No. 1 Hayden beat No. 2 St. David 51-14 Friday night on the road to show how wide the gap has grown between the Lobos and the rest of the state. The Lobos are now 41-1 dating back to a semifinal finish in 2022 and 31-0 over the last two years, including back-to-back state championships in 2023 and 2024. A victory this year will put the Lobos in rare territory with three 1A championships in a row, something only Joseph City (2009-2011) and Mogollon (2020-22) have been able to accomplish.

Hayden (7-0) beat Mogollon 60-32 in the 2023 state championship game to take the torch as the best 8-man program in Arizona and the Lobos have taken care of Mogollon five times in a row in that time including a 74-48 win this year. Head coach John Estrada voiced disappointment to his team with the defense in that game but the offense almost doubled up the Mustangs on the scoreboard.

Hayden also has a five-game streak going against St. David (6-1) but it looked like the Tigers had figured out the Lobos in the first half Friday night but a 14-14 tie gave way to a 20-14 deficit at the break and 44-14 heading to the fourth quarter. To beat a team like Hayden, opponents have to match them drive by drive and not give up big plays, but that’s easy to say.

The Lobos scored twice on fourth down situations and the offense escaped from long third down or fourth down situations two other times. That right there can be the difference.

Junior QB Darren Smith threw for 156 yards and two scores and senior RB Kino Lorona rushed for 192 yard with two TDs and he had an interception return for another score and he put the Lobos up 6-0 on a long fourth down run with 6:25 left in the first. St. David senior Chase Pacheco tied the game up 6-6 on a short run with 11:55 left in the half but senior Tyler Garner put the Lobos back up 14-6 with a 10-yard run with 5:43 left. Garner finished with 139 yards rushing and two TDs.

Pacheco caught an 18-yard pass from Vincent Ciccariello to tie the game at 14-14 with 2:04 left but the Lobos had too much time and Garner ran the ball in from up close to give Hayden a 20-14 lead at the half.

Lorona scored from 21-yards out to make it 28-14 with 10:22 left in the third, Smith threw to Mario Hong to make it 36-14 with 6:45 left and then Hong caught a 27-yard pass to make it 44-14 with 1:51 left in the third. St. David forced a fumble with 5:55 left in the game but Lorona came up with an interception on the next play and he took the ball in for the 51-44 final

Ciccariello ended the night with 156 yards passing and a TD, Cedar Haynie rushed for 54 yards, Pacheco had 65 yards receiving and Keston Richardson had 52 yards receiving.

The Lobos look good to run the table but St. David clinched a playoff spot thanks to Ft. Thomas losing to Valley Union 66-0. St. David earned the 1A South automatic berth. Hayden plays in the 1A East Region. Hayden will host Cicero Prep (2-4) next week and St. David will travel to Ft. Thomas (1-6).

THE SCORES