Trevor Leaf is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Pinnacle High School for AZPreps365.com

The Pinnacle Pioneers football team finished off its regular season campaign two weeks ago with a dominant win over Boulder Creek, 52-0. With the win the Pioneers finished off another great regular season with an overall record of 8-2 and 7-1 in the conference.

The win came two days after senior quarterback (and Michigan commit) JD Johnson announced on Twitter that due to a heart valve problem he will no longer be able to play football. Although Johnson is deemed unable to play, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh told the Pinnacle senior he will still honor the scholarship and bring Johnson onto the coaching staff in Ann Arbor.

Due to Johnson’s injury, freshman quarterback Devon Dampier moved into the starting role for Pinnacle as the Pioneers begin the 2019 state playoffs. Prior to Pinnacle’s win over Boulder Creek, Dampier did not have much varsity experience other than a game against Mountain Pointe in which Dampier completed all five of his passes.

Dampier had a very impressive first career varsity start against Boulder Creek, throwing five touchdown passes and also running one in.

Pinnacle’s 8-2 season was good enough to earn them the No. 5 seed in the Arizona open state championship bracket. The Pioneers will go on the road to take on the No. 4 seed, the Salpointe Catholic Lancers, in Tucson on  Nov.15.

Salpointe went undefeated in the regular season, winning all nine games by at least 34 points.

Friday's matchup between the Pioneers and Lancers will be the biggest test yet for this Pinnacle team and Dampier. The Pioneers are going to have to lean on their defense to contain the high-scoring Lancers team that averaged 58 points per game.

On offense, the Pioneers will need a big game from running back Matt Goodlow. The senior has carried the ball for 902 yards and 14 touchdowns this season.

Pinnacle will face many challenges with having their freshman quarterback making only his second career varsity start in the state playoffs, so the coaching staff is going to have to come up with a game plan to help calm his nerves.

The winner of the game between Pinnacle and Salpointe Catholic will take on the winner of the top-seed, Chandler High School, and the No.8 seed, Chaparral High School.