Globe shows fight, but Morenci’s ground game proves too much

There’s always a little extra buzz when Globe takes the field at Harbison Stadium on a Friday night, and the showdown with Morenci on Sept. 19 did not disappoint.

The Tigers came out with energy, made some gutsy plays, and even had the crowd on their feet after a couple of big strikes from senior quarterback Jaeger Franco. But in the end, Morenci’s relentless running attack proved too much, as the Wildcats pulled away for a 43 to 15 win.

The night started with promise for Globe. The Tigers’ defense held firm on Morenci’s first drive, stuffing a fourth-down attempt and giving their offense a chance to strike first. Instead, a tipped pass turned into an interception, and the Wildcats quickly turned it into eight points on the ground.

From there, Globe spent most of the first half trading punches with the Morenci Wildcats. Franco found Landon Rios on an incredible 50-yard bomb, and kicker Nick Enfield drilled a 35-yard field goal to keep the Tigers within striking distance. The highlight of the night might have been Franco’s gutsy fake punt in the third quarter, when he connected with Daniel Ramos to keep a drive alive. Moments like that had the fans cheering away and reminded everyone why this Globe team is so fun to watch.

Still, Morenci had answers. The Wildcats piled up yardage with a steady rotation of running backs, rarely needing to throw the ball. Even when Globe’s defense came up with big plays — a sack as well as a tackle for loss by Greyson Kruger, a tackle for loss by Alex Holmes, or near interceptions from the secondary — Morenci seemed to find a way to move the chains. Twice, long runs were brought back by penalties, but the Wildcats kept grinding until the dam broke in the second half.

Globe, to its credit, kept battling until the final whistle. Reymondo Cassadore and Braden Wager gave the Tigers sparks on special teams with strong kickoff returns, and Franco continued to push the ball downfield through the air. The Tigers finished with 124 passing yards and showed flashes of the explosive offense they’re capable of.

It wasn’t the result Coach Brady Hoff and his squad were hoping for, but it was another step in the growth of a team learning to compete against quality opponents. With big games still ahead, Globe knows there’s plenty of football left — and plenty of opportunities to turn lessons learned into wins.