Jack Bartlett is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover McClintock High School for AZPreps265.com

TEMPE— McClintock High School committed costly mistakes en route to a 35-21 loss to the Sunnyslope Vikings. The referees charged the Chargers with eight offsides calls in the first half alone on third-down tries (six of those against the same offensive lineman) while the home team also committed five turnovers via three fumbles and two interceptions.

"Undisciplined football," said McClintock coach Corbin Smith. "We're not good enough to make mistakes like that. We didn't help ourselves at all."

After what seemed like the Chargers’ billionth first-half penalty, coach Smith lost his cool, barking at his team that they were just giving up free first downs. 

The biggest problem for the Chargers tonight, however, was their issues in the red zone. 

At the start of the second quarter, junior quarterback Peter Clark lost the ball on the two-yard line. It was recovered by the Vikings. The Chargers also dropped a touchdown pass and, “two plays later we dropped another pass in our hands and they intercepted,” coach Smith said.

Clark’s receivers continuously dropped his throws the entire night. 

McClintock also struggled to establish its run game. Senior running back Prince Conteh, ordinarily a potent weapon for the Chargers, totaled just 49 yards in the first half. 

While McClintock struggled to keep the ball and stay onsides throughout the first three quarters, it kept composure in the fourth. The Chargers began the start of the quarter trailing 35-7.

“From a run standpoint, we started running the ball and that’s our MO,” coach Smith said.

Junior fullback Jeremiah Latu and Conteh led the offense for the Chargers in the final quarter. Latu rushed for 19 yards and Conteh added eight yards and a touchdown with around eight minutes left in the final stanza for the Chargers’ second touchdown of the evening. 

McClintock then recovered a Sunnyslope fumble on the very next drive. Again, McClintock ran the ball. Latu added 16 more yards and Conteh ran for 18 yards and a touchdown.

Conteh scored two touchdowns in the final eight minutes of the game. He rushed for 134 yards on the evening, which included 85 in the second half. Latu added another 40 yards on the ground in the last 24 minutes of the game. In total, the Chargers amassed 125 rushing yards and two touchdowns in the second half. 

Trailing 35-21 with just over three minutes to play, McClintock attempted an onsides kickoff. Sunnsylope recovered and was able to move the chains and run out the clock. The Chargers, trailing by two scores, would not regain possession.

When McClintock avoided simple mistakes, such as turnovers and penalties, it was able to move the ball and score. Unfortunately, these opportunities were far and few. The Chargers just committed too many penalties on crucial plays and a plethora of turnovers.

The Chargers fell to 1-5 on the season and will play Paradise Valley next Friday.