Nov. 28: No. 3 Pusch Ridge Christian 14, No. 8 Phoenix Northwest Christian 7
SCOTTSDALE — After the late-game dramatics over the last few weeks, Pusch Ridge Christian’s football team became quite familiar with living on the edge. It was just a matter of waiting for a spark at the right moment.
The spark in Saturday’s Division IV championship game came from an interception by senior Aaron Tvrdy — his first of the season — early in the fourth quarter.
What seemed so simple at the time ended up being huge.
Third-seeded Pusch Ridge put together a game-tying 99-yard touchdown drive after the turnover and later capitalized on a fumble to beat No. 8 Phoenix Northwest Christian 14-7 and capture its first state championship.
“Every single playoff game, we were either down or had to battle,” said Tvrdy, the son of Pusch Ridge athletic director Lonnie Tvrdy. “Just somehow, we found a way. It’s unbelievable to me, and I’m so proud of every guy.
“What more could you want from a senior year? I’m just so amazed.”
Sophomore running back Tamerat McLeod — who kicked a game-winning field goal in the semifinals — punched in the go-ahead score on a 2-yard run with 1:11 remaining. Then the Lions stopped Northwest Christian on fourth down in the final 30 seconds to secure their 13th straight win.
Pusch Ridge’s players and fans counted down until the clock ran out at Scottsdale Chaparral’s Firebird Stadium after senior Cody Cropp took the final knee of the game.
Once the horn sounded, the celebration was on — and you can bet there was some dancing.
Moments after Pusch Ridge received the championship trophy, assistant coach Lamar Lovett broke out backflips and windmills to put the exclamation point on an incredible season with a unbelievable finish. Lovett, who break dances after every home and playoff win, promised to bring the house down if the Lions won the title. He delivered.
“It’s crazy how these things happen” Pusch Ridge coach Troy Cropp said as Queen’s “We Are the Champions” played on the public-address system. “We’re ecstatic we came back; we’ve done that three or four times this year.
“It’s kind of like a cardiac team — check your heart meds at the door.”
He’s not kidding.
The Lions trailed 7-0 and had struggled offensively all night. But when Tvrdy hauled in his interception at his own goal line with 10:37 left in the fourth quarter, it sparked a certain fire in the Lions.
Sophomore running back Dakota Haynes broke loose for a 7-yard gain on the second play of the drive and then rambled free for 33 yards the next snap. Haynes gained 11 yards on the following play to move the Lions into Northwest Christian territory. Then McLeod had rushes of 10 and 16 yards to give Pusch Ridge the ball at the 20.
“Right as Dakota started get going, I knew we were going to win the game because we were rallying around each other and we weren’t giving up,” said senior captain Cooper Barghols. “We believed we were going to win this game. It’s an absolutely incredible moment.”
Three plays later in the drive, facing a third down at the 18, Cody Cropp hit senior tight end Ben Walker on the left side for the touchdown, and the extra point by junior Christian McCarty tied the game at 7 with 5:05 remaining.
“We knew we had it, we just kept believing,” Walker said. “I’ve got no words for it. I mean, being the first ever to get past the quarterfinals and then to go all the way to the state championship for the first time, are you kidding me?”
Junior defensive end Paul Bertelsen pulled in an interception four plays into Northwest Christian’s next possession, but the Lions were unable to get anything going and punted the ball back to the Crusaders.
But Pusch Ridge got the ball right back, thanks to a fumble inside the 10, with 93 seconds remaining. Two-way senior James Raica, who had an interception early in the game, rushed to the 2, setting up McLeod’s game-winning score on the following play.
“This is amazing,” McLeod said. “This is history.”
