Red Mountain’s Big 3 chases 6A title
Quarterback Carter Crispin needs knee surgery. Running back Lenox Lawson remembers that 2019 heartbreaker that ended in overtime. Wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane has put himself in the fast lane to stardom.
Together, the seniors are ready to lead Mesa Red Mountain’s football team back to the 6A championship game.
They were freshmen in 2019, when the Lions lost to Peoria Liberty in overtime in the final. Only Lawson got on the field during special teams. “It’s time to get back there,” Lawson said.
Red Mountain will have its toughest challenge to date, trying to solve Highland and that staunch defense on Friday night at Highland in the semifinals. The last time thery played each other, earlier this season, Higland needed a touchdown in the final minute to win 17-14.
Red Mountain, the No. 6 seed, was without Crispin and Lawson in that game. Crispin had suffered a knee injury in a 28-7 loss to Williams Field on Oct. 28. Lawson was in concussion protocol and didn’t play against Highland, the No. 2 playoff seed.
Since all three players have been together, the Lions are 3-0. In a first-round comeback win over Brophy Prep, Crispin was 21 of 32 for 284 yards and three touchdowns. Last week, he threw four TD passes in a 49-10 rout of Mesa, a game in which Lawson had his third straight 100-yard rushing game and Lane caught two TD passes.
Nothing is going to keep Crispin off the field, even knowing he’ll need surgery after the season to repair a torn miniscus in his knee. “I’m just glad I’m able to play,” Crispin said.
Seeing Cripin making plays the last few weeks and watching Lawson make plays as a hybrid running back who can
catch big passes inspires Lane, a 6foot-6 USC commit, who attracts two to three defenders each play to try to contain him.
“The miniscus is just a minor defect,” Lane said about the way Crispin has been rolling. “He’s tough. We’re so emotionally and mentally driven on one goal, and that is to get to where we need to be. That over everything is overcoming the mindset of his knee, or them saying (Lawson) is just a running back. It’s a matter of going out and realizing who we are as people.”
This isn’t a team without flaws. The Lions lost four games, including games to Sandra Day O’Connor and Chandler, two teams in the Open eight playoffs.
But they’ve come together since losing back-to-back weeks to Williams Field and Highland.
Lawson was practically unstoppable after Red Mountain got down 17-0 in the first quarter to Brophy, winding up with 232 yards and three TDs rushing and 65 yards receiving in the 45-38 win.
“We’re trying to put a full game together,” Red Mountain first-year head coach Kyle Enders said. “The last time we felt like we finished the game and played all four quarter was Queen Creek (on Oct. 21) and beat them (24-6).
Enders said Highland’s defense will be a challenge.
“The one thing we watched on film is that they cause turnovers. We know if you win the turnover battle, you have a really good chance of winning the game.”
Much of it will fall to Crispin, Lawson and Lane to protect the ball, keep the chains moving and score.
Enders doesn’t exaggerate when he calls Lane the best high school wide receiver in the country. Every week, it seems, he makes a catch that has people on social media buzzing, calling it the catch of the year.
“He’s super fast,” Enders said of Lane. “He’s got the long range speed, too. But he’s quick. He runs routes as if he wasn’t as long and as big as he is. His hands, you’ve seen that every week, the one-handed grabs. The ability to go up and get the ball on top of running those very quick and precise routes. You turn in his film, and he blocks well.”
Whatever it takes, Lane will try to help his team win. “When I was little, I used to do hand stretches,” Lane said. “I used to think that would make my hands bigger. But I probably just have good genes. I do practice catching the ball. I look it all the way into the tuck. I repeat it all the time.”
Lawson, committed to Central Michigan, believes his team can put up a lot of points. He knows with Lane anything is possible. They’ve grown up playing football together.
“I’m just blessed to keep playing with him,” Lawson said.
Two more games. That’s all they want. Two more victories.