Star Performers from Corona del Sol’s Intense Battle With Saguaro

<p>Corona del Sol kept Saguaro winless on Friday night with a 48-yard go-ahead field goal going through the uprights as time expired. This game had plenty of explosive plays in all three phases, and plenty of explosive players too. From impressive catches to crucial takeaways, the talent on display was hard to miss. As we dive into the standout performances, let's shine a light on the players who made this game memorable and kept fans on their toes throughout the night.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Corona del Sol</h2>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Player of the Game</h3>    <p class="text-gray-700">After an interception got Corona del Sol to Saguaro's 31-yard line with just four seconds left on the clock in a tie ballgame, Tarik Dzambegovic walked onto the field to attempt a 48-yard game-winning field goal. The amount of poise and level-headedness needed to keep composure in that moment is nothing short of spectacular. With no hesitation, he nailed the kick — which was good by another few yards too. Going five-for-five on PATs throughout the game and hitting this lone field goal attempt, Dzambegovic showed that he has what it takes to come through in the clutch.</p>    <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Offensive Impact: Three Players Who Delivered</h3>    <p class="text-gray-700">A truly versatile weapon for Corona del Sol's offense, it doesn't matter how they get [player_tooltip player_id='1645542' first='Jacob' last='Helt'] the ball — it just matters that he gets the ball in his hands. The coaching staff does a nice job of scheming misdirection and clever different ways to do so, managing to get him the ball even when he has seemingly all the attention. Helt finished the day with nine touches and averaged over 17 yards on each one; catching two passes for 86 yards and a touchdown while adding seven carries for 69 yards and another score. With Helt's size and speed, he's proven to be really difficult for defenders to get on the ground. </p>      <p class="text-gray-700">Another versatile weapon for Corona del Sol's offense, Domonick Ruiz had his fingerprints all over this game. Responsible for 211 yards and two touchdowns his name is all over the stat sheet. Ruiz racked up 30 rushing yards, 25 receiving yards, 66 kickoff return yards, 28 punt return yards, and added 62 passing yards on the day. His agility shines even without the ball in his hands, getting easy separation on his cuts. When the defender is able to keep up with him, he's shown that he can make tough catches through contact. Ruiz is a player coaches should have on their bog board; especially with all of his gadget abilities. </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">It's hard to believe that [player_tooltip player_id='884430' first='Mauricio' last='Villalobos'] is only a sophomore when watching him play. Now at 6'3" and 240 lbs, he still manages to move his feet incredibly gracefully and does a nice job of maintaining proper position in his pass sets. Also firing off the ball nicely against the run, Villalobos is already shaping into a very well-rounded tackle. It's rare to see a player so young play so mature against some very powerful edge rushers, but he does a great job of standing his ground, letting the defender come to him, and then quickly engaging with them. As Villalobos continues to develop, he's a player coaches should be watching closely. </p>     <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Defensive Standouts</h3>    <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1331213' first='Keane' last='Abril'] was a real force against the run on Friday night. Facing off against a talented backfield, Abril did a nice job of using his strength to quickly get rid of his blocks and find the ball. A physical linebacker who really seemed to set the tone for this defense, Abril still has the speed to keep with slot receivers over the middle. Finishing this matchup as Corona del Sol's leading tackler, (tied for game-leading as well) he added two tackles for loss, a sack, and a fumble recovery. </p>    <p><strong>Christian Gonzales</strong>: <em>3 Tackles, 2 TFL, Sweet one-handed INT</em></p>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Gonzales went in for a blitz with Saguaro less than 10 yards from the endzone when he noticed the back going out for a swing pass. Stopping on a dime, he swiveled his hips and showed impressive makeup speed before jumping out of his shoes to snag the ball out of the air with one hand and give his offense the ball back. The safety/linebacker hybrid left a big impact in this game and really showed his versatility. </li> </ul>   <p><strong>Jantz Dye</strong>: <em>5 Tackles, Sack</em></p>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Getting home for a sack in this game, Dye does a nice job of using his long arms to his advantage and quickly getting into the backfield. He was constantly forcing the elusive Saguaro quarterback, [player_tooltip player_id='739443' first='Marcel' last='Jones'], outside of the pocket and throwing off the timing of the offense. </li> </ul>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Saguaro</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='498322' first='Aidan' last='Whitaker'] is in the midst of a breakout year as a just sophomore for Saguaro. The speedy wideout runs really crisp routes that get him plenty of separation when he needs it. He also possesses the ability to outjump just about everyone he's going to be on the field with, which ends up making 50/50 balls seem a lot more favorable. With so much time to continue to improve his game, Whitaker could quickly become a very highly touted prospect. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/Saguaro_HS/status/1839890632653058334 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='368980' first='Elias' last='Johnson'] is always entertaining to watch when he gets the rock in the backfield for Saguaro. A great blend of power, speed, and agility, the way he makes defenders miss can seem effortless. At times, it looks like he's out there playing flag football while players are coming full speed trying to lay a big hit on him. The shifty back also happens to be a smart back who understands how to attack coverage when going out for a pass and pick up blitzes when tasked with giving his quarterback more time. Johnson is a player whose recruitment could really pick up here as he works through the back half of his senior season.</p>    <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Additional Standouts</h3>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='739443' first='Marcel' last='Jones'] — Quarterback</strong></p>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>In Jones' return to action for the first time in a year, he came out as a man on a mission and did all he could to will his team to victory. His deep ball looked much improved from last season, showing really nice touch when his receivers had space in front of them. I have no doubts that the quick passing game will pick up as Jones continues to get the timing down with his receivers. He also was able to show his athleticism which is off the charts. His legs can seemingly get him out of any situation. </li> </ul>   <p><strong>Martin Rennie — Edge</strong></p>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>At an incredibly stocky 6'0" 210 lbs, Rennie can really wreak some havoc in the backfield and in a hurry with his sheer strength. Even when it looks as though he's at a size disadvantage, he still has no problem driving his opponent and getting depth into the backfield. He still possesses the speed to chase down running backs from behind to prevent them from getting the edge and creating an explosive play. Rennie's motor was undeniable on Friday night. </li> </ul>

Corona del Sol kept Saguaro winless on Friday night with a 48-yard go-ahead field goal going through the uprights as time expired. This game had plenty of explosive plays in all three phases, and plenty of explosive players too. From impressive catches to crucial takeaways, the talent on display was hard to miss. As we dive into the standout performances, let's shine a light on the players who made this game memorable and kept fans on their toes throughout the night.