Nick Hogan is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication student assigned to cover Mountain Pointe High School for AZPreps365.com

PHOENIX-- Nine minutes and seven seconds remained in the game when Mountain Pointe’s offensive line strolled to the line of scrimmage facing a fourth-and-goal from the one-yard line. Trailing 21-18, Mountain Pointe was one push away from taking its first lead of the game since early in the first quarter. Lining up in a heavy package, the offensive line punched a hole big enough for senior running back Amire Williams to cross the goal line and give Mountain Pointe a 24-21 lead. 

The score swung the momentum in favor of the Pride (4-4), but it was not enough to secure a senior night victory in the Pride’s last home game of the year Friday night. Ultimately, Queen Creek would have the last laugh, claiming a 36-32 victory for its seventh win of the season. 

The game grabbed fans’ attention right from the start as Mountain Pointe ambitiously converted two fourth downs in its own territory. The Pride were effectively marching their way down the field when it all came to a crashing halt, courtesy of 6'3" Queen Creek defensive lineman Griffin Schureman. The pass rusher used all of his length to tip a pass from Mountain Pointe quarterback Christopher Arviso up into the air. The ball seemed to hover in the air for hours before it finally fell into the hands of defensive back Gavin Candell, who swiftly returned it for a Bulldog touchdown. 

As Candell scored, it was as if a giant vacuum had sucked all of the energy from the home bleachers. It was as silent as a tomb. 

However, the energy of the Pride did not mirror their fans as they vigorously took the field, despite the major error. An impressive kickoff return to the 40-yard line put the Pride in great field position to start their drive. After four consecutive run plays, Arviso made up for his early mistake with a 39-yard bomb to receiver Amier Boyd-Matthews for a quick score. The Pride were back from the dead. 

“You just have to have a short memory and just move on to the next play,” Arviso said. "The game is not over until the buzzer goes off.” 

Mountain Pointe was back in the game, but Queen Creek’s offense had yet to play a snap. Once Queen Creek’s offense stepped onto the field, Arviso’s touchdown pass became a distant memory as senior running back Payton Barlow capped off the Bulldog drive with a shifty 22-yard touchdown run. After a quick three-and-out from Mountain Pointe, Queen Creek found the endzone once again by way of a 26-yard touchdown connection between quarterback Sebastian Tomerlin and receiver Bryan King. 

The running back tandem of Jay’len Rushing and Williams kept Mountain Pointe competitive in the game, cutting the Bulldog lead to six at the half. No surname could better fit Rushing as the junior posted 73 yards on the ground and one touchdown on the night. The two backs were almost equal in their totals as Williams tallied 75 rushing yards and two touchdowns himself. 

Mountain Pointe's offense lines up against Queen Creek's defense near the goal line (Nick Hogan/AZPreps365)“We try to pride ourselves on running the ball," Mountain Pointe head coach Eric Lauer said. "We have a quarterback who can throw and receivers who can catch, but we want to run the ball. It can be demoralizing and there were times we really had them on their heels.” 

Mountain Pointe had reclaimed the lead 24-21, but with only 5:22 on the clock, Queen Creek faced a fourth-and-goal from the three-yard-line. All evening, the Mountain Pointe defense had the tough task of corralling Tomerlin, who had scrambled for extra yards to keep drives alive. With all eyes on Tomerlin, he was somehow lost on arguably the most important snap of the game. 

It was a flashback to February 4, 2018, the day the Philadelphia Eagles were crowned Super Bowl LII champions. The most memorable play of that game, the “Philly Special,” made a re-mixed appearance at Mountain Pointe High School. Doing his best Nick Foles impression, Tomerlin caught the go-ahead touchdown pass from receiver Davey Morales. 

The two sides went back and forth in the following minutes, but Queen Creek maintained its lead. When the "buzzer" finally sounded, Queen Creek had officially spoiled Mountain Pointe’s senior night. 

Mountain Pointe seniors Amire Williams, Mason Hill, Cam Gillum and Devon Sparks celebrate senior night prior to the game (Nick Hogan/AZPreps365)“It was probably one of the best games we have played together so you can’t be too upset about it,” Williams said. “Queen Creek is a great team, they came to play, we came to play, we’ve got to shake it off.“

Mountain Pointe has no time to dwell on Friday’s loss as it visits bitter Ahwatukee rival Desert Vista next Friday. “We are back in here tomorrow morning,” Lauer said. “Win or lose, we are going on to next week.” 

A victory in the “'Tukee Bowl” would surely help soothe the pain of a senior night defeat.