4A FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

No. 1 Saguaro (13-0) vs. No. 6 Catalina Foothills (11-2)

University of Phoenix Stadium: Saturday, Nov. 26 (10 a.m.)

 

What can be said about Jeff Scurran that hasn’t been said before? He resurrected another 0-10 program and is back for his eighth state championship game.

Santa Rita was 0-10 in 2006 but Scurran came on board and he had the Eagles in back-to-back championship games in 2007 and 2008. Catalina Foothills went 0-10 in 2012 and Scurran has the Falcons in their first final.

Every win at Catalina Foothills at this point is uncharted territory. Heck, even a loss at this point would be a first because this is the first time the Falcons have played in a state championship game involving a football.

 

JEFF SCURRAN FILE

State Championships

1990: 4A Sabino

1992: 4A Sabino

1998: 4A Sabino

 

State Runner-ups

1997: 4A Sabino

1999: 5A Sabino

2008: 4A-II Santa Rita

2009: 4A-II Santa Rita

 

Leading the way for the Falcons (11-2) are senior QB Rhett Rodriguez, Sr. RB Dashiel Pudwill, Sr. receivers Bryon Beckon and Jimmy Stewart, Sr. TE Max Michalczik, Sr. kicker Heath Kleindienst and Sr. LB Brandon Smith. Simply, this is a complete team.

Seeded sixth, the Falcons destroyed No. 2 Higley 62-37 in their semifinal game. That victory came after upsetting No. 3 Sunrise Mountain 52-49 in the quarterfinal round. But, the biggest challenge will be the championship game against No. 1 Saguaro next Saturday.

The Sabercats have played for a state championship in five different levels of play and have won in four of them.

Saguaro won a D-II title last year; a D-III championship in 2014, 2013 and 2011; a 4A-I championship in 2010, 2008, 2007 and 2006 and a 4A championship in 1995. The only loss came in the 5A championship game in 1978.

The Sabercats are loaded with NCAA D-I talent at almost every position and have produced over 6,000 yards of total offense. Only four teams have gained more yards in Arizona this year and one of those teams was Higley. Higley had almost 6,500 yards of offense but the Falcons were able to end their season.

Anything is possible.

No. 4 Salpointe limited Saguaro to 24 points in the other semifinal game. That was the lowest total by the Sabercats since a 20-12 loss to Pinnacle on Sept. 4 of 2015.

The Lancers limited the Sabercats passing attack (82 yards) but they couldn’t stop the rushing game (281 yards and three TDs). Scurran will have to find a way to build upon what Dennis Bene did in order to win but it will be a tall task.

Jr. QB Max Massingale has 2,173 yards passing with 28 TDs and Sr. RB Stone Matthews has 1,975 yards rushing with 28 TDs. Massingale also has 913 yards rushing with another 12 TDs to his name. Sr. Jacob Christofferson leads the team with 403 yards receiving and Sr. LB Brandt Casey has 94 tackles.

Jason Mohns guided the Sabercats to three straight titles leading up to this year. Several coaches have completed that task but very few have won four in a row: Rick Smith led Flagstaff to four straight championships in the early 1980s and Paul Moro led Blue Ridge to four straight in a decade later.

History will be made either way.

 

JASON MOHNS FILE

State Championships

2013: D-III (Saguaro)

2014: D-III (Saguaro)

2015: D-II (Saguaro)