(Tempe, AZ) The 5A AIA State Football title game came with an interesting back story. Horizon Head Coach Andy Litten not long ago was the head guy for the Marana Tigers, so he was very familiar with the Lancers.
Litten coached Lancer signal caller Treyson Bourguet’s older brother Trenton who’s now at Arizona State at while at Marana,
Salpointe came in hungry after falling short of a title in the State’s Open Division thats been dominated by the Chandler Wolves.
The game was a perfect #1 seed vs #2 seed scenario. Both teams came in with identical records of 11-2.
Horizon’s two losses were to Scottsdale Saguaro, who faces Chandler tomorrow night in the Open Division Title game.
Salpointe ran the table in Tucson with their only blemishes against the same Saguaro team and Phoenix Pinnacle.
Huskies got on the board first when quarterback Skyler Partridge completed a back side shoulder pass to Ethan Tinsley from seventeen. yards out. Horizon 7-0 at the end of the first quarter.
The Opening quarter saw more punts (5) than offense. The lone big play was a twenty nine yard pass to Cole Linyard to set up the first score.
Partridge connected to Linyard up the sidelines for the second touchdown for the Huskies. Horizon 14-0.
Salpointe attempted to answer, but a long touchdown run by Anthony Wilhite was called back due to a block in the back pentalty. That killed the momentum the Lancers were trying to establish.
Huskies got to the two yard line and made the first down inside the one yard line on a fourth down play.
Wesley Lambert did the rest from there scoring on the following play. The Huskies extended their lead 21-0.
A forty yard field goal attempt sailed wide as did the first half hopes for the Lancers.
The biggest advantage for the Huskies is Partridge having ample time to go thru his progressions to find his targets. Salpointe key adjustment was to putt more pressure on the quarterback to keep their secondary from being exposed.
Salpointe got lit up in the halftime locker room speech and their defense responded shutting down the Huskies offense on the first possession of the second half.
The Lancers got a break on a forth and fourteen when Treyson Bourguet got the roughing the passer call to get an automatic first down. The next play Wilhite scored to get Salpointe on the board. Horizon 21-7 midway through the third quarter.
Things didn’t go well for Horizon as once again the Lancers’ defense was stingy again forcing a fourth down. The punt attempt was blocked as the rush came from up the middle and the ball trickled into the end zone where Salpointe recovered for back to back scores.
The tone of the game totally changed at the begining of the third quarter, Salpointe had the momentum for the time being.
With the game now a onc possession affair, Horizon dug down deep and got their first score of the second half. Partridge found a wide open receiver in the back of the end zone. Horizon 28-14 to end the third quarter.
Now with a sense of urgency for Salpointe, things went south when Bourguet fumbled at his own forty three yard line and the Huskies pounced on the ball and the opportunity to put the game out of reach.
Although denied of a touchdown, Horizon added a twenty eight yard field goal to make a three possession game 31-14 and precious time ticking off the game clock.
Salpointe got a late touchdown as Bourguet connected with Gage Felix to cut the lead to 31-21 with 6:40 left to go.
Partridge on a keeper iup the right side went for pay dirt with it the game was well in hand for the #1 Huskies 38-21.
Salpointe in a hurry up offense on their last gasp scored on a quarterback keeper to bring it back to a two possession game 38-28 with 2:40 left.
From then on, Horizon just kept it on the ground and the clock running.
This was a game of two halves. With Salpointe digging themselves a huge hole in the first half, it was a monumental task to overcome.
The Lancers outscored Horizon 28-17 in the last half as Coach Rogers’ adjustments made a difference, but it was too late.
Final Score 38-28 and the 5A State Title goes to the Horizon Huskies, their first in twenty seven years.
The Lancers’ defense yielded 451 total yards, 278 through the air. Partridge had an eternity to pick apart the Salpointe defense in the first half.
Wesley Lambert was the workhorse for Horizon with 143 rushing yards.
520 Sports Talk Player of the Year Wilhite did all he could do gaining 122 yard and a 6.4 yards per carry. Quarterback Bourguet was much more efficient in the latter part of the game
With a senior laden team this season, it will be interesting to see who will step up and replace Bourguet, Wilhite on offense and Cruz Rusing and Cody Raetzman in the defensive backfield.
Salpointe finished 11-3 and was clearly the class of Tucson football.
