Ashanti Thompson is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Deer Valley for AZPreps365.com

 

DEER VALLEY --  Coming off a 10-game division win streak, Eastmark had no plans on slowing down. In their final regular season game on Monday, Eastmark shut out Deer Valley, 35-0.

Scoring three touchdowns in the first half, the Firebirds came out blazing.  

Eastmark finished 5-0 in the region and 10-0 in the 4A East Sky Conference. 

On their third drive, Eastmark scored its first touchdown on a 3-yard pass caught by Kinsley McCarty. McCarty caught three of Eastmark’s five touchdowns, giving her 19 for the season, second best in the division. 

McCarty also snagged an interception at the Skyhawks' 40-yard line after her third touchdown, which ultimately led to another score.

Eastmark quarterback Paige McCrabb passed the ball for most of the game, only running the ball three times. She currently ranks first in the division and fifth in Arizona with 2,846 passing yards. 

“We are definitely a passing team and part of the reason why Paige leads 4A in passing,”  coach Nick Garces said. “She’s learned how to work with those blocks and how to play off the different angles. She could take off at any time and run and we've seen those skills.”

The Deer Valley defense came up short in the first half, allowing three touchdowns, leaving the score 21-0. After the halftime break, they came back with a different energy, gaining two sacks by Abryenne Lacangan and one interception. 

“We told the girls at halftime, ‘Hey, we're in a rush one, put the quarterback under as much pressure as we can and play coverage,’” defensive coach Andrew Capper said. “I felt pretty good with how the defense responded in the second half.”

Deer Valley struggled offensively, producing only seven first downs. 

“Play clean, and play fast. Defense did that, but offense is struggling,” coach Jesse Monsisvais said. “We’re trying to find our footing.”

While McCrabb passed all the touchdowns, the Firebirds' kicker, Kaylee Markle, was good on all five of her kicks for the night. Not only did she make all of her kicks, but she also scored the Firebirds' fifth touchdown, a 41-yard run in the fourth quarter, bringing the game to 35-0 after her last kick of the night. 

Despite their success, senior captain Makenna Vollaro has a motto she plays by.

“We aren't guaranteed anything,” Vollaro said. “Our first playoff game could be my last, or we could take it all the way to state.” 

Vollaro made an unusual catch in the fourth quarter, after it tipped the hands of Deer Valley’s Silviya Sabri. On that same drive, Eastmark scored a 19-yard touchdown, their fifth and final touchdown of the night. 

“This is the best team I've had in my four years here and the deepest by far,” Garces said. “They make it really hard to know who to play. I look at them all and I’m wondering who I play next?”