Jade Guiffre is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Dysart High School for AZPreps365.com. 

Dysart High School pulled off a resilient victory, beating Greenway 42-35 in a high-stakes game Friday night.

Coming in as underdogs against a larger 4A team that had trounced them last year, Dysart, a 3A program, faced both high expectations and key injuries but never wavered under pressure.

Following an overtime regional win against Paradise Honors the week before, Dysart's confidence was high. However, the biggest challenge came when junior running back Jevon Christmas, the team’s star player, was sidelined in the second quarter with a recurring injury.

"Even when I'm hurt, I still want to get through the injury, play through it all that I can," Christmas said. "I hurt myself last Friday actually, but I've been going to rehab, and I thought I was good. Every time I tweaked it, I told myself, 'I can still go in, I can still go in,' until it got to the point where I couldn't anymore.

"It was going to hurt us in the long run, me and my team. I have a lot of trust in my boys, though."

With Christmas out, Dysart’s offense had to adapt. After the first half, the team trailed 21-15. At halftime, good coaches make adjustments, not excuses. Dysart’s John Ganados made that clear in the locker room that would be the case.

"At halftime, Coach said, 'We need this. This is a big game for us. If we win this, we are guaranteed playoffs,” Avion Bailey, senior wide receiver, said.

Although Ganados’ words fueled the team, it also put more pressure on the players, especially CJ Ortega, who stepped up in Christmas’s absence.

"CJ, good job. I need you. I need you!" Ganados encouraged.

Ortega responded to the challenge.

"This game was a big game. Jevon is a big part of our team, and I saw him get hurt, and I felt like I had to step up. Got to go in and eat,” Ortega said.

Dysart found momentum when senior quarterback Isaiah Roman connected with junior wide receiver Donovan Hinchey for a critical 67-yard touchdown pass. This play turned the game around, cutting Greenway’s lead to 27-21 and injecting much-needed energy into Dysart’s sideline.

"It made me more confident. I played better for them," Hinchey said, reflecting on his injured teammates.

The trust and confidence that each player had in one another became evident as Dysart fought to adapt and overcome. This strong bond, built in a small school environment, emphasized the importance of teammate and coach relationships.

"I trust myself just as much as I trust my first man up," Roman said.

Dysart’s offense kept pushing. After a key defensive stop, Dysart regained possession, and Ortega carried the load, rushing for a score to give Dysart a 28-27 lead at the end of the third quarter. Greenway reciprocated, taking back the lead, 35-28, early in the fourth.

"To everyone else, we're a second half team; to us, we just come out and ball. Last week was just a good example of what we have going," Ortega explained.

As an attempt to tie up the game, Ortega powered in a 1-yard touchdown, bringing the score to 35-34 Greenway, after an unsuccessful 2-point conversion.

With less than a minute remaining, Roman led a final drive, passing to Hinchey for another huge play, setting Dysart up for a last-minute touchdown. After finding the end zone and a successful 2-point conversion, the Demons led 42-35.

The defense held strong as the clock wound down, securing Dysart’s victory.

Ultimately, Dysart's ability to overcome adversity proved its strength, turning what could have been a setback into a moment of triumph. Pressure makes diamonds, and Dysart football showed to be diamonds tonight.