EDITOR'S NOTE: Stay tuned for a feature look at the Mohave Thunderbird football program and how they've gone from dormat in the 4A conference to title contender in 3A in just four years. Watch AzPreps365.com for more.

CHINO VALLEY — Quarterback Joe Yoney threw for five touchdown passes and ran for another, Jonathan Williams added a score on the ground and No. 1-ranked Mohave rolled past Chino Valley 70-0 on Thursday night.

It was the seventh straight win for the Thunderbirds (7-0, 2-0 3A West), which are one of two remaining undefeated teams in 3A football. The other is Pusch Ridge at 5-0.

The Cougars (1-5, 0-1 3A West) never really stood a chance, surrendering 44 straight points to begin the first quarter as fans watched the clock run without being stopped the rest of the way.

Yoney opened the game’s scoring with a 27-yard touchdown run on a quarterback keeper, running to the goal line without a Cougars’ defender within 10 feet of him.

The score was set up by an Isac Urias interception. The 5-foot-6, 140-pound junior caught a 32-yard touchdown throw from Yoney to make it 23-0 with at the 6:56 mark in the opening quarter.

Nathaniel Villarreal caught back-to-back touchdown tosses from Yoney to make it 38-0, and Williams, the Thunderbirds’ starting middle linebacker, was given a few carries and wound-up scoring on a 1-yard run to make it 44-0 with 1:45 to play in the first and Chino Valley never recovered.

Yoney, a 6-foot-1 sophomore, said he wasn’t keeping track of his scores.

“Honestly this game was a practice game, trying to get better for the playoffs,” Yoney said. “We’ll take what we did here and keep getting better.”

His head coach, Rudy Olvera, said his young quarterback has been outstanding so far and continues to work on his poise.

“I can’t say he needs to work on anything other than being calm. He’s young, he’s a sophomore. He’s eager, he’s a competitor. And he wants to go out there,” Olvera said. “We get after it in practice, and I’m in his ear, and I’m like, ‘Hey man, you got to understand you have to lead these guys.’ So being a little more calm, understand the pace of the game. He wants to score every snap.”

As for Williams, who recently committed to play football for the Army Black Knights at West Point, New York, he continues to anchor a defense that has now held three of their last four opponents scoreless.

“How everyone says, defense wins championships. We’ll hold our side of the ball and do our thing,” Williams said.

Mohave has outscored their opponents 195-6 in the last four weeks.

Head coach Rudy Olvera said he felt Williams has “settled in” after his commitment to Army.

“He went for a visit, he loved the coaching staff, loved the culture there, and he came back and he had that look in his eyes. He was focused on playing Mohave football,” Olvera said, who added that he continues to cherish coaching the young man.

“I tell him before every game, I’m going to absorb every second of it, Jon, you and I together, because you’re teaching these young guys to be like you,” Olvera said.

A member of the Chino Valley football coaching staff instructs players during a timeout Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023, in Chino Valley. The Cougars are 1-5 so far this season. (Brian M. Bergner Jr./AzPreps365)

UP NEXT

Mohave heads home to face Wickenburg in Week 8 action Friday, Oct. 6. The defending 3A West region champs are scheduled for a bye week, then return to play River Valley on Oct. 20 before wrapping up the regular season Oct. 27 at Sabino.

Chino Valley will look to turn things around after three straight losses next week when they host Kingman on Oct. 6.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

Brian M. Bergner Jr. has covered professional, collegiate and high school sports for more than 20 years. Follow him on Twitter @AzPreps365Brian. Have a story idea? Email Brian at bbergner@azpreps365.com.