Photos: Mica Mountain remains undefeated in a 35-0 win at Sabino, high school football
The Thunderbolts road shutout ran their record to 3-0 and dropped the Sabercats to 2-2, September 13, 204, Tucson, Ariz.
Mica Mountain’s Josiah Thornwell attempts to stiff-arm his way around Sabino’s Javian Winton in the first quarter of a Sept. 13 game.
Sabino's Dominic Tagalog (8) rips the helmet off of Mica Mountain's Alex Palma (14) dragging him down short of the goal line in the third quarter of their game at Sabino High School, Tucson, Ariz., September 13, 2024.
Mica Mountain's Ben Weinzinger (44) reaches out to strip Sabino's Zachari Haley (3) of the ball in the first quarter of their game at Sabino High School, Sept. 13, 2024. The Bolts recovered the loose ball.
Sabino's Kyle Christopherson (76) slams into Mica Mountain's quarterback Jayden Thoreson (2) forcing an errant pass in the first quarter of their game at Sabino High School, Tucson, Ariz., September 13, 2024.
Sabino’s Bodhi Sanford (19) gets off the pass just before being hit in a pincer from Mica Mountain’s Jimmy Leon (1), left, and Jaysen Criswell (51) at Sabino High School, Sept. 13, 2024.
Mica Mountain's Riley Carson (13) slams into Sabino's Brit Roberson (1) running back an interception in the second quarter of their game at Sabino High School, Tucson, Ariz., September 13, 2024.
Mica Mountain’s Josiah Thornwell (5) twists his way into the secondary against Sabino in the second quarter of their game at Sabino High School, Tucson, Ariz., September 13, 2024.
Mica Mountain's Alex Palma (14), left, and Riley Carson (13) manages to jar the ball out of the hands of Sabino's Max Trainer (9) and keep him from hauling in an interception in the second quarter of their game at Sabino High School, Tucson, Ariz., September 13, 2024.
Sabino's Chance Zimmer (10) hist Mica Mountain's Riley Carson (13) forcing a fumble in their game at Sabino High School, Tucson, Ariz., September 13, 2024.
Mica Mountain’s Jimmy Leon (1) can’t grab the Hail Mary into the corner behind Sabino’s Zachari Haley (3) on the last play of the second quarter of the teams’ Sept. 13 matchup.
Sabino's Chance Zimmer (10) gets a finger or two into the face mask of Mica Mountain's Josiah Thornwell (5) in the third quarter of their game at Sabino High School, Tucson, Ariz., September 13, 2024. There was no penalty called on the play.
Sabino's Terrance Kammerer (33) comes from behind to strip Mica Mountain's Josiah Thornwell (5) of the ball in the third quarter of their game at Sabino High School, Tucson, Ariz., September 13, 2024. The Sabercats recovered the fumble.
Mica Mountain's Riley Carson (13) high steps out of the arms of Sabino's Jaydon Elliott (18) after a catch in the third quarter of their game at Sabino High School, Tucson, Ariz., September 13, 2024.
Mica Mountain's Nathaniel Bryant (3) forces the turnover on Sabino's punter Eli Valasek (28) following a missed snap in the second quarter of their game at Sabino High School, Tucson, Ariz., September 13, 2024.
Mica Mountain's Sergio Raygada (80) makes the hit to stop Sabino's Zachari Haley (3) behind the line in the fourth quarter of their game at Sabino High School, Tucson, Ariz., September 13, 2024.
Mica Mountain's Ben Weinzinger (44) throughly wraps up Sabino's Zachari Haley (3) late in the fourth quarter of their game at Sabino High School, Tucson, Ariz., September 13, 2024.
Mica Mountain's Ben Weinzinger (44), left, Sergio Raygada (80) and Blake Beltz (35) pursue Sabino's Isaiah Robertson (2) trying to turn the corner in the fourth quarter of their game at Sabino High School, Tucson, Ariz., September 13, 2024.
Sabino's Zachari Haley (3) looks for more room as he steps out of the hands of Mica Mountain's Dominik Leon (9) in the second quarter of their game at Sabino High School, Tucson, Ariz., September 13, 2024.
Sabino's Zachari Haley (3) nudges Mica Mountain's Josiah Thornwell (5) out just short of the pylon in the first quarter of their game at Sabino High School, Tucson, Ariz., September 13, 2024.
Mica Mountain's Jimmy Leon (1) can’t quite get a paw on the pass in the end zone behind Sabino's Zachari Haley (3) in the third quarter of their game at Sabino High School, Tucson, Ariz., September 13, 2024.
Mica Mountain's Jayden Thoreson (2) opts for the push pass escaping pressure from a collapsing pocket against Sabino in the third quarter of their game at Sabino High School, Tucson, Ariz., September 13, 2024.
Mica Mountain's Jaysen Criswell (51) lifts Mica Mountain's Alex Palma (14) after his catch-and-run for a touchdown at Sabino High School, Tucson, Ariz., September 13, 2024.
Mica Mountain’s Jimmy Leon (1) gestures after cradling a pass for the final score of the night in the fourth quarter of the Thunderbolts’ game at Sabino High School on Sept. 13, 2024.
Sabino's Dominic Tagalog (8) goes face to face stoping Mica Mountain's Alex Palma (14) during their game at Sabino High School, Tucson, Ariz., September 13, 2024.
Sabino's freshman quarterback Bodhi Sanford (19) warms up under the sunset as the Sabercats get ready to take on Mica Mountain at Sabino High School, Tucson, Ariz., September 13, 2024.
Mica Mountain's head coach Pat Nugent relays his plans to quarterback Jayden Thoreson (2) in the third quarter of their game at Sabino High School, Tucson, Ariz., September 13, 2024.
Sabino's head coach Ryan McBrayer talks to Brit Roberson (1) during a Sabercat time out in the second quarter against Mica Mountain at Sabino High School, Tucson, Ariz., September 13, 2024.
Kelly Presnell
Photojournalist
High school football: No longer the new kids, Mica Mountain has grown up into state contenderUntil this year, Mica Mountain High School was home to the newest prep football program in the Tucson area. Now a bit grown up as a program, the Thunderbolts are out to win their first state crown in '24.