(Tempe, AZ) The 4A State Championship game had Casa Grande and All World Quarterback Angel Flores against the top seed Poston Butte that counter with their own star, tailback Octavious Joe from San Tan Valley at Sun Devil Stadium.
In the first half, Poston Butte scored first and led 7-0. The Broncos have a high powered offense led by a strong running game that averaged 338 yards per game.
Casa Grande answered back on the next possession to even the score 7-7. The Cougars rely on more of a balanced attack rushing for 223 yarda and through the air 185 yards a contest.
In the second quarter, after a couple of points by each team, Poston Butte scored again to retake a the lead 14-7.
The brief lead didn’t last long and not to be outdone, the Cougars tied it back up at 14-14.
Casa Grande missed a golden opportunity to go into the half with the lead as they got down to the Broncos five yard line but fumbled and both teams left the field tied at 14-14.
Flores took the Cougars down the field with a combination of passing and his legs in five plays to pay dirt and Casa Grande broke the first half tie and a 21-14 lead to start the second half.
Just as in the first half leads didn’t last long as Poston Butte drove the length of the field to score to tie it back up at 21-21 as the third quarter ended.
The Cougars missed a chance to keep the back and forth action going when they had to give up the ball, Poston Butte scored on the first play in the fourth quarter to go up 28-21.
Now having to play catch up, Flores and company drove down to the Broncos one yard line, but had trouble the first two rushing attempts for no gains. Flores took matters into his own hands and snuck it in off left tackle to score. The ensuing extra point was missed and that still had Poston Butte in the lead 28-27 with 6:10 left in the game,
The Cougar defense stepped up and stopped Poston Butte to force a punt.
Casa Grande had the opportunity they wanted with just under four minuted left in the game they wanted the last possession.
Two stuffs on running plays and and an incomplete pass forced a fourth and ten.
Flores went to the well and hit Demetrius Garrett on a fly pattern for fifty two yards to have a first and goal at he Broncos five yard line.
One play later the Cougars scored on a sweep right to take the lead with just over two and a half minutes left. The try for two points failed on a Flores keeper up the middle and score remained 33-28.
Poston Butte got the ball on the seventeen yard line to try to win the game.
Drew Dalmacio complete a key third down pass after a sack to keep th drive alive.
With only forty eight seconds left, the Broncos used their first timeout and a Delmacio pass to Lopez was incomplete. Mirroring Flores, Delmacio used his feet and got the first down and a second timeout with thirty four seconds left.
Conor Lopez got a reception on a quick out to stop the clock and a run by Joe got the ball to the thirty but Poston Butte was running out of ticks on the clock.
The final play with two seconds left saw a Hail Mary into the end zone that fell harmlessly to the turf and Casa Grande wins the 4A State Title 33-28.
