Willow Canyon football runs over Desert Mountain - Arizona Republic

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Surprise Willow Canyon held a slim 7-6 lead at the end of the first quarter over host Scottsdale Desert Mountain thanks to a fumble on the 1-yard line that denied Desert Mountain a touchdown.

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Three quarters and four more turnovers later, Willow Canyon walked away with a 48-23 win Friday night in a non-division game.

"We came in with our plan this week, and the first thing I told the kids was to stick with it," Willow Canyon coach Michael Hudnutt said.

On offense, Willow Canyon brought out a three-back set, something Hudnutt said they designed just for this game.

"I felt like every time (Desert Mountain) saw somebody, they were throwing the ball," he said. "We had the opportunity to line up with three backs as something they hadn't seen."

It worked. Willow Canyon ran for over 360 yards as a team. Junior running back J.D. Espree contributed 110 yards and a touchdown,

"He's been fantastic all season, but tonight he was the X-factor," said senior quarterback Taylor Nezdoba. Nezdoba himself notched a team-high 128 yards and a score of his own on the ground.

"We just used our strengths to our advantage," Nezdoba said. "It's just good to be back running again."

Desert Mountain senior running back Daaiim Brown ran for 52 yards in the first quarter alone, but then slowed down, finishing with 81 yards and a touchdown on the night.

The game got off to a slow start, and at halftime Willow Canyon (5-3) held a 13-7 lead.

In the third quarter, Willow Canyon started to pull away. An interception on the 3-yard line turned into a 97-yard drive to the end zone, capped by a Nezdoba fumble that was picked up by Espree for the touchdown.

Desert Mountain's first play after the kickoff was a fumble for another turnover that Willow Canyon turned into six points.

Desert Mountain (2-6) answered back just 15 seconds into the fourth quarter, bringing the score to 27-16. But by that time, Willow Canyon had the momentum, as they would score three more times before the final whistle.

Desert Mountain sophomore quarterback Kyle Allen threw for 302 yards and a touchdown, but also threw two interceptions, one returned for a score.

"It was a very exciting game for us, and a huge win against a quality opponent," Hudnutt said. "For a West Valley team to come over and have a chance at a victory is awesome."