Keegan Brown is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Peoria High School for AZPreps365.com

PEORIA - Peoria wide receiver David Rojas returned the first kickoff of the game for 40 yards. One play later, Cactus possessed the football on an interception by linebacker Jordan Marrufo.

The tone set early by the Cactus football team continued throughout the game, as they went on to beat Peoria 48-14, Friday night. Peoria running backs Cristian Zarate and Javon Bell, who had averaged 175 yards per game, were held to 98.

“We knew they were going to run the ball to (Bell) up the middle,” Cactus coach Brian Belles said. Although Bell was able to make a few big plays, Zarate was stifled by the Cobras defense.

By the end of the first quarter, Cactus led Peoria 7-6. At halftime, the Cobras led 35-6. Peoria had a 10-play, 65-yard scoring drive coming out of the half on a rush from Zarate at 1:16 in the third quarter, converting the two-point play into a 35-14 score. Cactus went on to score two more touchdowns before the game ended.

Cactus’ strong defensive performance was paired with a forceful offensive showing with 280  passing yards and 285 rushing yards. The two leading receivers for the game, Robert Bell and Jahvon Clemens, had seven catches for 108 yards and a TD and four catches for 107 yards, respectively. 

“In practice, we’re trying to be perfect,” Cactus quarterback Luke Berlin said. “I feel like we showed this game we were on point.”

Berlin was on point as well, completing 13 of 24 passes for 257 yards. He threw two touchdowns and rushed for one as well, gaining 15 total rushing yards. His counterpart, Dominic Kramer, completed 9 of 18 passes for 102 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

“Any time you play a team like Cactus, they’re going to expose some of the weaknesses that you have,” Peoria coach Jason Golden said.

With only two receivers getting significant receiving, the weakness in the passing game was made apparent by Cactus’ defense. Receivers David Rojas and Dontay Tyson Jr had five grabs for 56 yards and three for 45 yards, respectively.

One bright spot for Peoria was their special teams' performance. The unit blocked two extra-point attempts, one in the second quarter and one in the fourth, and 136 total yards in kickoff return yardage. Rojas was one of the returners, with four returns for 98 yards and a long of 40 yards.

“Game one we realized that we weren’t doing those things on special teams,” Golden said. “We have some speed in our back area. It gives us the ball at the 45 or the 50 (yard line), which is always nice to start the possession.”

Belles had praise for his players, while also pointing out mistakes.

“We got to clean up some penalties, but our defense flew around," he said. "Offensively we were able to make big chunk plays, which is kind of what we were missing.”

The Panthers’ fate was sealed when Kramer threw his second interception of the game to linebacker Isaiah Johns midway through the fourth quarter. Backup quarterback Myron Lee was inserted for Cactus and was able to lead the Cobras on their last touchdown drive of the game, throwing a 23-yard completion to Bell and rushing for 62 yards, with one rush including a touchdown.

Peoria (1-3) will host Poston Butte (0-4) next Friday at 7 p.m. 

Cactus (3-1) will play at Sunnyslope (3-1) next Friday at 7 p.m.