The game ended 21-18 in their favor, but the McClintock Chargers sure didn’t pull away early.

After trailing 12-7 at half and 18-7 early in the fourth quarter of their flag football game, the rally started for Tempe in front of their home crowd.

Two big throws from quarterback Anayiah Sanchez to receiver Jayla Baca were what the McClintock Chargers needed to get back into the game Thursday at Tempe. Baca had catches of 40 and 20 yards, setting up momentum-changing touchdown. 

“It feels like I’m taking my part in the team,” Baca said. "It carried the team along way … overall happy about the performance.” 

It was a great drive from the offense, but it would be meaningless if McClintock couldn’t get off the field defensively. After giving up a big play to senior receiver Mia Powell, who was giving the Chargers problems all day, the defense tightened up and made a stand. 

McClintock junior defensive back Erity Bobo had a prime opportunity to make a huge play and intercept the ball on third down, but it went right through her hands. On the very next play, she knocked the ball down at the line of scrimmage, giving her team the ball back to go take the lead. 

“Just had to lock in for the second half,” Bobo said. 

And about making the big play on fourth down, she said she was “just doing what I had to do.”

That’s when Sanchez and the McClintock offense drove the ball down the field and took their first lead of the game. 

Bobo made a nice catch, but the real highlight was the run, making two defenders miss with spin moves and running 20 yards after the catch. 

A big throw to Jade Hayes put the ball at the 10-yard line, and then Sanchez punched the ball in herself with a touchdown scramble the very next play. The Chargers had retaken the lead for the first time since early in the first half, and they did it with 4:38 remaining in the game. 

Needing one more big play on defense, it wouldn’t take long for the Charger defense to pull through yet again. Hayes came down with the interception, completing the big comeback. 

After the game, Chargers head coach Don Abram had said that the fall break had been challenging for the team, and that the Chargers had four of their starters out for the game. 

“What happens is (the players) find out how important center is and how a running back missing is so important,” Abram said. 

The Chargers went through two centers after missing their starter Thursday, and that had a massive effect on the start of the game. 

Multiple bad snaps killing drives and penalties called on McClintock for illegal blocking techniques made for a sluggish start offensively, but the change to start the fourth quarter was to put another lineman in and take a receiver out. That’s what Abram believed was the difference. 

“I wish it didn’t take it for me to be desperate to make the change, but it worked,” he said. “Adding the second blocker was the big adjustment.” 

Abram also had a problem with some of the illegal blocking technique calls against McClintock.

“After the season they need to get together and make an official rule,” he said. “Lots of games weren’t called like this, and it took away two touchdowns.” 

The Chargers’ next game comes up Oct. 10 against the in-city rival Tempe Buffaloes, who also have a bye week coming up.