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OUAZ Athletics

Marcelous Chester-Riley - October 2, 2021
Richard Martinez
34
Arizona Christian ACU 3-2 , 2-2
52
Winner OUAZ OUAZ 5-0 , 5-0
Arizona Christian ACU
3-2 , 2-2
34
Final
52
OUAZ OUAZ
5-0 , 5-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
ACU Arizona Christian 7 7 7 13 34
OUAZ OUAZ 14 17 0 21 52

Game Recap: Football |

Offensive Shootout Helps No. 12 Spirit Exercise Demons and Stay Unbeaten

SURPRISE, Ariz. – Looking to shake the memory of losing a 21-point lead in the final ten minutes, 22 seconds of last year's game against Arizona Christian, No. 12 OUAZ extended its winning streak to a program-record nine straight games with a 52-34 win over that same opponent on Saturday at Spirit Field.

OUAZ (5-0, 5-0 SAC) trailed for the first time all season when Arizona Christian (3-2, 2-2) took a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter. The Spirit then scored the following 24 points and never looked back in defeating their Arizona rivals for the third time in four all-time meetings.

Brandon McLaughlin scored the first two touchdowns for the Spirit, with the first coming on a 75-yard strike just 49 seconds after ACU took the lead. After the defense forced a three-and-out on the next possession, McLaughlin capped a ten-play, 73-yard drive with an 11-yard score from Austin McCullough.

The scoring run continued with a Michael Hall 35-yard field goal, and then Marcelous Chester-Riley took a screen pass 20 yards for a 24-7 lead with 3:33 to play in the first half.

ACU got one score back with 1:29 left in the quarter only to see OUAZ go 65 yards in eight plays, with McCullough finding McLaughlin from seven yards out with five seconds on the clock to put them ahead 31-14 at halftime.

After giving up the first touchdown to ACU, the Spirit defense would force three punts, get a turnover on downs, and force two turnovers. At the same time, the Firestorm only managed one touchdown during the stretch that extended into the third quarter.

Neither team did much through the third quarter until the Firestorm cut the Spirit lead to 31-21 at the 2:05 mark of the period. The Spirit answered with an 80-yard drive that ended with McCullough connecting with Jermaine Trotman Jr. for 21 yards early in the fourth quarter.

OUAZ struck again when Chester-Riley punched it in from two yards to cap a 36-yard scoring drive, and the Spirit lead was 45-28 with 5:19 remaining. ACU scored on the ensuing possession only to watch Chester-Riley cap his record day with a 37-yard rushing touchdown after a failed on-side kick.

Chester-Riley finished with a school record 266 rushing yards and a pair of rushing scores while adding the 20-yard receiving score. He carried the ball 34 times without any going for a loss while averaging 7.8 yards per attempt.

McCullough threw for 312 yards and five touchdowns, and he completed passes to seven different receivers. McLaughlin led the group with nine catches for 166 yards and three scores. This was the first game since the 2019 meeting with ACU that OUAZ had a 300-yard passer and 150-yard rusher and receiver in the same game.

The two teams combined for 1,122 yards of total offense and ran 168 plays with only two plays resulting in lost yardage. The Spirit finished the night holding a 582-540 edge. The OUAZ defense forced three turnovers, including a pair of interceptions.

David Jones Jr. and Eric Holman led the Spirit defense with nine tackles apiece. Robert Jordan had a sack and a blocked punt on consecutive plays in the third quarter. Jones and Josh Gutierrez had the Spirit's two interceptions.

OUAZ will next travel to Tyler, Texas, next Saturday, where the Spirit will face Texas College at 7:30 p.m. (Central) / 5:30 p.m. (Arizona) in a rare road night game.
 
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