It wasn’t supposed to be this way. Salpointe (10-0) was not supposed to beat a power 6A team like Pinnacle (8-3) Friday night, and certainly not by a score of 48-10. When the notion of an “Open Division” involving the top eight teams from 4A to 6A was brought forward, the prevailing narrative revolved around Scottsdale Saguaro. Salpointe?

The Lancers were considered an even shot to make the Open Division when the season began but not a guarantee, especially after the regular season was trimmed to nine games due to a cancellation. The chorus of “experts” sang a tired refrain that involved words and phrases such as “Tucson” and “no competition.”

The Pioneers made it to the 6A semifinal round last year and the quarterfinal round the year before while Salpointe got plastered 42-16 by Saguaro in the 4A title game last year and 28-7 in 2017. The team from Tucson had no business being in the Open Division, but that changed in the opening seconds of the game Friday night at Salpointe.

Bijan Robinson rushed for five yards on the first play from scrimmage and then sophomore QB Treyson Bourguet found Lathan Ransom streaking past the Pioneer defenders and Ransom pulled in a 52-yard score to put the Lancers up 7-0 with 11:18 left in the first period.

The Salpointe faithful are used to that sort of explosion but this was Pinnacle and then Alonzo Maya tied the game up from inches away with 15 seconds left in the opening period. Lost in that scoring drive was the three stops from the Lancer defense at the 1-yard line prior to the score. It was an omen of what was to come.

Robinson ripped off a 54-yard TD run with 11::07 left in the half and Salpointe went up 14-7. That run will forever be one of the most important plays in the history of Arizona football. Robinson recorded his 112th TD run on the play to put him in a three-way tie for the most ever and it also put him over 2,000 yards on the season. He became the first from Arizona to ever rush for more than 2,000 yards in three different seasons.

Dominic Chakraborty connected on a 30-yard field goal to put the Lancers up 17-7 and it looked like the team was going to add another score but Trevor Crawford came up with an interception and the Pioneers hit on a field goal to cut the score down to 17-10 at the half.

It was the last point the Lancers would give up at home this year. More importantly, it was the last time Salpointe head coach Dennis Bene would see an opponent score at Ed Doherty Stadium. Bene announced his retirement after 19 years on the job and this just might be his most talented squad.

Robinson is headed to Texas, Ransom to Ohio State and Bruno Fina will be a lineman at UCLA. The defense is imposing and the line is dominating.

Robinson finished with 139 yards rushing and he pulled down an 86-yard TD pass to give him 113 career touchdowns. All alone at the top.

Ransom finished with 90 yards receiving and two TDs, Connor Witthoft had a 24-yard TD catch and an interception and David Cordero added a 44-yard TD run. Chakraborty hit on two field goals and Bourguet threw for 241 yards on 14 passes and he collected four TDs. It was a complete win.

Matt Goodlow led the Pioneers with 45 yards rushing and freshman QB Devon Dampier ended the night with 154 yards passing. Dampier took over after senior QB J.D. Johnson retired from football after nine game in his senior year due to complications from his heart condition called coarctation of the aorta. It was unsafe for Johnson to go on and Michigan has promised to honor his scholarship.

The team also sports 6-foot-8 tackle Tosh Baker. Baker committed to play football for Notre Dame but Baker is also a standout basketball player at Pinnacle. He played alongside current Arizona standout point guard Nico Mannion and Mannion was on the sidelines cheering on his former teammates.

“We are a family and this will always be a brotherhood. It’s more than just football,” Baker said. “Nico is more than just a great basketball player, he’s a great person. As far as Notre Dame, I want to be the best I can be.”

No. 4 Salpointe will face off against No. 1 Chandler (11-0) next Saturday, Nov. 23 in the Open Division semifinal round at 6 p.m.

(Devon Dampier/Andy Morales/AZPreps365.com)