Kamaron Holloway is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication Student assigned to cover Scottsdale Christian Academy for AZPreps365.com

SCOTTSDALE- On a night that’s meant for the celebration of alumni and tradition, Scottsdale Christian gave its Homecoming crowd plenty to cheer about as the Eagles dominated Fountain Hills, 63-3, to stay unbeaten.

Scottsdale Christian, through five games, has outscored its opponents 255-30. Friday night’s game was no different than the previous four, just a slower start than coach Mike Sheahan preferred.

“I think there was just a lot going on,” Sheahan said. “Our kids were playing in front of a large crowd, and I think they let the outside distractions take them away from the field. 

 “The emotions were running a little too high, but honestly, that’s a good thing for us and something we can learn from.”

The Eagles started the game with a fumble on the first drive. This allowed the Falcons to capitalize, coming away with a 42-yard field goal by senior kicker Matei Bumbu, making the score 3-0 with 11:01 left in the first quarter.

“We were just trying to get a stop defensively,” Fountain Hills coach Pete Schermerhorn said. “They turned the ball over, and we did a few things that we hadn’t shown on film to present ourselves with some opportunities.

“Matei is a good kicker. He came to us in the offseason with no prior football knowledge and has made 57-yarders in practice. He’s a good soccer player, and he’s turning into a very good place-kicker.”

The Eagles continued their early struggles as they fumbled again on two more consecutive drives. However, it did not take long for the Eagles to start playing their style of football again.

On what could have been another disastrous play, an unlikely pass turned into a 46-yard fumble recovery by senior offensive guard Joseph Kassisieh. That positioned Scottsdale Christian for its first TD of the game from the 3-yard line. Senior running back Everett Salazar scored the first points for the Eagles with 8:04 left in the first quarter, making the score 7-3.

After that,  the points came in a barrage for the Eagles.. The offense led by Sean Helgeson, a senior quarterback who transitioned from tight end just a year ago, put on a show. He threw eight passes with one incompletion for 143 yards and four passing touchdowns, all in the first half of the game.

“I didn’t play my full sophomore year, so the transition was rough,” Helgeson said.

“Last year we won state, but I don’t think I was fully developed. I'm still not there yet, but I’m getting closer. The coaches are trusting me more, and with the receiving corps we have, everything’s clicking. We’re rolling right now, and it’s a lot of fun.”

The Eagles scored 49 points by halftime, making the game 49-3. After the halftime festivities, a lot of the younger guys on Scottsdale Christian’s team were able to get valuable minutes. The final blow, to make the score 63-3 with 3:45 left in the fourth quarter, came when senior guard Joseph Kassisieh punched in a 6-yard TD run to reward his 46-yard fumble return earlier in the game.

Schermerhorn is still very encouraged about the future of the Falcons as he rebuilds the program.

“When I got to Fountain Hills, we didn’t have a middle school or JV team,” Schermerhorn said. “But our numbers are growing both in the weight room and in the program. We had about 120 reps tonight against the two-time defending state champions. This was a great opportunity for us, and I believe our young kids will take this and learn from it in the seasons going forward.”

Scottsdale Christian (5-0, 2-0) will travel to play Chino Valley (3-1, 1-0) next Friday at 7 p.m.

Fountain Hills (0-5, 0-2) will host Bourgade Catholic (3-2, 0-2) next Friday at 7 p.m.