By Greg Perkins With COVID-19 restrictions finally allowing for high school football to be played, the Snowflake Lobos opened their season at home on Friday night with a 22-20 win over visiting American Leadership Academy Gilbert North. These two teams met last year in the 3A State semifinal round with the Eagles ending Snowflake’s season with a 16-14 final. Snowflake, one of the pre-season favorites to return to at least the semi-final round this year, blanked the visitors through the first half holding a 15-0 halftime edge. Caden Cantrell hooked up with Noah Baum for the first points of the Lobos season with a 10-yard completion. The Lobos missed the PAT but held a 6-0 lead at the end of the first. The Eagles, coached by former Show Low Coach Randy Ricedorff, moved down the field eventually moving inside the Lobo 25-yard line before their drive stalled out with a missed field goal leaving Snowflake on top 6-0. Snowflake took over on their own 20 and subsequently marched down the field capping off the drive with a Cantrell 14-yard rushing touchdown. The PAT was blocked but the Lobos extended their lead to 12-0. Snowflake’s defense stepped up on the Eagles next drive, which once again moved the ball inside the Lobo 30-yard line. Back-to-back sacks by Payson Cardon and Rev Brimhall put an end to the Eagle drive. Snowflake put together their third scoring drive of the first half when Sam Crockett booted a 32-yard field goal just before the half giving the Lobos a 15-0 lead. American Leadership came out of the locker room on fire quickly putting together a scoring drive in the first four minutes of the third period making the score 15-6. Snowflake answered that score quickly when Caden Cantrell found Noah Baum on a 65-yard catch and run pushed the lead to 22-6 following Crockett’s point after kick. The Eagles came right back scoring on a three-yard run trimming the Lobo lead to 22-14 with a two-point conversion run with three minutes left in the third period. Looking for the knockout punch, Snowflake put together a long drive that eventually ended at the Eagles’ one-yard line where they finally forced the Lobos to turn the ball over on downs early in the fourth. The Eagles again took little time to score with a 16-yard scoring run pulled them to within two points at 22-20. The potential game tying two-point conversion failed leaving Snowflake clinging to a two-point lead, which they held onto over the final three minutes of the game moving to 1-0 on the season. This week the Lobos will travel to Thatcher to take on the Eagles team which has moved up from the 2A ranks last year where they were very impressive. Can they compete with one of the big boys of the 3A East? Fans will find out Friday night in Thatcher. The Eagles won their season opener on Friday with a 26-0 shutout over Pima.
