Aidan Hansen is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Maryvale High School for AZPreps365.com.

BUCKEYE - The Maryvale Panthers still seek their first win of the season after losing to the Youngker Roughriders, 58-12, Friday night at home.

The Panthers (0-3) continue to show improvement as they put two solid drives together to control the clock, ran the ball well, but kept making crucial mistakes that led to the Roughriders (3-1) scoring points. 

Maryvale quarterback Devin Murphy rushed for over 100 yards with 92 coming in the first half. He unfortunately threw an interception the Roughriders returned for a touchdown. 

“I’m moving around a lot more, I’m being more elusive, getting around a lot more,” Murphy said.

The Panthers made the game competitive in the first half after being down 21-6 to the Roughriders, thanks to Panthers junior running back De’Kyndrick Evans. 

Evans capped a long drive with a rushing touchdown from a yard out. He'd have another short rushing touchdown in the third quarter before exiting the game with an ankle injury. 

“I could have played better, always," Evans said. "I cost my team a couple of yards, I was talking too much. I feel like if I would have ran harder I wouldn't have twisted my ankle that way, and I could have still been out there helping my team.” 

Evans believes his ankle is well enough to compete in next week’s game against Trevor G. Browne High School, a rivalry game in which Maryvale leads, 7-6, all time. 

Panthers head coach Byron Traylor said Friday's loss is on everyone, not just players but the coaches as well. Traylor stressed the Panthers are family and they win and lose as a family, too. 

“Everything we do is as a family," Traylor said. "No one person, no one player, no one coach is bigger than this family." 

The main thing the Panthers need to improve upon for their next game against rival Browne is having unsportsmanlike conduct penalties negating big plays. 

“Our guys got to keep our composure, because I know one time we had a nice long run, and then it got called and we lost 15 yards because one of our players got up and got into the other guy’s face," Traylor said. "We got to learn how to keep out composure.” 

The Panthers have other places to improve, too. 

“Not beating ourselves, and I’ve been on our case about that the last couple of weeks," Traylor said. "I felt like tonight was a very winnable game, but in a lot of ways, we beat ourselves.” 

Maryvale's offensive line was getting blown up just seconds after the snap, something that unit has struggled with, but is getting better. 

“I’ve seen a lot of improvements from last year, even the last couple of weeks,” Panthers offensive and defensive line coach Gil Morales said. “Breaking down tackles, following where the guards are pulling and reading their keys, they've gotten a lot better at that.,” 

The defensive line recorded back-to-back sacks at the end of the first quarter and beginning of the second quarter that led to the first Evans' rushing touchdown. 

The defensive backs had a tough time against Roughrider quarterback Jacob Lira, who completed several long passes against the Maryvale secondary. 

“Over the course of the season we are improving, we are very athletic, but we just need to get better at assignment football," Maryvale defensive backs coach Philip Blanks said.  "We’re a little undisciplined, but we’re going to get there.”