PHOENIX — Expectations were high for the Arcadia Titans coming into the season.
After a 4A State Championship appearance last year, many wondered if the Titans would have what it takes to return to play for the gold ball. Prior to the season, Head Coach BJ Pasquel said he was looking forward to the first game of the season against Prescott Valley Bradshaw Mountain because it would be a litmus test for them to see where they need to still improve.
As the Titans learned in their 24-7 loss Aug. 28 to the Bears, they’ve got to tighten things up if that plan is going to come to fruition.
“We’ve got to get better, even me,” Pasquel said. “We made way too many mistakes. There were some turnovers in the first half that hurt us. We were a little undisciplined. We’re going to be a good football team, just not right now. We’re going to keep working and facing adversity.
"I thought we missed a lot of tackles. Also as a coach, we’ve got to be in better shape. We pride ourselves on that. We pride ourselves on playing smart, tough, disciplined football and we didn’t do that tonight as much as we normally do,” he added.
Things got off to a shaky start for Arcadia out of the gate when the opening kickoff was fumbled before being recovered again by the Titans at the 18-yard-line. Despite that, the Titans were able to make it to about midfield before going for it on fourth down and ultimately failing to convert.
Bradshaw Mountain took over with great field position, and from there marched down to the end zone with ease.
The Bears were able to score on a one-yard quarterback keeper from sophomore Taye Evans. The extra point attempt was good, making it 7-0 with 6:03 remaining in the first quarter.
Shortly after, Arcadia countered with a one-yard touchdown run of its own from senior Joseph Hala. The kick after by Nolan Hubbell was good, making it 7-7 with 3:27 left in the quarter.
After exchanging a few possessions, Bradshaw Mountain was able to extend the lead on a four-yard touchdown run from senior Jon’te Jones. The Bears led 14-7 at halftime.
Coming back out of the half, Bradshaw Mountain got the ball to start things off and started attacking with the run. After reaching Titan territory on the field, the Bears had to settle for a 38-yard field goal, extending the lead to 17-7 with 7:43 in the third.
After a quick three-and-out by Arcadia, Bradshaw Mountain’s next possession resulted in another touchdown. Arcadia started to really struggle with flags on the drive, as three major penalties proved to be costly.
Once again, Evans was able to keep the ball and take it in for a five-yard touchdown run to extend the lead. The extra point attempt was once again good, making it 24-7 with :45 remaining in the third quarter.
The fourth quarter provided additional opportunities for the Titans to get the ball into the end zone, but they just couldn’t do it.
“I give credit to [Bradshaw Mountain],” Pasquel said. “They played well. Good game plan. Good coaching staff over there.”
Next week, Arcadia hosts Camelback at home in their rivalry game, which is sure to bring the emotions. Coach Pasquel said it’s important for them to maximize this week of practice while staying focused on the task at hand.
“We gotta get back to work on Monday,” linebacker Sam Spiekerman said. “We’ve got Camelback coming up, we’ll watch film and we’ll be ready.”
Brittany Bowyer is a Report for America corps member, covering sports for Independent Newsmedia in Arizona. Report for America places talented journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and regions.