Isabelle Moreno is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Queen Creek High School for AZPreps365.com 

Queen Creek relied on a collective defensive effort to limit Corona del Sol Friday night, leading the Bulldogs to a 10-3 road victory over the Aztecs and giving the team momentum heading into the final two games of the regular season.

The Bulldogs (4-4, 2-0) took the lead 7-0 with 9:12 left in the second quarter when sophomore running back Teancum Filimaua scored a 2-yard touchdown, and the extra point by junior kicker Israel Carmona was good. 

Corona del Sol’s only points were from a field goal by sophomore kicker Ayden Strogen with three seconds left in the second quarter. The Bulldogs added three points with a 29-yard field goal in the third quarter to extend their lead to 10-3. 

The defensive performance was especially important for Queen Creek, which entered the game looking to build power after a challenging stretch.

“We have a standard,” Queen Creek defensive coordinator Scott Howard said. “We just play with relentless effort. We locate the ball, we terminate it and that's our standard.”

Queen Creek coach Steve Huber credited his team’s preparation throughout the week for helping the Bulldogs secure the road win. He said the coaches and players were focused heading into the matchup, even knowing that a tough opponent would make for a challenging Friday night.

“Our coaches were on spot, our players were on spot,” Huber said. “Every game you play, you want to come out there and make it comfortable, have a nice, easy Friday night, but there are no easy Friday nights in 6A football.”

Huber said the victory was meaningful for a team that had been working through difficult results in the second half of the season. With two games remaining, he said the Bulldogs were eager to build on the performance.

“To be able to get this win and get back to .500 with two games left,” Huber said. “It puts us in a good spot. So we’re excited. We’re gonna enjoy this one.”

Although the defense delivered, Huber said the offense still has work to do. He saw improvement in the unit’s ability to move the ball but said the Bulldogs struggled to sustain that progress and finish drives.

“Offensively, there was improvement,” Huber said. “We were moving the ball, but just kind of sputtered out again. We’ve got to continue to work on finding that flow offensively.”

Queen Creek junior quarterback Sawyer Hales credited the defense, saying their energy helped the Bulldogs throughout the game. He also acknowledged the importance of protecting the football, particularly after the Bulldogs struggled with turnovers in earlier games. Hales had 126 passing yards and six rushing yards. 

“The quarterback takes care of the ball. That’s what he does,” Hales said. “Just gotta think every play, you know? Just do my job.”

Hales also emphasized the importance of the victory after the team’s demanding schedule. Hales said the win reflected the work the players had put in. 

“For the guys to come together and get this win is huge,” Hales said. “I think it’s a really big boost coming into next week.”

Howard described Friday’s performance as a team effort rather than the work of one standout player. He praised the secondary for its coverage and highlighted senior wide receiver and defensive back Julius Reed for his effort against Corona del Sol’s leading receiver, senior Josiah Smith.

He also pointed to senior defensive tackle and defensive end Lachlan Geier, junior linebacker Asher Howard and junior middle linebacker Ty Hill as major contributors.

Corona del Sol quarterback Luke Farrell believed the team had an opportunity to win but said mistakes prevented the Aztecs from taking advantage of it. 

“I feel like it’s a game we definitely should have had,” Farrell said. “We had a lot of mental errors.”

Farrell recognized the importance of remaining levelheaded after the loss. With the two games remaining in mind, he said preparation would be critical to the team’s success.

“They’re super important to us,” Farrell said. “We just gotta work really hard in preparation.”

For Queen Creek, the focus now shifts to maintaining the progress they showed Friday. Huber said the offense must continue working toward a more consistent rhythm, while the defensive performance provides a foundation the Bulldogs can build on.

Queen Creek will return home on Oct. 30 to face ALA–Queen Creek at 7 p.m. before hosting Casteel on Nov. 6 at 7 p.m.

Corona del Sol (6-2, 1-1) will travel to Casteel on Oct. 30 for a 7 p.m. kickoff before visiting Desert Vista on Nov. 6 at 7 p.m.