wahlstrom said his team will approach the Desert Edge game just like it has each game this season.

“Everything for us is 1-0.” Wahlstrom said. “Everything is about what's coming up.

“I told Desert Edge coach [Rich] Wellbrock and that staff over there I appreciated them setting the bar so high that we were trying to get up to. They've kind of been the model program here on the west side and in our district.”

  Waiting the wings is Buckeye, who at 2-1 in the section and 5-1 overall could play the role of spoiler if the Hawks could pull off an upset over the Scorpions when they play on Oct. 24.

Bottom line is it’s potentially a wide-open race to win the section 7 title and it’s feasible that there could be a two or three team tie-breaker in effect.

  For each school there is possibility of getting one of nine at-large bids to the tournament based on power point rankings if the team does not win the section outright; however, there are 48 teams in the section vying for the 16 playoff spots.

Verrado dominates Agua Fria

Click here to view the Agua Fria vs. Verrado photo gallery.

  Verrado reached its current 6-0 record following a 51-6 victory over Agua Fria in a game played at Verrado on Oct. 3. The Vipers came out fast, scoring its first touchdown just over a minute into the game when Verrado Junior quarterback Lathon Lax hit Ross Dietz on a 27-yard scoring pass. With three minutes to go in the first quarter Lax hit Nathan Roehl on a 27-yard pass for the teams second touchdown of the night. On Agua Fria’s next possession the Owls were forced to punt. An errant snap by center sailed over the punter’s head and Verrado was granted a safety making the score 16-0.

Verrado quarterback Lathon Lax (16) has been pressed into service most of this season following an injury suffered by Senior starter Eric Ruiz during Verrado first game. 

  The Vipers added one more score in the quarter when Dietz scored on a 41-yard play, making the score 23-0 at the end of the quarter.

  Verrado added two more scores during the second quarter—a 10-yard pass from Lax to Chris Slaughter and a one-yard run by Dietz.

Verrado’s Ross Dietz (with ball) leads the team in rushing and receiving yards. He has scored 9 touchdowns on the ground and 6 through the air.

  The score at halftime was 37-0.

  During the third quarter Verrado’s Sophomore quarterback Maverick Gamez took the helm and led the Vipers on a drive that culminated with a 4-yard run by Sophomore Donte Richardson.

  Gamez wrapped up the Viper scoring in the game hitting Freshman receiver Ja’Tai Jenkins on a 14-yard pass.

  Agua Fria managed a score late in the game when Tristan Rainey found a seam and sprinted 74 yard for the score.

Following the game Wahlstrom was beaming with pride.

“I’m really proud of our student athletes and proud of our student body,” Wahlstrom said.

  He added, “It's just a pleasure to be in this program. You get such great support from our administration and I'm very happy to tell [Principal Tom] Huffman he's got a winning football program here at Verrado."

  The win by Verrado brought more firsts in the Vipers’ breakout season.

  Verrado’s 6-0 record is the first time the team has won six in a row.

  The win gives Verrado a record which ensures the team’s first-ever winning regular season record.

  The game was the Vipers’ first victory over Agua Fria.

  Verrado's contest against Desert Edge is at Desert Edge High School. Game time Friday is 7:00 p.m. on Oct. 10.

Verrado’s defense, led by captain Darby Neal (99), has held opponents to an average of 16 points per game this season. Eric Cabello (not pictured) leads the team in tackles.