HS football: How Pusch Ridge won Division IV state championship

Aug. 28: Benson 28, Pusch Ridge Christian 14

At Benson, the Bobcats scored a touchdown in each quarter and doubled-up the visiting Lions. 

Sept. 4: Pusch Ridge Christian 50, Bisbee 6

Pusch Ridge capitalized on mistakes by Bisbee to take an early advantage. James Raica and Dakota Haynes offset Bisbee's defense by rushing for a combined four touchdowns.

Highlight reel

Mitch Maas extended Pusch Ridge's lead to 14-0 by sprinting into the end zone for a 46-yard touchdown in the first quarter.

Player of the game

Raica who scored two touchdowns while rushing for 143 yards.

By the numbers

203. The total number of yards Raica and Dakota Haynes rushed for.

He said it

"The difference between this game and the previous game was that guys came into practice, we tightened up things and didn't make mistakes." -  Raica

Steven Fowler

Sept. 11: Pusch Ridge Christian 45, San Tan Valley Combs 13

At San Tan Valley, the Lions jumped out to a 19-0 halftime lead and then added 26 more points in the second half to improve to 2-1.

James Raica rushed for 104 yards and Tamerat McLeod added 45 yards on the ground in the win.

Pusch Ridge visits Amphitheater next week.

Sept. 18: Pusch Ridge Christian 40, Amphitheater 7

At Amphi, Pusch Ridge won its third game in row and moved to 3-1 on the season in a dominating performance against the winless Panthers. Despite allowing 205 yards rushing, Pusch Ridge was able to halt three Amphi drives inside its own 30, allowing only a third-quarter rushing touchdown. Amphi (0-4) still is searching for their first win of the season; it next faces the undefeated Flowing Wells Caballeros.

Highlight reel

Pusch Ridge running back Tamerat Mcleod caught a beautifully-thrown pass from quarterback Cody Cropp on a wheel route and took it 80 yards for a touchdown. The most impressive yard of the play was the last as Mcleod executed a perfect juke at the one yard line, making an Amphitheater defender stumble, allowing McLeod to walk into the end zone.

Player of the game

Mcleod terrorized Amphi on both sides of the ball. In addition to his 80-yard touchdown reception and 34 yards rushing. He also caught an 85-yard interception return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to seal the win.

By the numbers

10. The combined number of penalties on the night for both teams. Pusch Ridge and Amphi played a clean football game.

He said it

"Our goal this year is to get better every week. No matter what the score is at the end of the game." - Pusch Ridge coach Troy Cropp

W.P. Russell

Sept. 25: Pusch Ridge Christian 34, Cholla 28

Pusch Ridge Christian scored 20 points in the second half to hold off visiting Cholla 34-28 on Friday night. Now the the Lions want more.

The teams were tied at 14 at halftime and the Lions survived a late rally by Cholla, which scored 14 points in the fourth quarter (see box score below).

“Cholla’s a great team, they had a 3-1 record coming in, but we have some growing up to do as a team,” said Pusch Ridge coach Troy Cropp.

Pusch Ridge scored six points in the fourth quarter to help secure the win.

“We didn’t have our best week of practice, a lot of guys had been sick, including me, but we still worked hard as a team and everyone was able to come together, especially in the second half,” said Pusch Ridge senior quarterback Cody Cropp.

Pusch Ridge (4-1) opened up the scoring with a 5-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back/linebacker Tamerat McLeod on its first drive.

Cholla responded with a 55-yard interception return for a touchdown by Armando Vasquez.

This is Pusch Ridge’s first season in Division IV.

“I think it’s a big win, moving up this division,” McLeod said. “This is a big win for us, but we still have to improve.”

In the second half, Cholla quarterback Bobby Vega Rodriguez scored two touchdowns. The senior passed for 134 yards and ran for 80 on 21 carries.

“We’ve got a whole bunch of good teams coming up,” Troy Cropp said. “It was a good win for us, but we need to get a lot better.”

In the third quarter, Pusch Ridge scored on a 27-yard touchdown pass to junior receiver Edwin Lovett.

Then in the fourth, McLeod scored his third touchdown of the game on a 30-yard run.

“I really did nothing, just run through the hole that they set up for me,” McLeod said.

McLeod ran for 103 yards on 11 carries and Pusch Ridge senior James Raica ran for 124 yards on 19 carries and a touchdown.

Cody Cropp said the difference in the second half was that Pusch Ridge realized how important the game was.

“I think we just realized we needed this game, that losing this game was not an option if we wanted to go to the playoffs,” he said. “We really wanted to show that we had the skill to compete in Division IV and we really do.”

Next week Pusch Ridge faces local Division IV power Sahuarita, a matchup the Lions were already looking forward to.

“Next week will really truly show us where we are,” McLeod said. “Sahuarita’s going to bring it and we will bring it, too.”

James Kelley  

Oct. 2: Pusch Ridge Christian 21, Sahuarita 7

Host Pusch Ridge beat Sahuarita 21-7 Friday night to set up a big game next week with Flowing Wells.

The Lions used a pesky defensive scheme to put Sahuarita quarterback Damion Hill under a lot of pressure all night. Pusch Ridge Wide receiver Ben Walker hauled in two touchdown passes in the first half to help the Lions improve to 5-1 on the season.

“We did pressure and did some things differently on defense tonight,” said Pusch Ridge coach Troy Cropp. “Sahuarita is a great team and if you give their quarterback time he will eat any team up in Tucson.”

Pusch Ridge ran a quick tempo offense to start the game that stifled the Sahuarita defensive line early on but the Mustangs did a good job adjusting quickly to force the Lions to punt.

Sahuarita took over at its on 34-yard line and put together a drive that lasted nearly 10 minutes and extended into the second quarter.

On fourth-and-6 from midfield the Lions were set to punt when an offside penalty against Pusch Ridge extended the Mustangs drive.

Sahuarita marched down inside the Pusch Ridge 5-yard line and were faced with a fourth-and-goal from the 2-yard line. But The Lions defense stepped up and made a play as they did all night and made a goal line stand after an inside handoff lost two yards for the Mustangs.

Pusch Ridge opened up the scoring when quarterback Cody Cropp found wide receiver Ben Walker for a 25-yard pass in the corner of the end zone with 8:23 left in the second quarter to put the hosts up 7-0.

After a fumble recovery gave the ball back to Sahuarita with six minutes left in the second quarter, the Lions again applied pressure and were able to end another Mustangs drive on downs.

Pusch Ridge would get the ball back and cap off a 72-yard drive with another Cropp to Walker connection this time for a 15-yard touchdown pass and catch, making it 14-0 Lions at the half.

“Tonight we came out fighting,” Walker said. “We were firing on all cylinders tonight.”

Sahuarita gained some momentum late in the third quarter after an ill-advised pass from Cody Cropp was intercepted and returned 42 yards by Mustang safety Erik Thompson to cut Pusch Ridge’s lead to seven.

But with just 50 seconds left in the third quarter Pusch Ridge running back Tamerat McLeod all but sealed the victory for the Lions with an explosive 73-yard run, as there would be no scoring in the fourth quarter.

Pusch Ridge (5-1) prepares for a big showdown with Flowing Wells (7-0) next week.

“We will be the underdog in that game,” Cropp said. “Dionte (Flores) is the man, he is the real deal and we need to bring it next week.”

Nick Peppe

Oct. 9: Pusch Ridge Christian 24, Flowing Wells 21

Pusch Ridge Christian senior quarterback Cody Cropp took the snap, moved a couple steps to his right and essentially walked into the end zone to cap off a tenacious 14-play drive — a drive that may go down as the biggest in program history.

The Lions survived a wild third quarter and stole the show at Flowing Wells’ homecoming on Friday night, knocking of the unbeaten Caballeros 24-21 and making a statement that eighth-ranked Pusch Ridge is a legitimate contender in its new division (see box score below).

“This win was huge for us,” said sophomore Tamerat McLeod, who rushed for a game-high 135 yards. “We’ve been talking about it for months. We moved up to Division IV just to play this kind of team so it’s awesome. This is a huge step for us.”

Yes it was.

Pusch Ridge (6-1) has won six straight games since losing its season opener at Benson, the No. 1 team in Division V. The Lions qualified for the state playoffs in each of the last two seasons and have won 30 games since Troy Cropp took over the program before the 2012 season.

But no victory was sweeter than Friday night’s come-from-behind road win.

“I think it’s probably the biggest win in Pusch Ridge history, especially on this stage,” said Troy Cropp. “We’ve won playoff games before, but we feel like this was a playoff game.”

Cropp’s 1-yard touchdown run with 1 minute 36 seconds left came one play after senior James Raica rushed for a 7-yard gain, giving him 96 yards.

The score finished off a drive that started on the Pusch Ridge 21, after Flowing Wells turned the ball over on downs with 7:59 remaining.

Ironically, it was a drive similar to the one the Lions opened the game with, running more than seven minutes off the clock before Dionte Flores and the Caballeros touched the ball. But that drive lasted 12 plays and resulted in a turnover on downs.

“That wasn’t necessarily our plan for this game, that is our plan for this season,” said Cody Cropp. “That’s what our style of game is, and we’re a team. There’s no one standout; everyone gets the ball, and everyone blocks for each other.”

Flowing Wells (7-1) managed to move the ball near midfield before the Lions came up with a fourth-down stop in the final seconds of the game, just a few plays after Ben Walker sacked quarterback Julio Sandoval to help thwart the possibility of the Caballeros getting back in the game.

“They got up on us, but we had great heart,” said Walker, who caught three passes for 116 yards. “That’s what it came down to. They got their touchdowns; they had momentum swings, but we just never gave up.”

Flowing Wells entered the night ranked seventh in Division IV and had a 7-3 lead at halftime. But things went south in a back-and-forth third quarter when Flores — arguably Tucson’s top player — ended up sidelined for some time with a left leg injury.

The senior two-way starter eventually came back in but was held a season-low 47 yards on 11 carries and, most importantly, no touchdowns.

“He’s a tough kid,” Flowing Wells coach Mark Brunenkant said. “I think if we have a different Dionte, maybe not a different outcome, but we score more points.”

Just a few plays after Flores hobbled off the field early in the third quarter, Sandoval connected with Bailey Caron for a 44-yard touchdown in his first game back since the second week of the season. The senior was out with an injured left hand and was wearing a splint on Friday night.

Walker responded by hauling in a jaw-dropping 71-yard touchdown pass just a few minutes later to make the score 14-10, with Flowing Wells still leading.

“I don’t know how I caught it, and then I don’t know how I stayed inbounds,” Walker said. “He spun me around. I just kept concentration on the ball. I knew I had to catch it, and once I got it, I took off.”

The Caballeros drove down for another touchdown after that, but McLeod answered right back with a 58-yard scoring run to make it 21-17 with 4:40 left in the third quarter.

Flowing Wells, which hosts Sahuarita next week, got the ball early in the fourth quarter on its 45. But the drive stalled at the 21 when Sandoval nearly had a pass intercepted on fourth down, setting the stage for the Lions’ big drive.

“We’ve just got to bounce back,” Brunenkant said. “We’ve just got to get healthy; we’re banged up. We’ve got to come back from a little adversity.”

Daniel Gaona  

Oct. 16: Pusch Ridge Christian 35, Pueblo 13

Not even the weather can stop Pusch Ridge Christian Academy these days, as the Lions beat visiting Pueblo 35-13 to win their seventh in a row Friday night.

Pusch Ridge (7-1) didn’t need a passing game as it rushed for 266 yards overall and had a 21-7 halftime lead, when the game was delayed due to lightning. The intermission was 30 minutes.

“We wanted to prove to this town that Pusch Ridge is for real, we’re not just another small Christian school,” said Pusch Ridge senior running back/middle linebacker James Raica. “All the seniors came together and said: ‘This win helps us control our destiny.’ ”

The win helps solidify Pusch Ridge’s playoff position. The Lions are fifth in AIA’s Division IV rankings, in their first year in the division.

Pueblo is No. 15 in the AIA rankings. The Warriors (5-3) saw their four-game winning streak snapped.

“It’s a real big win,” said Pusch Ridge coach Troy Cropp said. “Coach (Brandon) Sanders has done a great job over there and they’re a really good team, so we’re just thankful to be on the winning side of the game today, for sure.”

Pueblo is seeking its first playoff appearance since 1990.

Pusch Ridge opened the game with a 43-yard touchdown run by Raica and led the rest of the way. Raica ran for 133 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries.

“Our O-line had a heck of a game, our O-line handled them all game,” Raica said. “I told the guys after the game that if I had to give the game ball to somebody, it would be the O-line.”

Pueblo pulled to within 14-7, but Pusch Ridge outscored the Warriors 21-6 as Pueblo was unable to rally in the rain.

Cropp said one Lion who played football his whole life declared that he had never played a game in the rain.

“It was fun, I’ve never played in weather like that, so I thought it was a really cool experience I’ve always wanted to have,” said Pusch Ridge senior quarterback Cody Cropp, who was 0 for 3 with an interception.

“It certainly didn’t work out for me,” he said with a laugh, “but that’s cool because this win definitely went to the O-line.”

Pueblo senior quarterback Justin Pledger fared better, but still struggled in the elements, with the rain blowing sideways at times. Pledger was 10 for 21 for 160 yards and a touchdown.

Pusch Ridge’s only loss was at undefeated Benson in the first game of the season. The Bobcats are ranked first in Division V.

“We’ve just been getting better every week,” Cody Cropp said. “We’ve added a little bit more to the offense, added a little bit more to the defense but really what it’s been has been focusing more and more and practicing harder each week.”

James Kelley 

Oct. 23: Pusch Ridge Christian 48, Walden Grove 21

At Pusch Ridge, it was a tale of two halves as Pusch Ridge went on a scoring frenzy and posted 34 points in the second half behind a strong ground attack to beat Walden Grove 48-21. The win gave Pusch Ridge the Division IV, Section VI title.

The two teams entered halftime tied at 14. Sparked by Dakota Haynes, who scored twice in the second half, Pusch Ridge extended its win streak to eight games.

James Raica led Pusch Ridge with 138 rushing yards and two scores. In all, Pusch Ridge amassed 495 rushing yards split between seven different players. Walden Grove struggled to get anything going on the ground and Louis Joseph only attributed for 51 yards and two touchdowns. Carlos Guerrero had 196 passing yards for the Red Wolves to go with one touchdown.

Highlight reel

Sparking the second half rally, Dakota Haynes took an end-around 50 yards for a touchdown.

Player of the game

Raica. He finished with 138 rushing yards on 19 carries.

By the numbers

495. The total amount of rushing yards by Pusch Ridge showed their ability to move the ball and control possession.

He said it

"That's who we are, we run the ball and the Walden Grove defense did a good job of slowing us down in the first half. We just got back to doing what we do and thank goodness we came out with a win because of it." — Pusch Ridge coach Troy Cropp

Chris Real

Oct. 30: Pusch Ridge Christian 59, Rio Rico 10

At Rio Rico, Pusch Ridge Christian capped off arguably their greatest and most unexpected season in school history with a dominant win over Rio Rico (4-6). Pusch Ridge was efficient on offense, amassing 523 yards, 394 of it rushing. The defense was equally effective, holding Rio Rico to just 208 yards. Pusch Ridge moved to 9-1 on the season with their lone loss in the first week to Benson, currently the top-ranked team in Division V. Pusch Ridge is currently ranked eighth in Division IV and awaits news of their playoff seeding on Saturday morning.

Highlight reel

Despite the loss, Rio Rico executed a nearly perfect halfback pass in the second quarter when running back Chris Lipscomb tossed a nice spiral to receiver Noe Arellano for a 64-yard gain. The play set up a 32-yard field goal.

Players of the game

The Pusch Ridge offensive line helped two Lions running backs, Tamerat McLeod and Dakota Haynes, score three touchdowns each. The unit has been outstanding this season, and Friday night was no exception.

By the numbers

9. Pusch Ridge's average yardage per carry. Nearly a first down a carry.

He said it

"I've told people this is a storybook-type season. I never would have bet 9-1. We're blessed, we're happy about it, we're grateful, and we're ready to go into the playoffs." - Pusch Ridge coach Troy Cropp

W.P. Russell

Nov. 7: No. 3 Pusch Ridge Christian 38, No. 14 Payson 13

Third-seeded Pusch Ridge Christian cruised past No. 14 Payson for a 38-13 win on Saturday night, advancing to the second round of the state playoffs for the third straight season.

Now the Lions have another shot at doing something for the first time in program history – reaching the state semifinals.

Pusch Ridge (10-1) goes for its 11th straight win next Saturday when it hosts sixth-seeded Mohave Valley River Valley, last year’s state champion. A victory there will snap an 0-for-4 skid in the second round of the postseason and set the school’s single-season wins mark.

“A playoff win is a playoff win” senior captain James Raica said. “It’s awesome.”

Sophomore running back Tamerat McLeod rushed for a game-high 98 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Lions while Raica and Pusch Ridge’s defense limited Payson to just one offensive score.

“In the past years, we haven’t had a team that’s so tight,” said Ben Walker, a senior tight end and defensive end. “This year, that’s there and we have the work ethic. I’ve been here on varsity all four years and I’ve never seen a work ethic like this one.

“We’re willing to go get it done and ti think that’s what’s going to get us over this hump.”

With Pusch Ridge up 17-7 late in the second quarter, Walker hauled in 46-yard catch from senior quarterback Cody Cropp. A few plays later, with less than a minute left in the first half, Cropp connected with sophomore Mitch Maas for a 21-yard touchdown to give the Lions a commanding 24-7 lead.

Payson shifted the momentum midway through the third quarter when Taran Sarnowski scooped up a Pusch Ridge fumble and returned it 89 yards for a touchdown. A failed extra-point made the score 24-13 with 4:50 left in the quarter.

The Lions wasted no time extending their lead once again.

McLeod scored on a 4-yard run with 2:09 remaining in third to make it 31-13 and all but seal the game.

And, as if that score wasn’t enough, McLeod danced his way through Payson’s defense for a 44-yard touchdown, moments after Pusch Ridge came up with a fourth-down stop midway though the fourth quarter.

“This is good beginning,” McLeod said. “This is kind of like the Flowing Wells win but it’s a little more special because it’s in the playoffs.”

Although Pusch Ridge led the entire game, things could have been differently if penalties hadn’t negated two Payson touchdowns. Fourth-year coach Troy Cropp hopes to have the miscues on both sides of the ball fixed by the time River Valley comes tow next week

“We made our mistakes; we’ve got some things we have to clean up to move on,” Troy Cropp said. “We’ve got to get better at what we do an play more physical than we did.”

The Lions are the lone Tucson-area team left in the Division IV state playoffs after No. 9 Flowing Wells and No. 13 Pueblo were both eliminated on the road Saturday night.

Top-seeded Benson and No 6 Bisbee each advanced to the second round of the Division V state playoffs.

“It’s a home playoff win, there’s not a lot of teams playing right now,” Troy Cropp said. “We’re just happy, blessed and fortunate to be out here. We don’t take it for granted; it’ great to be playing right now.”

Daniel Gaona 

Nov. 14: No. 3 Pusch Ridge Christian 13, No. 6 Mohave Valley River Valley 10

Ben Walker saw a grand opportunity right in front of him Saturday night, so he reached up and grabbed it — twice.

The Pusch Ridge Christian senior hauled in the go-ahead touchdown pass with 20 seconds left and then blocked a potential game-tying field goal attempt to secure a 13-10 win against No. 6 Mohave Valley River Valley.

“That play felt like it was 45 seconds, it felt like it was forever,” said Walker, a 6-foot-4-inch, 195-pound tight end and defensive end. “I couldn’t believe it.”

The dramatic come-from-behind victory sends the third-seeded Lions to the state semifinals for the first time. They play No. 7 Lake Havasu at Phoenix Arcadia on Saturday at 2 p.m. for a trip to the Division IV state championship game.

“I don’t know what it is about this team,” said fourth-year coach Troy Cropp. “They’re not going to give up, so they don’t.

“This is all this is — us rising up to the challenge, so we’re going to keep doing that.”

Pusch Ridge (11-1) entered riding a 10-game winning streak, but it had lost in all four previous quarterfinals appearances, including each of the past two seasons.

It took a clutch 10-play, 80-yard drive in the final two minutes to finally break down the wall.

Senior quarterback Cody Cropp capped off the drive with a 30-yard touchdown pass, giving Pusch Ridge a 13-10 lead with 20 seconds left. Cropp heaved the ball to the back of the end zone, where Walker could be seen blanketed by a pair of defenders. The ball was tipped before Walker pulled it in with enough room to get two feet down.

“This is Ben Walker we’re talking about,” Cody Cropp said. “He’s incredible, he’ll catch anything you give him.”

But River Valley, the 2014 Division IV champion, had one last chance thanks to a failed extra-point attempt. The Dust Devils made it down to the Pusch Ridge 28 before attempting a 45-yard field goal but, once again, Walker came up big and blocked it.

“I was ecstatic,” Walker said. “That was amazing.”

Pusch Ridge took a 7-0 lead with 3:30 left in the third quarter when Cropp connected with Edwin Lovett for a 22-yard touchdown pass.

Lovett leaped up to snag the catch and fell into the end zone, near the right pylon.

River Valley tied the game 3:05 into the fourth quarter on a 31-yard scoring pass. Just a few minutes after that, the Dust Devils took a 10-7 lead on a 44-yard field goal after Cropp threw his third interception of the night.

“Sometimes the will to win a game can overcome a lack of discipline,” Cody Cropp said. “I wanted this game for my brothers; I wanted it not only for this team but both teams in the past two years that wanted to push past this quarterfinal game.”

Nov. 21: No. 3 Pusch Ridge Christian 17, No. 7 Lake Havasu 14 (OT) 

PHOENIX — “Believe” has been the slogan for Pusch Ridge Christian’s football team all season long. Players and fans routinely chant it multiple times during games, regardless of the score.

The Lions did more than chant it on Saturday – they proved it.

Third-seeded Pusch Ridge rallied from a 14-point deficit and overcame four turnovers to beat No. 7 Lake Havasu 17-14 in overtime and advance to the Division IV state championship game in an improbable fashion.

The Lions (12-1) had never been past the state quarterfinals before this year, but now seem to be the favorite to win it all, as they take a 12-game winning streak into Saturday’s title bout at Scottsdale Chaparral against No. 8 Phoenix Northwest Christian.

“Sometimes, with all these games that have been so close, we’re just breathless,” coach Troy Cropp said. “I don’t know how we end up doing it. The Lord is behind us, that’s all I have to say.”

Two-way sophomore Tamerat McLeod was responsible for two lost fumbles against Lake Havasu but ended up being the newest hero for Pusch Ridge. McLeod kicked a 27-yard game-winning field goal after senior captain James Raica intercepted quarterback Jack Warner in the Knights’ overtime possession.

“This is amazing, this is history,” said McLeod, who was kicking for the first time since the opening week of the season. “This is a such a privilege, and we’ve got to enjoy every moment of it.”

Pusch Ridge is anything but unfamiliar with the dramatics that played out Saturday.

Just last week, senior tight end Ben Walker caught a 30-yard touchdown pass in the final seconds to secure a 13-10 win against No. 6 Mohave Valley River Valley in the state quarterfinals.

Walker hauled in crucial a 37-yard pass on third down in the second quarter for his lone catch of the day Saturday. Six plays later, Raica rushed for a 3-yard touchdown to get Pusch Ridge on the board and make it 14-7.

“It’s beyond belief – I can’t believe it still,” said Raica, who was celebrating his 18th birthday. “It’s amazing for our school and for Tucson. It’s awesome; it’s all we could ask for.”

But before that 74-yard scoring drive, it was hard to imagine Pusch Ridge getting back into the game.

The Lions had three turnovers in the period, and Lake Havasu went up 14-0 on the first play of the second quarter. But little by little, Pusch Ridge found its way back and tied the game at 14 when sophomore Mitch Maas plunged into the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown with 4:47 left in the third quarter.

From that point, Lake Havasu kicker Josh Crabtree missed three field goals, including a 34-yarder in the final seconds that almost seemed automatic and had Pusch Ridge players cringing on the sidelines at Phoenix Arcadia. But it was only a matter of time before that worry turned to joy and assistant coach Lamar Lovett could be seen doing his postgame victory dance once again.

Raica’s interception came on the second play of overtime, and moments later, McLeod trotted out to kick the game-winning field goal on the west end of the field. Walker didn’t know if the kick was good at first, but could be seen jumping up and down like a child on Christmas once everyone poured onto the field.

“The thing about us is that we have heart; we never quit until the end today,” Walker said. “I can’t even tell you how special this is. That’s all I wanted this season, just a shot to go to the state championship, and we did it. I have no words for it.”

Daniel Gaona 

Nov. 28: No. 3 Pusch Ridge Christian 14, No. 8 Phoenix Northwest Christian 7

SCOTTSDALE — After the late-game dramatics over the last few weeks, Pusch Ridge Christian’s football team became quite familiar with living on the edge. It was just a matter of waiting for a spark at the right moment.

The spark in Saturday’s Division IV championship game came from an interception by senior Aaron Tvrdy — his first of the season — early in the fourth quarter.

What seemed so simple at the time ended up being huge.

Third-seeded Pusch Ridge put together a game-tying 99-yard touchdown drive after the turnover and later capitalized on a fumble to beat No. 8 Phoenix Northwest Christian 14-7 and capture its first state championship.

“Every single playoff game, we were either down or had to battle,” said Tvrdy, the son of Pusch Ridge athletic director Lonnie Tvrdy. “Just somehow, we found a way. It’s unbelievable to me, and I’m so proud of every guy.

“What more could you want from a senior year? I’m just so amazed.”

Sophomore running back Tamerat McLeod — who kicked a game-winning field goal in the semifinals — punched in the go-ahead score on a 2-yard run with 1:11 remaining. Then the Lions stopped Northwest Christian on fourth down in the final 30 seconds to secure their 13th straight win.

Pusch Ridge’s players and fans counted down until the clock ran out at Scottsdale Chaparral’s Firebird Stadium after senior Cody Cropp took the final knee of the game.

Once the horn sounded, the celebration was on — and you can bet there was some dancing.

Moments after Pusch Ridge received the championship trophy, assistant coach Lamar Lovett broke out backflips and windmills to put the exclamation point on an incredible season with a unbelievable finish. Lovett, who break dances after every home and playoff win, promised to bring the house down if the Lions won the title. He delivered.

“It’s crazy how these things happen” Pusch Ridge coach Troy Cropp said as Queen’s “We Are the Champions” played on the public-address system. “We’re ecstatic we came back; we’ve done that three or four times this year.

“It’s kind of like a cardiac team — check your heart meds at the door.”

He’s not kidding.

The Lions trailed 7-0 and had struggled offensively all night. But when Tvrdy hauled in his interception at his own goal line with 10:37 left in the fourth quarter, it sparked a certain fire in the Lions.

Sophomore running back Dakota Haynes broke loose for a 7-yard gain on the second play of the drive and then rambled free for 33 yards the next snap. Haynes gained 11 yards on the following play to move the Lions into Northwest Christian territory. Then McLeod had rushes of 10 and 16 yards to give Pusch Ridge the ball at the 20.

“Right as Dakota started get going, I knew we were going to win the game because we were rallying around each other and we weren’t giving up,” said senior captain Cooper Barghols. “We believed we were going to win this game. It’s an absolutely incredible moment.”

Three plays later in the drive, facing a third down at the 18, Cody Cropp hit senior tight end Ben Walker on the left side for the touchdown, and the extra point by junior Christian McCarty tied the game at 7 with 5:05 remaining.

“We knew we had it, we just kept believing,” Walker said. “I’ve got no words for it. I mean, being the first ever to get past the quarterfinals and then to go all the way to the state championship for the first time, are you kidding me?”

Junior defensive end Paul Bertelsen pulled in an interception four plays into Northwest Christian’s next possession, but the Lions were unable to get anything going and punted the ball back to the Crusaders.

But Pusch Ridge got the ball right back, thanks to a fumble inside the 10, with 93 seconds remaining. Two-way senior James Raica, who had an interception early in the game, rushed to the 2, setting up McLeod’s game-winning score on the following play.

“This is amazing,” McLeod said. “This is history.”

Nov. 28: No. 3 Pusch Ridge Christian 14, No. 8 Phoenix Northwest Christian 7

SCOTTSDALE — After the late-game dramatics over the last few weeks, Pusch Ridge Christian’s football team became quite familiar with living on the edge. It was just a matter of waiting for a spark at the right moment.

The spark in Saturday’s Division IV championship game came from an interception by senior Aaron Tvrdy — his first of the season — early in the fourth quarter.

What seemed so simple at the time ended up being huge.

Third-seeded Pusch Ridge put together a game-tying 99-yard touchdown drive after the turnover and later capitalized on a fumble to beat No. 8 Phoenix Northwest Christian 14-7 and capture its first state championship.

“Every single playoff game, we were either down or had to battle,” said Tvrdy, the son of Pusch Ridge athletic director Lonnie Tvrdy. “Just somehow, we found a way. It’s unbelievable to me, and I’m so proud of every guy.

“What more could you want from a senior year? I’m just so amazed.”

Sophomore running back Tamerat McLeod — who kicked a game-winning field goal in the semifinals — punched in the go-ahead score on a 2-yard run with 1:11 remaining. Then the Lions stopped Northwest Christian on fourth down in the final 30 seconds to secure their 13th straight win.

Pusch Ridge’s players and fans counted down until the clock ran out at Scottsdale Chaparral’s Firebird Stadium after senior Cody Cropp took the final knee of the game.

Once the horn sounded, the celebration was on — and you can bet there was some dancing.

Moments after Pusch Ridge received the championship trophy, assistant coach Lamar Lovett broke out backflips and windmills to put the exclamation point on an incredible season with a unbelievable finish. Lovett, who break dances after every home and playoff win, promised to bring the house down if the Lions won the title. He delivered.

“It’s crazy how these things happen” Pusch Ridge coach Troy Cropp said as Queen’s “We Are the Champions” played on the public-address system. “We’re ecstatic we came back; we’ve done that three or four times this year.

“It’s kind of like a cardiac team — check your heart meds at the door.”

He’s not kidding.

The Lions trailed 7-0 and had struggled offensively all night. But when Tvrdy hauled in his interception at his own goal line with 10:37 left in the fourth quarter, it sparked a certain fire in the Lions.

Sophomore running back Dakota Haynes broke loose for a 7-yard gain on the second play of the drive and then rambled free for 33 yards the next snap. Haynes gained 11 yards on the following play to move the Lions into Northwest Christian territory. Then McLeod had rushes of 10 and 16 yards to give Pusch Ridge the ball at the 20.

“Right as Dakota started get going, I knew we were going to win the game because we were rallying around each other and we weren’t giving up,” said senior captain Cooper Barghols. “We believed we were going to win this game. It’s an absolutely incredible moment.”

Three plays later in the drive, facing a third down at the 18, Cody Cropp hit senior tight end Ben Walker on the left side for the touchdown, and the extra point by junior Christian McCarty tied the game at 7 with 5:05 remaining.

“We knew we had it, we just kept believing,” Walker said. “I’ve got no words for it. I mean, being the first ever to get past the quarterfinals and then to go all the way to the state championship for the first time, are you kidding me?”

Junior defensive end Paul Bertelsen pulled in an interception four plays into Northwest Christian’s next possession, but the Lions were unable to get anything going and punted the ball back to the Crusaders.

But Pusch Ridge got the ball right back, thanks to a fumble inside the 10, with 93 seconds remaining. Two-way senior James Raica, who had an interception early in the game, rushed to the 2, setting up McLeod’s game-winning score on the following play.

“This is amazing,” McLeod said. “This is history.”