Receiver's special teams play help Saguaro complete perfect season
November 26, 2016 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365
Saguaro receiver Jacob Christofferson didn't know what affect he was going to have Saturday in Saguaro High's bid for a fourpeat in the 4A championship game.
But he had a premonition and it felt real. It was.
"I dreamed about it last night," Christofferson said. "I was ready."
The 6-foot-1, 160-pound senior, a spectator for the most part on last year's title team, earned a memory for a lifetime after scoring twice and setting up a third score in Saguaro's 42-14 romp over Catalina Foothills at University of Phoenix Stadium. Saguaro (14-0) won its fourth state title in a row and the 10th in school history. Nine of the 10 have come in the last 11 years.
Christofferson's contributions came at the start, in the middle and at the end of Saguaro's 42-point day. He was nice complement to fellow senior Stone Matthews and Matthews three-rushing TD, 111-yard performance. Christofferson touched the ball just three times, but those touches were good for 134 yards.
Christofferson's first offering was a 57-yard punt return on Saguaro's first touch of the game that set up the Sabercats first score. He was tripped up as he crossed the five and fell short of an opening score by two yards.
"I wanted that one and thought I had it but just got tripped up," Christofferson said.
He added a second punt return of 47 yards in the second quarter that went the distance and improved Saguaro's lead to 28-0 with 6:57 to the half.
"When I knew they were punting and our return team went in I couldn't wait for another chance."Christofferson said.
Christofferson had seven punt returns in the previous 13 games that totaled 100 yards. The punt-return score was his second this season -- but the first that counted. His other TD was nullified by a penalty.
"With this team you never know who is going to have a big game," Saguaro coach Jason Mohns. "If you're putting money on it probably Stone Matthews. Today it was Jacob's turn."
Christofferson got his hands on the ball one more time, this time hauling in a 30-yard TD pass from quarterback Max Massingale with 9:09 left in the third quarter that made it 42-0 and instituted temporarily a running clock until Catalina Foothills scored in the first minute of the final period.