The Joseph City Wildcats picked up their first win of the gridiron season last Friday night, steamrolling Arete Prep from Mesa, 56-16. The Wildcats piled up the points early, scoring 20 in the first, then lead 44-0 at the half.

The scoring started quickly for the Cats as Landon Baldwin ran in from 44 yards away with 9:43 left in the first for a 6-0 lead. With 1:41 left in the period Troy Poudrier scored on a 54-yard run. Hayden Hendricks found Matt Fields for the two-point conversion, making the lead 14-0. After quickly getting the ball back, Hendricks connected with Chance Bray from 31 yards out, ending the first quarter scoring.

Three straight second period scores really put the game out of reach. At the 9:29 mark Bray ran in from 57 yards away. Four minutes later Hendricks connected with Bray for a second TD pass, this time from 61 yards away. Finally, just before the half, Bray scored on a six-yard run. All three two-point conversions were good, giving the Wildcats a 44-0 halftime lead.

Midway through the third quarter Poudrier scored on a 42-yard run. Exactly five minutes later the Wildcats wrapped up their scoring on a seven-yard run by Poudrier, making the score 56-0.

The Chargers avoided the shutout with a 65-yard touchdown pass late in the third, then scored once in the fourth on a 77-yard touchdown run, making the final 56-16.

The Wildcats racked up 562 yards of total offense, with a dominating ground attack counting for 460 of those yards. Poudrier finished with a 24-yard per carry average, gaining 192 yards on just eight attempts. Bray picked up 150 yards on 15 rushes. Baldwin added 50 yards on only three runs. Fields added 38 yards on seven runs. Dylan Romero had 13 yards on three rushes. Kaden Westover finished with nine yards on five runs and Hendricks tacked on eight yards on four runs.

Hendricks completed two of three passes, both to Bray, for 92 yards and two scores. Fields completed one pass to Aaron Johnstun for 10 yards.

Koby Smith led the defensive effort with 5.5 tackles. Baldwin was credited with five, and both Poudrier and Hendricks were credited with 4.5 stops. Hendricks also had two sacks.

This week the Wildcats play host to rival Mogollon. The Mustangs come in undefeated with a big win over Gilbert Christian last week.