Andrew Lwowski is a Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Desert Vista High School for AZPreps365.com

PHOENIX -- The Desert Vista Thunder (3-4) overcame a 31-14 halftime deficit to beat the Higley Knights (1-6) with a game-winning touchdown in the final minute. The Thunder’s powerful second-half resurgence at home has kept their playoff hopes alive with three games remaining in the season.

After the Thunder's 63-17 to top-ranked Hamilton last Friday, Desert Vista head coach Ty Wisdom reminded his team it’s a four-week season and every week matters. With four games remaining, the Thunder needed to win out to remain alive, and it started with Higley.

Desert Vista came out flat in the first half, trailing 17-0 early in the second quarter and failing to find a rhythm offensively. Wisdom made a quarterback change, replacing Braxton Thomas with Jackson Akins, and the offense found life. With running back Christian Clark taking the bulk of the offensive touches, the Thunder were able to get on the board, but trailed 31-14 at the half.

Still without his three best playmakers on offense, Wisdom said the team needed to clean up their game. “Talk about a tale of two halves,” Wisdom said. “We played about as bad a football game as you could in the first half. We went into halftime and talked about making plays.”

It was the Thunder defense that responded.

The Thunder forced a Higley three-and-out to start the third quarter. On the ensuing play, the snap soared over the Higley punter's head. The Thunder pounced on the ball, taking over at the Knights' 8-yard line. One play later Clark found the endzone for a five-yard touchdown, cutting into the Knight’s lead.

On the following Higley possession, the Desert Vista defense recovered a fumble. Its offense then paced down the field and capitalized with a field goal, closing the deficit to one score, 31-24.

In the waning minutes of the third quarter, the Thunder offense, led by quarterback Akins and running back Clark, launched another fruitful march. This time Clark punched it in the endzone for his second touchdown. 

It was the best third quarter Desert Vista could have hoped for.  "This game is about momentum,” Wisdom said. “When you get the momentum, it’s a crazy thing.”

The momentum change rocked the stadium as the Thunder student section came back to life.

The Knights responded by connecting on a 78-yard touchdown pass in the final seconds of the third quarter to retake the lead, 37-31. However, the snap for the extra point was high over the place holder's head and the Thunder recovered. Instead of a seven-point fourth-quarter deficit, Desert Vista trailed only by six.

Neither team was able to make progress after that for much of the final quarter. Desert Vista’s defense, led by Antonio Delgato, stopped Higley's offense late in the game, forcing a punt. As Akins took the field with 2:34 left to play, the pressure in the stadium started to build. The season was on the line on homecoming night.

On fourth-and-two from its own 33, the Thunder had little choice but to go for it. That's when Akins made the play of the game. The quarterback found a seam to his right and scampered 54 yards downfield as the bleachers rocked. Akins' dash set up the game-winning pass to receiver Eric Miller from five yards out with less than 30 seconds remaining. It was Akins' second scoring throw of the night. The extra point was good and the Thunder held on for a 38-37, season-salvaging win.

Desert Vista students anxiously waited by the field fence in hopes of storming the field while their defense had one final stop to make. The Knights attempted a last-ditch play, pitching the ball around the field until the Thunder collected the loose ball. The players and students stormed the field.

“I let them know (his teammates) that we’re still in this game,” Akins said. “There’s no amount of points that we can’t come back from. We played great teams the last three weeks and we’ve lost by big amounts so we came out here and just fought. I let them know we’re not going to lose this game.”

The atmosphere was electrifying as Desert Vista athletic director David Klecka slowly took in the sight and sounds of the school's biggest win of the season with a full home crowd. “Wow...just wow," Klecka exclaimed.

“Kids kept battling,” Wisdom said. “Credit to them, they never gave up. Now they know they can come back. We know we’re in a one-game season right now. We need to win out.”

Desert Vista will travel to Mesa Mountain View next Friday in hopes of keeping its playoff dreams alive against the formidable 6-1 Toros.