Asher Hyre is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Valley Lutheran High School for AZPreps365.com

The Valley Lutheran Flames (1-3) haven’t played a game since Sept. 17, but they’ll look to slow down the streaking Scottsdale Christian Academy Eagles (3-2) on a rare Saturday game at 7 p.m. The host Eagles come into the game winning 3 of 4, though they did lose to Pima last Friday, the Flames took a loss last time out against Willcox. 

The Flames had their game cancelled last Friday due to health issues within St. John Paul II’s team, their scheduled opponent. 

The Flames are a growing team, as only five seniors are currently on the roster. Scottsdale Christian knocked off Valley Lutheran last year, winning 65-12, though head coach Brian Porter is confident that his young team can make this year’s game more competitive. 

“I think we can match up with them well,” Porter said. “I’m not going to say that we have an advantage over them, they’re a well-coached team and they took it to us pretty good last year, but I think this year we match up with them well...we want to go in and be competitive and see if we can’t shock the world.”

The Flames are averaging 16.6 points per game, while the Eagles have scored 32.4 points per game, but the Flames scored 55 against San Pasqual Valley on Sept. 10, higher than any total the Eagles have recorded this year. 

Valley Lutheran’s run game has been the strength of the offense, while the passing game is coming along. The Flames come into this game averaging 222.3 yards per game, 136.3 of those via the ground, according to MaxPreps. Junior quarterback Derek Porter is in his first year playing the important position, is the main catalyst of the team’s offense, and has impressed Brian Porter, his father. 

“Our quarterback has done a good job scrambling and getting out when things break down,” Brian Porter said. “He’s still learning how to kind of read the defenses and see things a little bit better...it’s a process. As far as the passing game, I think as the season goes on, he’s going to get better at that.”

Derek Porter is also confident in the offense improving throughout the course of the season. “I want to improve passing, pass blocking, stuff like that,” he said. “If we get the pass game rolling, then I think we can definitely be really good.”

Another key to the Flames turning their season around? Finishing, Brian Porter said. 

“We need to improve on finishing. Finishing tackles, finishing our blocks, making sure we’re going in the right spot to get that done, that’s really been the only things that have hurt us this year. Defensively we need to shore up our tackles some more, which we were able to do last game a lot better.” 

Senior defender Khaled Khaled agrees, stating, “We have a decently good defense, we’ve obviously made mistakes, we just need to make sure we’re finishing our tackles.”