EL MOLINO 20, CASA GRANDE 13:EL MO'S BIGGEST VICTORY IN YEARS

Led by senior quarterback John Carlson and sophomore fullback Owen Sunke, El Molino produced the biggest upset of the season by beating Casa Grande 20-13 for its first victory over the Gauchos since 1997. El Molino head coach Matt Transue called it the biggest win of his 16-year career, saying that all week he had been telling his team that they should expect to win.

After a scoreless first quarter, El Molino struck first as Carlson capped a 50-yard drive with a 15-yard pass to wide receiver Levi Karns. Following a successful PAT, the Lions led 7-0. Casa Grande responded, and with 38 seconds in the half tied it up at 7-7 as JaJuan Lawson hit Corey Llorence with a 17-yard pass in the right side of the end zone.

Heading into the second half, Casa Grande clearly had the momentum until junior Jared Roberts was stripped by El Molino's senior cornerback Chet Lambert, who ripped the ball away from Roberts and ran it back to the house 80 yards. Casa Grande regrouped once more, and Elijah Qualls ran in the ball from 18 yards for the TD -- only to have the extra point blocked.

After the game, Casa Grande coach Trent Herzog noted the huge difference in the time of possession, and how it contributed to the upset. In the first half El Molino controlled the ball for 20 of the 24 minutes, and in the second maintained a 16:00 to 8:00 advantage.

Stopping Casa Grande with 3.09 left in the third quarter after a failed conversion of a fourth down around the El Molino 20-yard line, the Lions used up the clock to march down the field. Carlson connected once more with Karns, this time on a 13-yard score. Casa Grande would mount one final attack, but with 3.54 to go in the game, Lawson was stopped inches short of the marker on a fourth-and-2 play. Fullback Owen Sunke and the Lions then ran out the clock.

Carlson and Sunke made a point after the game to praise their offensive line, saying they couldn't have succeeded without their play. Transue, who had been wanting this victory for years, added: "The defense came out of nowhere and the offense showed up."

The Gauchos' Herzog said, "We got outplayed. They beat us on both sides of the ball and they deserve it."