The Wildcats ran into a buzz saw on Friday night in Heber. Facing fourth ranked Mogollon for their regular season finale, Joseph City found themselves on the wrong side of a 40-8 half time deficit. Mogollon scored their first touchdown just over two minutes into the game and never looked back. Late in the first period, the Mustangs tacked on their second first period score taking a 14-0 lead into the second quarter.
Following two more Mustang scores, the Wildcats got on the board late in the first half when Jay Edwards hauled in a touchdown pass. The two-point conversion left the Cats trailing on the board 32-8.
Midway through the third period Joseph City picked up their second score of the game, but the outcome had long since been determined. Mogollon went on to win the game 80-14.
With the loss the Wildcats saw their season mark fall to 5-3 but they remained in the ninth overall position in the 1A power point rankings. With that ninth place seed Joseph City will face Fort Thomas on Friday night in the first round of the 1A state playoffs. If the Cats can get past the eighth seeded Apaches they would have a rematch with the top ranked and unbeaten Vikings in Williams, who finished the season with an 8-0 mark.
Joseph City’s game in Fort Thomas will begin at 6 pm. on Friday. With the win the Mustangs (7-1) moved into the number three position in the playoffs and will play the winner of Duncan and Arete Prep in two weeks.
