Snowflake never trailed Saturday afternoon in its rematch with American Leadership Gilbert North, but the Lobos came close to not advancing to the 3A football title game despite that.

After watching a 21-0 halftime lead melt to a 21-21 tie in regulation and a narrowly missed ALA Gilbert North field goal in the final seconds, the Lobos used overtime to notch a 28-27 win in a 3A semfinal game at Coronado High School.

The teams traded scores in the overtime format with each team getting four downs to score from the 10. Snowflake took possession first and Camden Brimhall's second TD on its third play and extra point from Sam Crockett made it 28-21. ALA Gilbert North scored in two plays with Spencer Nielson scoring for a third time. ALA Gilbert North deliberated and opted to go for two points and the win. Snowflake was up to the task stopping Nielson, who gave an extraordinary effort to convert but stopped inches short of the goal line via a very close call.

ALA Gilbert North coach Randy Ricedorff didn't have second thoughts about going for two points and the win.

"We're going to do that, we tell them we're going to do that and they asked to do that," Ricedorff said. "That's who we are."

Snowflake (9-1) heads to the title game on Saturday Dec. 12 at 6 p.m. to face the winner of the other semifinal later Saturday between #1 Yuma Catholic and #4 Pusch Ridge. The title game will be played at Coronado High. ALA Gilbert North finished the season 8-2 with both losses to Snowflake. The other defeat was 22-20 on opening night Oct. 2.

Snowflake moved the ball pretty much at will in the first half in opening up a 21-0 lead. Running backs Terren Green (two TDs) and Camden Brimhall did most of the work. ALA Gilbert North moved the ball in the first half, but sputtered once it approached the red zone. 

"Kids played a great ball game first half," Snowflake coach Kay Solomon said. Give credit to Coach Ricedorff and his crew. Made some great adjustments at halftime. Our kids were feeling it the second half. Seventy degrees to us is feeling hot. We practiced yesterday at 1 in the afternoon and it was 40 degrees in Snowflake. Kids were running on empty the last part of the game. Just glad they were able to dig deep  and pull it out."

ALA Gilbert North sophomore quarterback Adam Damante, subbing as the starter in postseason with senior starter Jack Riceforff sideline, did his best to pick up the offense and its ability to score in the second half. He spread the ball around, but made the most consequential throws to Eagles' top receiver Johnny Bellino. A 62-yard strike in to Bellino in the third period set up a Damante to Bellino 6-yard TD got the Eagles on the board. 

Two more drives over a four-minute stretch of the fourth period ended with Nielson scoring on runs of 3 yards and 1 yard that tied it at 21 with 4:29 to play. Damante was 4 for 4 on the drive that made it 21-14. A 57-yard connection with Bellino was the key play of a four-play, 59-yard, game-tying march.

ALA Gilbert North had the last chance to win in regulation. Damante completed 7 of 10 passes, driving the 
Eagles from their 36 to Snowflake's 21. With eight seconds left, a 38 yard field goal by Luc Asay fell through the uprights, but was waived off as Snowflake called time before the play began. Asay's second try was just wide right sending the game to overtime.

"I thought it was great resilience by our kids in every facet of the game in the second half," Ricedorff said. "Really buckled down there against a good football team. My hats off to Snowflake. We had strong, strong momentum a the end, but they held on."