Aaron Schmidt is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Higley High School for AZPreps365.com

GILBERT—The Higley Knights fell to the Red Mountain Mountain Lions, 27-23, Friday night, wrapping up their season at 2-8.

Out of playoff contention, it would be the final game for the Higley seniors, who gave it their all in this tough season. “We just didn’t execute to the best of our abilities,” head coach Eddy Zubey said regarding the season-finale loss. “I wish I would’ve done a better job preparing these guys so they could’ve come out on top.”

It was a sloppy game for both schools, as they combined for nine turnovers. Higley wide receiver Aidan Garcia had another phenomenal game, finishing with six catches for 110 yards. “It’s tough knowing that will be my last game playing high school football,” Garcia said. “Ending in a good way makes it feel a little bit better.”

The game started off wildly, as both teams caused four straight turnovers, including a Knight interception on their own 37-yard line. After the interception, Higley drove downfield and scored on a one-yard touchdown run by Colton Allen. A successful two-point conversion put the Knights up 8-0 with 1:06 left in the first quarter.

The Mountain Lions quickly responded, scoring on a 77-yard touchdown run by Lenox Lawson, making the score 8-7 at the end of the quarter.

The second quarter began roughly for the Knights, as quarterback Jamar Malone tossed his first interception on the Red Mountain 20-yard line. This led to another long touchdown run by Lawson, a 51-yarder, giving the Mountain Lions a 14-8 lead with 6:51 left in the half.

Upon getting the ball back, Higley fumbled on its own 22-yard line. Red Mountain wasted no time in notching another score, this one a 22-yard touchdown reception by Preston Heap, extending the Mountain Lion lead to 12.

Trailing 20-8 with 3:11 left in the half, Higley quickly fired back with a 68-yard touchdown pass to Garcia. A successful two-point conversion made the score 20-16, and it remained so into the halftime intermission.

It was a battle of the defenses throughout the third quarter, as there was no scoring. However, the Knight defense looked incredible, forcing a fumble and recovering it on Red Mountain’s 43-yard line to open the quarter.

This amounted to nothing, as both sides continued to turn the ball over throughout the third quarter and into the fourth quarter. Early in the final stanza, Higley stopped a 4th-and-goal Red Mountain pass on its own one-yard line, getting the ball back with 10:14 remaining in the game.

On the ensuing drive, a 51-yard screen pass to Colton Allen put the Knights was the decisive play on a 99-yard march. Higley finished the drive on a 15-yard run by Allen, giving the Knights a 23-20 lead with 8:32 left in the game.

Red Mountain quickly marched down the field into field-goal position, but the Mountain Lions were intercepted in the endzone by Higley’s Donovan Aidoo.

The Higley offense failed to mount a drive that led to anything. Red Mountain then scored the go-ahead touchdown on yet another Lawson scamper, this one a 14-yard run with 4:40 remaining in the game. That put the visitors ahead 27-23.

The Higley offense couldn’t come back from this deficit, as Jamar Malone launched a Hail Mary pass in the final seconds that was intercepted by Red Mountain to end the game.

“We’re really young, we have freshmen and sophomores playing with us,” Zubey said. “We’ll be battle-tested next year, and we’ll be ready to go.”

Although this is not the outcome the Knights were expecting this season, the seniors took it all in as they played in their final high school football game tonight. “I don’t think it has hit me yet,” Garcia said. “It’s a little sad leaving and not being the person being left… it’s a weird feeling.”

After the game, families stood and watched as the Higley seniors locked arms and walked down the field, reaching the endzone and turning around to walk back, meeting the rest of the team as they hugged and cherished their final moments on the field together.

“Honestly, we’re more of a family than a team,” Garcia said. “We do everything together and I don’t see us breaking apart anytime soon.”

Coach Zubey and the Higley Knights look to rebound next season, where they seek to improve with a more experienced team and return to the playoffs.