QB Chase Cord bounces back strong in Sunrise Mountain's win over Peoria
Chase Cord has changed the way he plays quarterback in his final football season at Peoria Sunrise Mountain.
Instead of reading the defense and keeping the ball and gashing through the line for big yards, he is settling more into the pocket, using his quick feet to get away from a defender, before finding an open target.
Cord showed off that he can make plays out of the pocket, shrugging off two early interceptions with three touchdown passes in a 45-20 4A Conference West Valley Region victory over Peoria (5-3, 1-2) on Thursday night at Sunrise Mountain.
He passed for 284 yards.
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"We're staying in the pocket more," coach Steve Decker said. "We're really not doing much zone read. The knee is pretty good. The knee is getting there. He rolled his ankle last week. And his foot is killing him. We're trying to get him back with that."
Cord's knee, in a bulky brace, still isn't all the way back from January anterior-cruciate-ligament surgery.
But Cord, who has committed to Boise State, has become a more cerebral quarterback, not letting a mistake bother him, showing poise in the pocket.
After a short pass was intercepted by defensive end Robert Duque in the first quarter, the next time Cord led the offense, he found Zack Pells for an 81-yard touchdown strike.
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On Sunrise Mountain's next possession, Cord had a pass batted and intercepted at the line by defensive end Zacahry Bingham, who returned it 38 yards for a score that tied the game at 14.
Cord bounced back in the next series, completing passes of 4, 36 25 and 5, before finding Pells again for a 5-yard touchdown.
Then, in the third quarter, after Nate Dobson's 48-yard scoring strike to Isaiah Veal cut it to 21-20, Cord calmly led Sunrise Mountain downfield, completing passes of 8, 24 and 17 yards and running 10 yards, setting up a trick play that Sunrise Mountain (7-1, 3-0) ran last week.
On a wide receiver reverse, Jay Anderson took a pitch, and then hit Pells for a 5-yard score that gave Sunrise Mountain a 28-20 lead, sparking a 24-0 run that closed out the game.
"I'm just trying to perfect my craft overall as a quarterback," Cord said. "I've learned a lot through the off-season with this injury. I learned a lot more Xs and Os stuff for my senior year."
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It doesn't appear anybody will catch Scottsdale Saguaro in 4A, but Sunrise Mountain, especially Cord, has bounced back since the 34-6 loss to Saguaro on Sept. 23.
"The way we responded, the vibe in the locker room afterward, we just come every day and work hard," he said.
Running back Garret Veldhuizen made up for the lost fumble into the Peoria end zone on Sunrise Mountain's opening possession with a 38-yard scoring run the next time Sunrise had the ball.
He added another touchdown run in the final quarter to put away Peoria.
The run helped set up the pass and the trick play.
"I know when (Cord) scrambles, I get to the sideline because I know he will make a pass there," Pells said. "I try to get to where I can catch the ball.
"We took (the Saguaro loss) as an opportunity to get better."
To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-460-1710. Follow him at twitter.com/azc_obert.Listen to Richard Obert with Dan Manucci on the Which Wich Arizona High School Football Preview Show on Friday night 6-7 on NBC Sports Radio AM 1060.
