Down by two points with just under nine minutes left in the game, host Cienega rallied to defeat Apache Junction 55-37 in the first round of the 4A-1 state playoffs.
The turnaround was led by workhorse running back Willie Willis, who scored two of his four touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
"Our team just wanted this game really bad. We know what we want to do in the playoffs," Willis said. "The season's not going to be complete till we get these rings."
Though he started slowly, Willis found the end zone on an 80-yard kickoff return in the second quarter, and finished the game with 239 yards on 27 carries, cutting through the No. 13 Prospectors' front five as the game wore on.
While the No. 4 Bobcats (10-1) were able to score quickly throughout the game, they were answered just as quickly by the Prospectors offense.
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The Bobcats finished the game with 496 yards of total offense, 280 of those coming on the ground. Apache Junction (5-6) ran up 454 total yards, 342 on the ground. The Bobcats accumulated 27 first downs while Apache Junction, scoring mostly on big plays, had 11.
Bobcat quarterback Jordan Mills threw for 216 yards on 23 of 35 passing for two touchdowns, while wideouts Edgar Poe and Javier Olono kept the Prospectors' defense on its heels and off-balance.
Cienega head coach Nemer Hassey was not surprised by the toughness of the Prospectors but was happy with his team's response to the challenge.
"That Apache Junction team has a very tough schedule, and they play in a very tough league," Hassey explained. "I knew we were going to be in a fight, but this season not too many teams have pushed us back. I wasn't sure how we'd respond, but I'm really proud of our guys."
