Salpointe Catholic shows little rust in return from COVID-19 hiatus: ‘They handled themselves like champions’

The Lancers were forced into quarantine after a Week 1 win over Casa Grande when they had a player test positive. They returned to action Friday with a 37-6 victory over Buena during which they showed few signs of rustiness.

If Horizon coach Ty Wisdom needs any assurance that his team can return from COVID-19 quarantine without losing any momentum, he can look to Salpointe Catholic.

The Lancers were forced into quarantine after a Week 1 win over Casa Grande when they had a player test positive. They returned to action Friday with a 37-6 victory over Buena during which they showed few signs of rustiness.

“It was nice to just get back to our routine that we enjoy the most,” said Salpointe Catholic coach Eric Rogers. “It was a bear, but we had to find a way to keep their spirits up. 

“We told the kids that this will be a true test of your character. There’s no one watching you right now. What you do during these two weeks will have a say about the rest of our season.”

Junior quarterback Treyson Bourguet was 10 of 17 for 98 yards and a touchdown before leaving early in the third quarter after taking a blow to the head. In his absence, Dylan Dreis went 9 of 16 for 129 yards and a score.

The Lancers forced six turnovers, including five interceptions — one of which Julian Robles returned 56 yards for a touchdown — and held Buena out of the end zone until the final play.

“I didn’t know what my expectations were, to be honest. I wasn’t sure how we were going to respond,” Rogers said.

“They handled themselves like champions.”

The Lancers, who started the season not knowing what their second-half schedule would look like, have filled out their final four weeks, starting with an away game at Campo Verde. After hosting Mountain Ridge in Week 6, they’ll finish with road games at Mountain View (Tucson) and Desert Mountain.

“Hopefully, it’ll be enough to get us into the playoffs,” Rogers said. “We’ve still got a lot of work to do, no doubt about it. We left a lot on the field last night, but I’m super pleased with how the game worked out.”

— René Ferrán; Treyson Bourguet photo by Elena Bernardo – EMB Photoshop

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