By Greg Perkins Snowflake enters the post season on a nine-game winning streak thanks to their 19-0 home field win over Show Low on Friday night. The Lobos head to the state playoffs in a stacked 3A field as the No. 2 overall seed in the bracket. They will host 15th seeded Monument Valley on Friday night. Friday’s game with the Cougars, who are also in the playoffs as the eighth overall seed, saw the Lobos score on their opening possession with a Caden Cantrell 26-yard pass to Eduardo Guevara, putting the Lobos on top 6-0. The point after attempt was no good. The Lobo defense forced a Cougar fumble on their first possession, which was recovered by Jordan Mowers. That turnover resulted in more Lobo points when Sam Crockett found the range on a 48-yard field goal pushing Snowflake’s lead to 9-0 midway through the opening frame. Both team’s defenses played well into the second period. Snowflake missed a field goal attempt midway through the second quarter. Snowflake then pushed the ball deep into Cougar territory before Show Low’s defense held them on downs at the Cougar one yard line with a minute left until halftime. Show Low stopped the Lobo drive, but their offense was forced to punt giving Snowflake a short field to work with. The Lobos made the most of it capping off a short drive with a Crockett 42-yard field goal just before the half giving Snowflake a 12-0 halftime lead. Snowflake’s offense scored on their first possession of the second half with another Cantrell to Eduardo Guevara connection. This one covered 34 yards and with Crockett’s kick Snowflake led 19-0 with five minutes left in the third quarter. That play marked the end of the scoring in what was a defensive battle for much of the rest of the game. Cantrell completed 15 of his 23 pass attempts for 290 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Noah Baum was the leading receiver with 116 yards on five catches. Guevara had two grabs for 55 yards with both going for scores. Tyler Clare caught 3 for 51; Lance Christensen, 3 for 48; and Camden Brimhall had 2 for 20 yards. Show Low’s defense was stout against the run limiting Snowflake to 34 total rushing yards. Camden Brimhall led the team with 25 yards on 14 attempts. The higher seeded team will host the first two rounds of the 3A state playoffs. Snowflake will host No. 15 Monument Valley on Friday night. The Mustangs finished the season 8-2 overall and won the 3A north region. They rolled through the north region play outscoring their opponents by a combined score of 228-32. Three of those games were shut out wins. Snowflake plays in the 3A east, and played a much tougher schedule. The Mustangs are the only North region team in the 16-team bracket. Conversely, the east region has five teams in the playoffs and would have had all six if Blue Ridge had not been bumped in the bracket by a lower seeded region winning team. Snowflake will win this game easily and will face the winner of No. 10 Thatcher or No. 7 Pusch Ridge next week. Snowflake will host that game as well as the higher seeded team.
