Wyatt Baumeyer is an ASU Cronkite student assigned to cover Casteel High School for AZPreps365.com

 

CHANDLER, Ariz. – Trailing 14-0 with under 6 minutes to play in regulation and needing a stop on third down, the Casteel High School Colts failed to contain Basha High School junior quarterback Amiah Walker as she burst into the end zone after multiple missed tackles to seal the game.

Colts head coach Rae Black said she was flabbergasted by her defense's inability to pull the flag of Walker.

“I was shocked at the three missed flags,” Black said postgame. “They're actually pretty good at flag pulling.” 

After allowing 13 points over its previous five games, Casteel girls flag football surrendered 21 in a 21-0 loss Monday, Oct. 20, night at Basha in the Arizona Cardinals Girls Flag Football Game of The Week. Besides the Colts’ lack of flag pulling, sophomore quarterback Skylar Choy threw three interceptions, as the offense suffered its fourth shutout loss of the season. 

Despite Choy’s turnovers, including a pair of red zone interceptions, and the offense's inability to establish a run game, assistant coach Matt Ferelli said he looked toward the positives.

“You've got to take the loss,” Ferelli said postgame. “You've got to show them what we did right, what we did wrong and then let them know.”

Having a young quarterback and roster – 10 of the 20 rostered players are underclassmen – comes with growing pains, Ferelli said. Yet he wants Choy to continue taking shots down the field and not grow fearful of taking risks – even if they come with interceptions. 

“Will she throw interceptions? Yeah, so does everybody. So do the veteran quarterbacks. We're going to continue to take shots,” Ferelli said. “When you have a sophomore quarterback, she's got two years to develop, this is how you develop them. Throw them into the fire.” 

Ferelli said Choy is focused, watches film and wants to improve upon her mistakes.

“You can't ask for a better disciple athlete to raise up than that,” Ferelli said. 

Contrary to Ferelli’s praise, Choy said she simply must make better decisions on the field. 

“I need to make a better read early on and see if it's not there, then not to throw it and look somewhere shallow,” Choy said after the game.  

Although Choy acknowledged her mistakes, the quarterback found a rhythm on the final drive of the first half with senior captain wide receiver Mia Johnson in motion. 

“We've been playing together for the past two years, and she's been really good at being supportive,” Choy said. “She gives a lot of effort on the field, and it's good to have her as a receiver.” 

On the receiving end, Johnson said she knew Choy would find her in stride.

“I trusted that she was gonna make the correct read and lead me the right way with the ball, and she did just that,” Johnson said. 

The offense established tempo on its final drive before halftime, Johnson said, opening the playbook for Choy. 

“We started hitting hot routes,” Johnson said. “We cleaned up our blocking for Skylar to sit in the pocket and get her reads out.”  

However, while the offense moved the football for the remainder of the game, the Colts couldn’t find the end zone despite an early goal-line stand by the defense.

On the Basha Bears’ first possession of the game, the quarterback tandem of Walker and freshman Victoria Beakes marched down a short field, Casteel punted deep in its own territory, which resulted in Basha taking over at the plus 31-yard line, and faced a fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line. 

On the verge of an early score, Walker fumbled the ball and the Colts took over on downs; however, they immediately went three-and-out and punted the ball away, leading to a Bears’ touchdown. 

Black said she took responsibility for the momentum swing. 

“I’ve got to be creative,” Black said. “I’ve got to coach better. I’ve got to be better. I’ve got to uplift them better and motivate them better. “I'm an adult. They're kids, so I have to support them in the moment.”

Regardless, Casteel faces a quick turnaround, as the team returns home to host Highland High School on Tuesday, Oct. 21, at 6 p.m. 

With action in under 24 hours, Black said her message to the team is to move on from Monday’s defeat simply.

“Leave it on the field,” Black said. “Somebody had to win the game. We wish it were us, but someone's gonna win, someone's going to lose.”