Skyline was down top rusher Kaleb Hardin and top receiver/linebacker Jonathan Jackson Friday night and that meant the Coyotes had to find others to make up the difference.

Skyline's main answer was running back Aaron Wood. Wood carried a season-high 32 times for 175 yards and its defense picked up two takeaways inside its 10 to turn back  Red Mountain, 17-14, making the Coyotes' Homecoming night a success.

The win also clinched the 6A East Valley Region title for Skyline, which improved to 8-1 overall and 4-0 in region. It was Skyline's 12th consecutive win over a sister Mesa school dating back to 2013. Red Mountain 's hopes at a region crown fizzled. The Mountain Lions are 5-4, 2-2.

Wood, a 5-foot-9 165-pound sophomore, got a workout he's not had to bear this season with senior Hardin out with a sore ankle. His previous high for carries this seaso was 14 two weeks ago. Hardin, who has rushed for 1,162 yards this season, made a two-carry appearance late in the fourth period. Other than that it was Wood leading the ground and pound Skyline offense on a sloppy night for both teams, but exciting to the finish.

“I knew the young guy was a good running back but I didn’t know if he could withstand the pounding,” Skyline coach Angelo Paffumi said. “He did a great job.”

Red Mountain's downfall besides Wood came in the form of three turnovers. Two were huge. The first came on its second possession of the game after it took a 7-0 lead on a 20-yard TD run by Lance Lawson. The TD was set up by 5-yard Skyline punt.

Red Mountain fumbled at the Skyline 8 as it appeared headed for a 14-0 lead. Skyline  got its offense untracked after that scoring two second-quarter touchdowns on drives of 92 and 80 yards to take a 14-7 lead at intermission.

Wood capped the first scoring drive with the direct help of two teammates. Quarterback TJ Duarte flipped a pass near the sideline to wide out Darius Glover, who didn't catch it but volleyball-set it to the trailing Wood (hook and ladder). Wood scampered 21 yards for the score that tied the game the first minute of the second quarter.

Wood had a couple of double-digit runs on the tie-breaking drive midway through the second period. Junior running back Danny Fernandez chipped in a 20-yard run. to give Wood a breather on the drive.  Wood finished the drive with a 2-yard run.

 “It’s not like I haven’t been playing. I just knew I would be more tired,” Wood said.

Red Mountain tied the game with 6:06 left in the third perod on a 41-yard TD pass from Austin Duffy to Lawson -- Red Mountain's longest play of the game.  Lawson rushed for 80 yards on 12 carries and two receptions for 42 yards.

Skyline settled for a field goal -- that proved to be the difference -- on its next possession. It was a 27-yard boot by kicker Alan Gomez. The key plays of the drive were two fourth-down conversions.

On a fourth and two at the Red Mountain 20 Duarte tossed an 8-yard completion to defensive tackle Kolo Uasike -- all 6-0, 300 pounds of him. The Coyotes lined up in a fullhouse backfield and had Uasike slip open in the flat for the necessary yardage. An 11-yard scramble earlier in the drive by Duarte kept the chains moving.
 
Red Mountain threatened to tie or take the lead as the fourth period opened driving from its 36 to the Skyline 7. Glover was the man of the moment  this time, picking off a pass inside the five on a third down that turned the Mountain Lions away. with 9:30 to go.

Skyline used up almost seven minutes of clock before without scoring and Red Mountain got the ball back with 2:17 to play at its 27. Both teams had used all their timeouts with eight minutes left and that left Red Mountain scrambling in its last attempt to tie or win. Skyline held on downs and ran out the final 30 seconds. 

Skyline outgained Red Mountain, 342-258. and while turnovers hurt Red Mountain, penalities plagued Skyline especially in the first half. The Coyotes were penalized 12 times for 105 yards.

Skyline finishes the regular season at home against Dobson next week while Red Mountain plays host to Westwood.