Arizona Lutheran overpowers Morenci
Behind a powerful performance from a three-headed monster in the backfield in senior Jacob Ryan Holguin, senior Gabriel Mckenney, and sophomore Gideon Enter, the No. 2 Arizona Lutheran Coyotes defeated the No. 4 Morenci Wildcats 28-14, in the 2A State Championship game.
Once the final horn sounded, the Arizona Lutheran Coyotes jumped for joy with their fists raised in the air. The Coyotes players then doused their head coach Dave Peters in Powerade, as he embraced and shared a special moment with his coaching staff, a moment seven years in the making.
“To me, it’s just kind of a surreal event right now, and I’m so happy for these guys because they worked so hard for it,” Peters said.
For Peters, who made it to his first state title game this season, he wasn’t going to let a chance at a championship slip away, just because he was missing his starting quarterback, senior Jackson Indahl who was out with an injury.
Peters implemented a game plan that had worked for his team the entire season up to this point: running the ball.
"We were kind of stubborn in what we wanted to do, and we figured at some point we were going to be able to pop a long run," said Peters.
The Coyotes started off the game with a methodical drive, pounding the Wildcats defensive line, until they were
able to get in the end zone with a 1-yard quarterback keeper from backup sophomore quarterback Jorge Lomeli.
After Morenci tied the game up with a touchdown, the Coyotes took the football into the end zone on the other end, with Mckenney recording the score, to take a 14-7 lead going into halftime.
Late in the third quarter, Morenci was driving down the field, looking to put in a touchdown that would tie the game. However, Holguin had different thoughts. The multi-position senior intercepted a tipped ball, ripping away Morenci’s chance to tie the game.
Following the interception, Holguin took the field once again, this time on the offensive side of the ball. Holguin immediately
took the rock, and ran 66-yards to the house to put his Coyotes ahead 21-7.
“It felt great, I think it was a great momentum shift for our team, and from there on we kicked butt,” Holguin said about his two game changing plays.
“I love my guy Jacob. He’s the speedster, I’m the power back. Every single player on our team adds a different element, and that’s what makes us great,” Mckenney said.
Following Holguin’s score, the game stayed at 21-7, until Arizona Lutheran sophomore running back Enter was able to pound in a three-yard touchdown to put the game completely out of reach for the Wildcats.