Stryder Bigler is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Red Mountain High School for AZPreps365.com.

 

While the valley cools down, a fire burned on the sideline and the Red Mountain Lions came in hot, ready to stay undefeated and start the season 7-0 for the first time in school history.

The undefeated Lions took on a fellow undefeated squad an East Valley regional foe, the American Leadership Academy-Queen Creek Patriots on Friday, October 18, at 7 p.m..

After a scoreless first quarter featured a Logan Haney interception that the Red Mountain offense broke loose.

The first play of the second quarter was a 70-yard touchdown throw by Simon Lopez to Bode Wagner to put the Lions up 7-0. Then, a 75-yard run by Lopez made the score 13-0.

After two 3-and-outs by the Patriots, a third-down conversion that featured a face mask penalty on the Lions and a fourth-and-1 quarterback sneak by Crew Dannels put the Patriots in position to score on the back of Brandon Brown making the score 13-7.

Red Mountain started the half with two touchdowns but as the second quarter progressed made some mistakes in giving up a touchdown in the quarter's waning moments.

“We had our ups and downs when you play a good team like that,” Head Coach Kyle Enders said after the game. “There was glimpses of Red Mountain football and glimpses of not so good football.”

A fumble on the first play of the third quarter set up the Patriots on the Lions 20-yard lion but a tackle for loss and a pass deflection by Tyreke Cornett set up a field goal attempt by the Patriots that missed wide right.

A drive by Red Mountain ended in another missed field goal, and a failed fourth-down conversion by each side left the game 13-7 in the fourth quarter.

Boe Sparks then ripped a 37-yard touchdown catch and put the Patriots up 14-13.

Simon Lopez, trying to mount a comeback, threw an interception to Tillman Mullenaux. But after a failed fourth down conversion attempt by Patriot's quarterback Dannels that resulted in a loss of eight, Red Mountain regained possession.

62-yards stood between Lopez and the Lions and the school's first-ever 7-0 start. Karendas Poe, Jackson Bogel and Paxton Thorstad all combined for game-changing catches on the crucial drive. 

Red Mountain found itself at their opponents' 23-yard line relying on the leg of Brandon Gallegos who booted the 40-yarder for the win.

“It seems like a pretty small role, but to me it’s the biggest role on the team,” Gallegos said. “For them to be able to trust me to do that I think it shows a lot how the coaches trust the players and how we all trust each other as a team.”

Lopez threw his only interception of the season in this game but was able to respond and help the Lions bring home the win.

“I trusted my guys," he said. "My guys are amazing, they trust in me always, I just told them ‘Let's do this. Let's get this win,’” Lopez said.

Red Mountain is now 2-0 in one-score games -- last season winning three one-score games with two in overtime on the way to state runners-up.

“I think us coaches get kinda more tightened up in those situations than our kids do,” Enders said.