Dominic Borja is an NAU School of Communication student assigned to cover high school football for AZPreps365.com

Rain fell under Cromer Stadium’s bright lights as red fireworks and the crowd roared for Coconino on Oct. 30, but amid the noise, the Panthers spent the week emphasizing a “noiseless” atmosphere.

Coconino head coach Josh Clouse said the team’s leadership council chose this word, urging the Panthers to tune out the distractions of a Senior Night rivalry game and focus on the work. Coconino followed the approach, overwhelming Flagstaff 63-6 with a defense that forced multiple turnovers and consistently gave the Panthers’ offense good field position.

“We make sure they enjoy being a high school student,” Clouse said. “But when it’s time to work, they cut all that out and get after it.”

Coconino tallied five first-half interceptions after eight minutes without a score, consistently capitalizing on the Eagles’ mistakes.

Coconino senior defensive tackle Easton Quiroz stands with his family for a senior night picture at Cromer Stadium on Oct. 30. (Dominic Borja/AZPreps365)

Defensive tackle Easton Quiroz, a Northern Arizona commit, said energy was crucial to the Panthers’ performance.

“The main thing all week was just energy,” Quiroz said. “We have good enough players to strap everyone down and get those interceptions, we just needed to come out on defense with energy.”

Quiroz also credited defensive coordinator Adam Callado’s preparation, saying the coaching staff’s film study helped the Panthers execute their game plan.

Clouse said Coconino’s defensive staff prepared specifically for Flagstaff’s skill players. The Panthers prioritized making coverage packages to shut down the pass.

“We’ve shut down the run fairly well all year,” Clouse said. “Teams beat us in the passing game. Seeing how well they moved the ball against Prescott with their weapons, we knew we had to put a lot of work into it.”

The Eagles struggled to sustain offensive drives the whole game. After punting within the game’s first four minutes, Flagstaff’s defense forced a turnover on downs at their 15-yard line, offering their offense another chance to take the lead.

Junior quarterback Broden Custer led a promising drive, with sophomore running back Marcus King aiding him on the ground and junior and sophomore receivers Matthew Moreno and Evan Washington contributing in the air. After entering Coconino territory, sophomore cornerback Max Hobson, also the team’s starting quarterback, scored on a 60-yard interception return, giving the Panthers a 7-0 lead.

On the Eagles’ next possession, Coconino senior free safety Jackson Clouse grabbed the Panthers’ second interception after Custer attempted a deep pass to cross midfield. Coconino’s offense capitalized on the takeaway after Hobson launched a 33-yard touchdown pass to senior tight end John Jamison, putting the Panthers up 14-0 over early in the second quarter.

Six minutes passed without another score. Sophomore and senior linebackers Austin Clouse and Bryce Passalacqua added to Custer’s interception count, while an incomplete pass from Hobson to senior receiver Bruce Larsen resulted in Coconino's second turnover on downs. Under a minute after Coconino’s fourth interception, running back Jabar Nichols broke loose for a 49-yard rushing score, pushing the lead to 21-0.

“He’s a heck of an athlete, and we know he’s got great field vision,” Josh said of Nichols. “When we get both Max and Jabar out there, it makes us even more electric. Whether [Jabar]’s behind center or we’re giving him the ball, he’s a big part of that offense.”

The Panthers strung together three more scoring drives within the half’s final five minutes, starting with the older Clouse brother’s punt return. At 47 seconds in the half, Hobson threw a 27-yard touchdown to Larsen after senior linebacker Tate Jones broke up a pass intended for Moreno. Sophomore running back Benjamin Milios ran for a 7-yard score 17 seconds later following an interception from sophomore cornerback Dryan Larsen, earning Coconino a 42-0 lead at halftime.

For Quiroz, the performance reflected a team that grew closer over the season and played with a common goal.

“We started thinking like a team,” Quiroz said. “We all started putting our brains together and playing for each other. Every down we play for our brothers on the field and on the sideline. I think that really contributed to our energy.”

The Panthers continued their momentum after halftime, with Nichols adding two touchdown runs, one for 20 yards and the other 44, in the third quarter. Between those two rushing scores, King returned a kick 99 yards for the Eagles' only touchdown.

Flagstaff team captains lead jumping jacks after their regional loss to crosstown rival Coconino at Cromer Stadium on Oct. 30. (Dominic Borja/AZPreps365)

While Eagles head coach Andres Delgadillo said the kick return showed his team there’s always a chance, it was not enough. The Panthers continued to control the game on both sides of the ball, scoring their final touchdown on a 2-yard run from senior lineman Wes Shafor.

Coconino’s head coach said the 63-6 victory reflected the Panthers’ support within its roster and community. The team wanted to send its large senior class out with a home win.

“We got 25 seniors,” Josh Clouse said. “They’re all humble enough have Jabar in the offense and let Max step in. They’re out there cheering for each other, and it’s a team effort built into that.”

Additionally, Coconino’s victory extended their winning streak against Flagstaff to 10 straight games across 10 straight years, another goal the Panthers shared.

“A lot of these guys watched all 10 years and wanted to be part of it,” Josh Clouse said. “They’re playing for the Panthers coming before and after them. They’ll keep passing the torch to the next guys.”

Delgadillo acknowledged the difficulty of overcoming execution errors. He said injuries and missed assignments caused problems for Custer but did not use those situations as an excuse for the loss.

“You just can’t win games with turnovers,” Delgadillo said. “Not really an excuse there, just got to do a better job of letting all players know the response.”

Though the Eagles finished 0-10, their head coach saw Flagstaff’s young skill players as a foundation for the following season, giving the team a chance to rebuild and continue growing.

“The boys fought hard, and we got a lot of young talent,” Delgadillo said, pointing to Custer, King, Washington and Moreno. “It’s always sad to see the seniors leave, but next year a new batch of seniors come in, so we’ll just start getting to work.”

For Coconino, the win gave much needed momentum as the team shifted their focus to the postseason. The Panthers (4-6 overall, 4-5 4A Conference, 3-3 Grand Canyon Region) enter the 4A 2026 postseason as the 16th seed, where they face 17th seeded Sahuarita (8-2 Overall, 7-2 4A Conference, 5-0 Gila Region) at Cromer Stadium on Nov. 6.

“We’ve talked all year long that we were that close to winning those big games,” Clouse said, noting that five of Coconino’s six losses came against Top 10-ranked 4A conference teams. “We’ll go do our thing and be tough out. Someone’s not going to want to see us.”