It is the state championship game. The game that you practiced hard and played harder for all season. The final game of the season. The last high school game for all of the seniors on the team. One more win and you can call yourselves the state champions of the Arizona 5A division. The clock ticks down, the buzzer sounds, and the other team is victorious.

This was the fate of the Ironwood Eagles just one year ago after they fell short to the Sunrise Mountain Mustangs in the 2020 5A State Championship. This week, Ironwood head coach Christopher Rizzo and the Eagles have a shot at redemption as they will face the Mustangs in a regular-season away game on Thursday, Oct. 21.

“We try to remind our guys of the loss every day because you have to try and find a way to motivate them,” Rizzo said. “It has been at the forefront. We have been thinking about it a lot.”

Ironwood faced Sunrise Mountain in the regular season last year where they came out on top, 20-11, rolling behind quarterback Will Haskell and his three touchdowns. Just two months later, when they faced them on the big stage, the Eagles failed to repeat history. Now, they will have to use what they learned in that loss and put it towards getting a win this year.

“We learned that you can never underestimate an opponent, especially after you have beaten them once already that year,” Rizzo said. “We can never underestimate the coaching job that [Sunrise] does over there.”

The Eagles have been off to a slower start this year, losing their last two games to the Apollo Hawks and Desert Edge Scorpions respectively. The most recent loss to the Scorpions came on Oct. 15 and just six days later, one less than usual, the Eagles will be back suited up taking on the Mustangs.

“We feel a little sore, but pretty prepared,” said Eagles running back Elias Hernandez.

Hernandez was one of the players on the Ironwood team that came up short in the championship game. He, more than anyone else, is looking forward to getting a shot at redemption.

“This game is super important,” Hernandez said. “It was really emotional last year when we lost.”

The excitement for this rematch has not only infected the players, but it has also spread to the fans and to the students who watch their team play under the bright lights each week.

“We are excited, especially with the way we played against Desert Edge. It definitely makes this week a lot more exciting,” said Ironwood student Juliana Traylor-Rowen.

The Mustangs are coming off of two back-to-back victories and are looking to spoil the dreams of an Ironwood redemption game. However, a team that is playing for vengeance has the potential to be very dangerous, and Rizzo and his team can fill that role in this matchup.

“It is just a belief,” Rizzo said. “They have to believe that they can go do it and I think that is one of the things that this season has proven to us.”

The stage is set and excitement is high. Now, the only thing left to do is play.