September 13, 2004
Red Mountain received good postgame news this weekend concerning senior quarterback Maurice Hector.
Hector, who passed for 240 yards and two touchdowns in the season opener Sept. 3 against Mesquite, was carried off the field on a stretcher at the end of the first half of the Mountain Lions’ 17-13 victory Friday at Mountain Pointe.
Hector, who was sacked by four Pride players on the final play of the first half, left with what was feared to be a neck injury. He was taken to Chandler Regional Hospital as a precaution and released later in the evening.
‘‘It turned out to be just muscle spasms,’’ Red Mountain coach Jim Jones said. ‘‘It was nothing skeletal. He had some lower back problems this summer, but this wasn't related to that. When he got hit, he was trying to bounce back up and got hit again. It was kind of like whiplash.’’
Jones said that Hector is questionable for Friday’s game at Marana Mountain View. If Hector doesn't play, junior Nick Orr, who tossed the game-winning touchdown pass against the Pride with a little over four minutes left in the game, will start.
CHANDLER
Chandler (2-0) is likely to be short-handed Friday when it visits Glendale Mountain Ridge.
Coach Jim Ewan said standout outside linebacker Isaiah Jackson will undergo arthroscopic knee surgery today to repair a small cartilage tear in his right knee. Jackson had some discomfort after the season opener vs. Glendale Ironwood. Jackson was limited to special teams last week against Yuma Kofa. Ewan hopes to have Jackson back in time for Fiesta Region play, which begins Oct. 8.
Senior L.J. Thompson, who began the season playing safety, took Jackson’s spot last week. Thompson played linebacker last season.
The Wolves also hope to have wideout James Richardson back this week. Richardson, who has been bothered by a high ankle sprain for a couple of weeks, did not dress for last Friday's game. He is the Wolves’ holder on extra points and field goals. Chandler had problems on extra points Friday, converting just one in a 43-7 victory over Kofa.
WESTWOOD
Westwood is the only local 5A team that has not yielded a touchdown this season. The Warriors have allowed just three points in wins over Desert Vista and Phoenix Trevor Browne.
The Warriors’ opponent Friday, Phoenix St. Mary's, has scored more points in two games than any 5A team, 102.
