GameNight: Sokol, defense help DV throttle Mesa, 49-0

Desert Vista football has played two games and has been two entirely different teams.

A week after a dismal performance in a season-opening loss to Gilbert, the Thunder got five turnovers from its defense and a stellar first career start from quarterback Cody Sokol in throttling Mesa, 49-0.

• Click here for a photo slideshow of DV's win  

"We played a lot better," said Sokol, a junior. "We came out with an attitude.

"We played how we were supposed to play in week one."

Sokol, who took over this week for senior Cole Pembroke, threw for two touchdowns and 215 yards on 14-of-20 passing. He also had a 13-yard rush for a score.

"We got a lot of things worked out with our (offensive) line," said DV coach Dan Hinds. "They gave Cody time to see his receivers and throw the ball downfield a little bit, so that was the difference right there, I think."

His favorite target was easily senior Casey Bolena, who hauled in seven passes for 96 yards.

"He's definitely a big target on our offense and we managed to get the ball to him a lot tonight," Sokol said of Bolena.

Added Hinds, "I told (Sokol) that when you've got a guy like Casey, nothing but good things can happen when you throw it his way. But Cody spread it around, too. I think most of our receivers had a catch."

In fact, four different receivers had catches, including senior Danny Mullarkey, who caught three passes and had a 13-yard touchdown, the game's first score. Anthony Kereluk added a 34-yard touchdown on a screen pass in which he broke out of what looked to be a sure tackle, cut to his left, hurdled a diving linebacker and then made a few more would-be tacklers miss en route to the end zone.

"Cody, of course, looked real good," Hinds said.

The defense forced five turnovers, including three fumble recoveries deep inside Jackrabbit territory and two interceptions -- one each from Spencer Chase and Ryne Rezac.

As a result, DV benefited from excellent field position in the first half, six times starting within Jackrabbit territory, and three times from within the 25-yard-line.

"That's a blessing when you've got that short field and you've just got to pound it in," Sokol said.

"They did make some mistakes, and we were able to capitalize on that," Hinds added. "We were able to turn those into scores, which we need to do."

Desert Vista used a stable of backs in rushing for 158 yards on 34 carries. Senior Devon Kennard had three touchdowns on the ground, and Kereluk also added a 3-yard score.

Mullarkey, also a defensive end, had three-and-a-half sacks and also forced two fumbles. Kennard added one-and-a-half sacks of his own and recovered a fumble.