Tempe Prep enjoyed the upper hand all evening Saturday in its quarterfinal battle with Joy Christian. That  upper hand, however, didn't extend far.

Tempe Prep received a well-rounded effort in all aspects and needed it to subdue Joy Christian, 28-19, in a Division V contest at Valley Christian High School.

Tempe Prep (11-1) extended its winning streak to 11 games and reaches the semifinals for the second time in three years. Tempe Prep faces Arizona Lutheran, a 59-48 winner over Thatcher, next Saturday (Nov. 22) at 2 pm. at Fountain HIlls High School. Joy Christian finished its season 9-3 bowing out in the quarters for the second year in a row after winning the D-VI title in 2012.

The game's finish was put on hold for about a half an hour with 3:48 left when Joy Christian's Tonka Watson went down after being tackled on a pass reception. Watson lost feeling briefly in his legs, but regained feeling after a few minutes. Watson was taken away by ambulance to be examined as a precaution. Joy Christian coach Brian Cole said Watson's condition appeared good as he left the field. A positive finish indeed to a well-played and exciting game.

"The offense was great in the first half and the defense bailed us out in the second half," Tempe Prep coach Thomas Brittain said. "We have a a physical defense and its the heart of our team. We had a tough time with theri passing game early, but in the second half we figured things out."

Tempe Prep led at the half 14-13 using an opening drive that covered 83 yards in 13 plays all on the ground. It was capped by Dan Hiser's 15-yard touchdown run. That possession used up 7 1/2 minutes and essentially limited Joy Christian to one first quarter possession.

It was a good thing as Joy Christian battled back to tie mixing the run and pass to knot the game at 7 with 8:10 left in the second period. Wide receiver Dujuan Lawrence caugh a 4-yard TD pass from junior quarterback Matt Mitchell, the first fo three Mitchell tossed in the game.

 It only took six plays and less than three minutes for Tempe Prep to score again with 5:22 left in the second period. The score came on the only pass completion of two attempts in the game. The TD came after a timeout on a fourth-and-3.QB Jesse Brittain tossed a short pass to Isaiah Brittain in the flat and it ended up going the distance (23 yards)

That was the first of a couple big plays Isaiah Brittain contributed. Isaiah Brittain has been playing despite a torn ACL.

Tempe Prep surrendered what could have been the tying TD two minutes later. Mitchell lofted a 37-yard Td to wide out Isaiah Goodspeed. The extra point was missed with pressure applied by Isaiah Brittain that figured in on the errant kick. That had an effect on the rest of the game.

"That extra point was a killer," Cole said. "We make it and it's tied. Missing it changed the dynamics. When we scored later and went for two and didn't make it we were down by two scores. Special teams are huge and it was in this game."

Two second-half touchdow runs by Zach Brittain, the first 90 seconds into the third quarter for a 21-13 lead adn the second on a 55-yard run to push the lead back up to 28-19 from 21-19 were the offense after intermission for Tempe Prep.

After Zach Brittain's 55-yard TD run, Tempe Prep's defense stopped Joy Chriistian four times in Tempe Prep territory -- on downs once (after an Isaiah Brittain sack) and via two interceptions and a fumble recovery. Both interceptions -- one in the end zone -- were by Hiser. Jonah Simminger's fumble recovery after a pass completion to Lawrence at the Tempe Prep 5 ended Joy Christian's hopes of a late rally.