Perhaps the biggest surprise of the night in a 5A-I showdown between reigning state champion Chandler Hamilton and Salpointe Catholic was who didn't play much in the game.
For the Lancers, star tailback Johnny Peña played sparingly on offense. He was used more as a linebacker.
For the Huskies - ranked eighth in the country by USA Today and leading the 5A-I power rankings - senior quarterback Kyren Poe exited the game with an injury on a Salpointe safety in the second quarter. Junior Blake Kemp replaced him and led visiting Hamilton (8-0) to a 31-14 victory Friday night.
The Lancers (5-1) scored two touchdowns and recovered two onside kicks in the final quarter. Hamilton, which led 22-2 at halftime and 25-2 after three quarters, pushed its winning streak to 33 games.
Peña saw little time on offense - he carried the ball twice for 2 yards - but played linebacker to help a banged-up defense, coach Dennis Bene said.
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"They're a great, great, well-coached team, tremendous athletes," Bene said. "This is as hard as we've played all year, and the last three games we haven't been physical and playing fast. Tonight was as fast and as physical as we've been in a long time. We're looking to build on that."
Bene said his team will return to its normal routine with Peña at tailback. Starting linebacker Dylan Furrier was limited because of an ankle issue.
Sophomore Jared Sires filled in at tailback and rushed for 53 yards on 11 carries. Kameron Abt scored on a 3-yard run with 5:58 to cut Hamilton's lead to 31-8. After Salpointe recovered an onside kick, Ben Sullivan caught a 4-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 31-14 with 2:31 left.
Both Peña and Bene said Peña is healthy.
"We were trying to go with some no-huddle stuff. We moved Johnny to defense to keep our best athletes on the field," Bene said. "It was a little change-up."
For Hamilton, quarterback Poe exited the game with a shoulder injury on Salpointe's safety in the second quarter. Kemp went 13 of 18 for 132 yards and two touchdowns in Poe's place.
"He did a great job for us," Hamilton coach Steve Belles said. "He really stepped up tonight for us."
The Huskies came up with two interceptions, one of which Darion Harris returned 29 yards for a touchdown.
"Our defense played excellent," Belles said. "The only drive they really had was when we had our second team in and they drove down the field on us. We couldn't get an onside kick and they got two. Credit to them."
Last year, Salpointe fell to Hamilton 45-2 during its 9-1 probation season.
"We were trying different looks and planning to pass the ball more in this game and spread it out," Peña said.
The Lancers can build from their second-half rally, Peña said.
"It shows we can play to a great level and keep up with a great team," he said.
Hamilton took a 14-2 lead on Tanner Clay's 45-yard touchdown reception from Kemp with 3:21 left before halftime.
The Lancers got on the scoreboard on a safety credited to Abt with 9:44 remaining before halftime to cut the Huskies' lead to 7-2.
Hamilton took a 22-2 halftime lead on Harris' 29-yard interception return for a touchdown with 2:54 left. The Huskies got a two-point conversion.
Arizona Wildcats coach Mike Stoops watched the game from the sidelines.
