With a state title trip on the line, Notre Dame had the ball in the final series of the game after Campo Verde missed a 32-yard field goal.

Notre Dame got to the opponent’s 35-yard line when a Derek Elsholz pass was batted down. Thirty-two seconds remained.

Fourth down. The winner would advance to the 5A Conference championship game.

Elsholz dropped back to pass, but it went incomplete. Campo Verde’s defense held up again to help its team upset another playoff contender.

Last week it was Higley. On Friday, Notre Dame fell to Campo Verde, 20-17, at North Canyon High.

Campo Verde will play in a state championship game for the first time. 

“This group of guys are the epitome of high school football,” Campo Verde coach Max Ragsdale said. “We have no D-I or even D-2 offers, but we have a tight group that works for each other. Defense is what we hang our hats on. My defensive coordinator and I have been together for 14 years and we are just on the same page and are able to execute.”

Campo Verde will face San Tan Region rival Williams Field in the championship game on Dec. 7 at Arizona State University.

The two teams met five weeks ago, when Williams Field won by 22 points, holding Campo Verde to just 13 4th quarter points. In that meeting, Campo Verde failed to take care of the football, giving it away four times.

Against Notre Dame, when things weren’t working, Campo Verde leaned on each other.

“My teammates played great tonight, and we worked as a team,” linebacker Zach Harper said. “I didn’t want this to be my last game, and I just played my heart out. This team is close, and we are not a talented team. We are a team made up of effort. We kept telling each other to keep our heads up, and we clawed our way through this one.”

Defensively, Harper made it difficult for Elsholz.

In the first quarter, on first and long, Harper put a big hit on the Notre Dame Prep receiver and forced a punt two plays later. Campo Verde’s offense then drove the field, led by quarterback Zach Herrera.

The quarterback and receiver Ryan Hutchens converted a third and long with a 24-yard touchdown reception for a 13-0 lead, the first of two touchdowns for Hutchens.

Herrera showed poised and confidence and, despite being on the run the entire game, converted on big plays, something head coach Max Ragsdale is used to.

“Zach is confident in his abilities, and tonight he was running for his life because we just couldn’t get everyone blocked,” he said. “He’s a great kid, and the reason we are here after fighting back in last week’s performance and getting it done today.”

Notre Dame Prep head coach George Prelock said the senior class battled adversity and overcame many things every year, and he couldn’t be prouder of the group who lost to a great squad and coaching staff.

“We played our hearts out tonight, but just came up short against a good team,” said Notre Dame running back Dominick Mastro, who had a good game. “The success I have is because of my offense line, which I think is one of the best in the state.”