Yahtzee!

That’s the trick play, named after the popular dice game, that helped complete the journey of a football team that refused to fold this season. Scottsdale Christian quarterback Sean Helgeson and receivers Harrison Gurash and Lawson Lavalle worked on the play in practice throughout this season.

In Saturday’s 2A final, it allowed the Scottsdale Christian Eagles to score their final touchdown and defend their title with a 28-27 victory over Pima at Mountain Ridge High School. The double pass play ended with Lavalle connecting with an open Gurash on the eventual game winning 20-yard toss with 1:14 left in the game.

They made it look easy, like playing catch in the back yard, but this season was anything but easy for the Eagles. They were 1-3 at the start, without 22 players in its second round playoff game and trailed for the entire first half of the 2A title matchup.

But every single time, Scottsdale Christian got off the mat.

“This has been the most adversity filled season I’ve ever encountered in my life,” Scottsdale Christian coach Mike Sheahan said. “I feel like we wrote a movie today. I feel like if they write a documentary some day, it’s not about me. It’s not about anything else. It’s about the heart of these boys and how much they played for each other, and there is zero quit in a small school from Scottsdale. I’m extremely proud of these boys. It’s nothing but remarkable.”

Pima was seeking to avenge last year’s 2A championship loss to Scottsdale Christian and defeat the Eagles for the second time this year.

A late score handed Pima a 20-17 home win on Oct. 11. But on that night, Scottsdale Christian alerted the state that it also was a contender after almost beating a team that went 38-4 in the last three years.

In Saturday’s first half, Pima used its punishing run game in its first possession to set up a 18-yard touchdown catch by Keegan Corona on a 3rd and 15. Corona somehow held on to the ball as he and a defender fell in the left corner of the end zone.

Quarterback Cedrick Grimes added a much needed element—mobility—to Pima this year, and it was on display when his first option wasn’t open during his team’s fourth drive. After running away from trouble, Grimes (3 TD passes) spotted tight end Preston Russell (2 TDs) open in the middle for a 31-yard touchdown catch on a third down in the second quarter.

No. 3 seed Pima (12-2) went up 13-0 while the Eagles threw two interceptions, had a three-and-out and turned the ball over on downs in its first four drives. Three of Pima’s scoring drives chewed up six or more minutes.

Pima is 38-4 in its last three seasons, which ended with state title appearances. (Jose Garcia photo/AZPreps365)

But the 12th seeded, 10-4 Eagles, as they did the entire season, battled back against an opponent they respect.

“I told (Pima) coach (Josh) Wilkins I wouldn’t want to be out here with any other team,” Sheahan said. “They make us better. We make them better. And beating them two times in the state championship, they are a remarkable football team, and there is no quit. I told (running back) Jeremiah Martinez, ‘I don’t coach you, young man. But I love you. I love the way you play. I love who you are. I love what you do.’ And (lineman) Brock Haws and coach Wilkins, they are remarkable over there.”

“Uncle,” the nickname of Helgeson, helped turn the tide for Scottsdale Christian near the end of the first half.

A slow start didn’t keep the first-year 6-4 quarterback from flashing his accuracy, touch and confidence on 4th and 8 when he found Isaiah Steffen in the back of the end zone for a 26-yard score. Scottsdale Christian also capitalized on Pima miscues.

The Eagles immediately scored after a Pima turnover in its opening possession of the third quarter, when Caleb Randall broke free for a 33-yard scored thanks to blocks by Gurash and Braydon Tatko. In the fourth quarter, facing a 4th and goal from the 1, Randall added another rushing touchdown to knot the game at 21-21.

But Pima responded with one of its long drives, capped by a 1-yard run by Martinez for his 54th career touchdown. Pima’s extra point, however, was blocked by either Gurash or Martin Perez.

After recovering a squib kick, Scottsdale Christian began its final drive of the year on its 49 yard line. It eventually got to its 20 with 1:21 remaining in the game, and that’s when the Scottsdale Christian ran a play it won’t soon forget on 3rd and 4. 

“Gurash threw a perfect pass under pressure,” said Lavallee about the double pass trick play. “I couldn’t have asked for a better pass. Just like we drew it up.”

Max Pflederer added the extra point with 1:14 left in the game, and Pima fumbled during a hand off in its final possession to seal the victory for the Eagles, who rolled the dice.

And it paid off.

Yahtzee!