Mountain Pointe knew a run-away train known as Chandler High was heading straight for it on Saturday night. The Pride could do little to stop it in the 6A championship game.

With its offense in high gear and its defense much improved, Chandler avenged a 45-ppint drubbing in September with a solid 36-17 triumph in the final game of a championship triple-header at University of Phoenix Stadium.

The title was the second in three years for Shaun Aguano and Chandler and completed a 12-2 season with a 10-game winning streak tacked on to the end. It was the third championship appearance for Mountain Pointe (13-1) in its 25-year history -- all this decade under coach Norris Vaughan and its second runner-up finish.

It coluld be argued Mountain Pointe was the best team in 6A the first half of the season and Chandler the best the second half. The second half performance counted the most. 

"Our play since last time has improved so much and the last five or six weeks we've been very focused," Aguano said. "The defense made great strides. It's been a total team effort."

In the prior meeting in early September, Mountain Pointe amassed 543 yards of offense.  This time Mountain Pointe achieved only half of that and committed four turnovers.

After taking a  a 7-0 lead in the first period on an 87-yard run by Rashie Hodge, Chandler responded with 22 unanswered points and boatload of yards to go with it, Chandler had 321 yards at halftime -- double its game total of the first meeting (162). 

Running back TJ Green ran for 132 yards and two TDs in the first half. Junior wide receiver Jarick Caldwell caught three passes for 96 yards and the other first-half score. Mountain Pointe totaled just 52 yards on its other 21 plays in the half aside from Hodge's long TD

Green and Caldwell added a TD each in the second half with Caldwell putting the game on ice with 7-yard reception from Jacob Conover that made it 36-17 with 4:19 to play That drive covered 66 yards in 16 plays and took seven miinutes of the final period. Green finished with 233 yards rushing on 30 carries. Caldwell had four catches for 103 yards. Conover was 12 of 22 for 172 yards and two TDs. 

Chandler's defense was especially active and more physical than the first meeting. Defensive back Imani Lee had two interceptions and linebacker Zach Bowers a fumble recovery and pick that ended Mountain Pointe's final possession.

"Losing a game at the end of the season is always tough," Vaughan said. "It was a numbers thing. We had four of five kids playing both ways. Their offense was great and eventually just wore us down. I think it was closer than what it was. I thought we had a touchdown we didn't get and it could easily have been 29-24 in the last quarter."

Hodge ended up rushing for 98 yards o six carries and added 54 receiving. He scored both Pride TDs and played both ways most of the night. Quarterback Noah Grover, back for just the second game of the postseason after recovering from injury, completed 7 of 20 passes and three interceptions.