Though not quite centuries in the making, Desert View has successfully navigated through the Northwest Passage by beating Canyon del Oro 48-7 on the road in Oro Valley to move to 8-0 on the year. The victory ends a 6-0 run by the Dorados dating back to 2013 and every win is a new mark on the map for head coach Robert Bonillas.

The Jaguars have never started out 8-0 but the 2021 his squad finished with a 10-2 record and an appearance in the second round of the state playoffs. This year, the Jaguars are ranked No. 2 in the 5A Conference and, barring any sort of letdown over the next two weeks of the regular season, the team will earn a super-ranking with the possibility of hosting a few playoff games, which is the dream of every team hoping to make a deep run.

On the other side, No. 37 Canyon del Oro fell to 3-5 on the year and this loss comes on the heels of a victory at Tucson High that slipped through their fingers in the final moments. The Dorados went 14-0 to win the 2023 4A championship but the graduation of a whole class of standouts, including current University of Arizona running back Kayden Luke, and a move to the 5A Conference, is going to take at least another year to overcome.

Desert View scored early thanks to a 31-yard interception return from Robert Medrano to put the Jaguars up 7-0 with 11:07 left in the first quarter. Jaylee Abraham only touched the ball 13 times on offense but he finished with 226 yards including a 35-yard run to put Desert View up 14-0 with 6:57 left. Ryan Vasavilbaso hit Anthony Rodarte from up close to make it 21-0 with 11:55 left in the first half and then Vasavilbaso cashed in on a muffed punt from the Dorados to put Desert View up 28-0 on a pass to Fernando Soto with 9:20 left.

Abraham took an interception return back 47 yards to make it 34-0 but the Dorados scored on a short run from Brody Elicio to make it 34-7 at the break. Rodarte finished with 115 yards receiving on eight catches and he caught his second TD pass with 6:27 left in the third to make it 41-7 and Eric Barcelo caught a 12-yard pass for the 48-7 final with 11:26 left in the game. Vasavilbaso had 244 yards passing with four TDs.

Desert View travels to No. 23 Cienega (5-3) next week and Canyon del Oro will visit No. 17 Buena (5-3).

THE PLAYS