The Cesar Chavez Champions never trailed in their Friday night Class 6A non-region matchup with the Mountain Ridge Mountain Lions and won 64-3.

The Champions (2-2) maintained a comfortable lead, but ultimately sealed the game in the last six minutes of the first half when they scored  30 points..

The scoring flurry began with a 1-yard touchdown run from Champions quarterback Lucas Arnds, increasing their lead to 21-3. The Mountain Lions would go three-and-out and pin Cesar Chavez at its own 7-yard lin. The next play, Arnds found receiver Jaleel Walker for a 93-yard touchdown pass.

Trailing by 21, Mountain Ridge (0-4) forced and recovered a fumble at their own 15. After a holding penalty, the Champions made the turnover work in their favor and forced a safety only three plays later, the score now standing 30-3.

On the ensuing free kick, Thairyk Blue started his return from his 30, sprinted down the sideline and took it 70 yards for another Cesar Chavez score. Cesar Chavez still was not done. With under a minute left to play in the half Arnds found receiver James Mackey for a 25-yard touchdown pass to end the half up 44-3 over Mountain Ridge.

By the time the game ended the Champions scored 50 consecutive points.

Cesar Chavez dominated in all facets of the game and it started with the production of the offensive line.

“This week in practice we executed every single play and tonight, it was great,” Arnds said. “The offensive line did a great job protecting me.”.

With the extra time the offensive line was able to afford Arnds receiver Thairyk Blue was able to notice something he could take advantage of in the Mountain Lion defense.

“When I would see the corner step back, I would change my route,” said Blue, who scored three times Friday, twice on offense and once on a kick return.  “Then, I would tell my quarterback and let him know that we had that connection. We made that switch on the fly.” Running back Andrew Blitzke got on the board first for the Champions, he scored in back-to-back possessions from 15 yards and 4yards.

Cesar Chavez will make the trip down to Gilbert next week to take on one of the best teams in the state, the Perry Pumas. “We’re a young team, but we’re still a team that wants to be competitive and prove people wrong, and I was proud of the boys tonight they took a big step,” coach Manuel Alcantar said, “You get a win like this and it helps you out a lot with confidence. We’re looking forward to it (the game with Perry).  It’s another way for us to show we’re getting better.”