Paul Garcia II is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism graduate student assigned to cover Cactus High School for AZPreps365.com

After last week's 44-0 drubbing against Desert Mountain and falling behind 14-0 against Peoria Friday night at home, Cactus turned a corner.

“The way we lost last week, it takes a little bit out of you,” Cactus coach Brian Belles said. “We were able to claw our way back in, and our players said, ‘Enough is enough.”’ 

The Cobras returned to winning ways, defeating the Panthers, 35-14, in the 40th meeting between these rival schools. 

After sharing opening drive punts, Peoria punched Cactus in the mouth with two long touchdown passes. Panthers junior quarterback Dominic Kramer connected with senior wide receiver Angel Vasquez on touchdown passes of 43 and 57 yards to give Peoria a 14-0 lead early in the first half. 

The Panthers looked to take a 21-7 lead late in the second quarter until they fumbled inside their opponent's red zone.

Cactus orchestrated a 10-play, 82-yard drive chewing up the remaining five minutes of the first half. The drive was capped off with a 9-yard touchdown run by junior Aryn Prinz to tie the game at 14 at the half.

Peoria lost the momentum and never got it back.

“We shot ourselves in the foot with the turnover,” Peoria coach Jason Golden said. “Going against a great team like Cactus, you can’t make mistakes like that in a big game.”

Forcing the Cobras to punt on their opening drive in the second half, the Panthers looked to regain control of the game, but freshman defensive back Daylen Moore had other plans when he jumped the route for his first career interception. 

Two plays later, Cactus running back Tayejion Player earned his first touchdown on the season with a 27-yard run giving the Cobras a 21-14 lead they would never give back.

After getting stuffed for zero yards on two of his first three carries, Player went on a tear, finishing the game with 188 yards on 17 carries and scoring twice, including a 49-yard sprint to put the dagger in the Panthers with 5:27 left in the game.

Cactus junior quarterback Antonio Casias finished 8 for 18 with 144 yards and a touchdown. That touchdown was a 64-yard strike to senior two-way player Gabriel Sotelo to extend the Cobras' lead to 28-14 with 7:56 left in the game.

Casias didn’t need to rely on his arm; his legs kept the Cactus offense on the field. He rushed eight times for 92 yards, including six runs of at least 10 yards. 

With 2:47 left in the game, Sotelo capped off the night with a game-sealing interception allowing the Cobras to run out the clock to cap off the 35-14 victory.

This was the 40th time these two schools have faced off in one of the West side’s greatest rivalries. Cactus has an all-time record of 25-14-1 over Peoria, but the rivalry isn’t their primary focus.

“It’s pretty cool, but it’s not our goal to win rivalry games,” senior two-way player Tristan Varga said. “Our only goal is to make it to state.”

Varga had two receptions for 18 yards and a 13-yard touchdown run while also mixing in a key sack on defense.

Cactus (3-2) opens regional play next Friday when it travels to Canyon View (3-2) to take on the Jaguars at 7 p.m.

Peoria (1-4) will try to snap its four-game losing streak with a regional matchup next Friday at 7 p.m. at Youngker (2-3).