The Fountain Hills High School boys basketball team improved to 12-4 on the season and 3-0 in 2022 last week. The Falcons went on the road on Monday, Jan. 10, and defeated region opponent Chino Valley 60-29. Two days later, the Falcons defended home court and beat Payson 73-50 on Wednesday, Jan. 12.

The Falcons have scored more than 70 points only twice this season, and they both happened against Payson. Junior Luke Bloedel laughed and said, “that’s actually crazy,” when he learned the Falcons’ only 70-point games came against their biggest rival. On November 30, the Falcons traveled to Payson and won 74-27. It was the Falcons’ sixth game of the season, but it was the first game of the Longhorns’ season.

“[The rivalry] must’ve brought something out of us, especially because it was a home game, and we had a lot of fans there,” Bloedel said. “We definitely were continuing to push the ball up court no matter what the score was and how much we were up by. The last time we played, I think it was their first game. They’ve had a lot of time to become better, and of course, we improved as well.”

Bloedel said Payson was not missing any of their shots in the first quarter. The Falcons found themselves down on the scoreboard, but their defense stepped up through the remainder of the game. Bloedel said the Falcons held the Longhorns under six points in the third quarter.

Senior Alex Rieck missed some recent playing time for illness, and Bloedel stepped up in his absence. At 6’5”, Bloedel is the tallest Falcon and one of the core big men for Fountain Hills. With at least four players six feet or taller, leg room is hard to find on bus trips. Bloedel said he got a little cramped in the hour-and-a-half ride to Chino Valley, but luckily that didn’t stop the Falcons from dominating.

Three of the Falcons’ next four games are on the road. On Tuesday, Jan. 18, they traveled to Northwest Christian for a region match up. This Thursday, Jan. 20, the Falcons travel to Wickenburg for a 7 p.m. region game. The Falcons will host Camp Verde next Tuesday, Jan. 25 at 7 p.m., and then they’ll travel to Eastmark for a rematch on Thursday, Jan. 27. The Falcons lost 55-54 to the non-region Eastmark in the first tournament of the season.

The Falcons also have a home game on Friday, Jan. 28, against Chino Valley. The Falcons have only had three away games so far this season, but they are have had a perfect performance on the road so far this season. The Falcons have outscored their opponents 201-100 on the road, and part of the Falcons’ success is due to their preparation.

“I’d like to thank the volunteers,” Bloedel said. “We have parents volunteer to give us food and snacks for the road. We always have to prepare the day before in practice, going over our scouting report, making sure we know the team pretty well. We all have to get rest, especially before away games, because sitting on the bus, I feel like definitely affects our playing.”

According to Bloedel, one of the most important games of the season is coming up. Next Tuesday, Jan. 25, the Falcons welcome the 12-5 Camp Verde Cowboys. Bloedel thinks Camp Verde will likely be the Falcons’ region champion matchup, and Tuesday’s game will be the first of two games with the Cowboys.

Be sure to support your Falcons in their first matchup with Camp Verde this year. The Falcons won’t see the Cowboys again until the last game of the regular season, when they will have to travel two hours north on Friday, Feb. 11.