Photos: Canyon del Oro edges Mica Mountain in matchup of 4A high school football unbeatens
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Kelly Presnell
Photojournalist
- Updated
The Dorados hold on in the final seconds to go 7-0 and drop the visiting Bolts to 6-1, with a 17-15 home win, Tucson, Ariz., Oct. 13, 2023.
Mica Mountain's George Flores (75) kneels on the field while Canyon del Oro’s bench celebrates the Dorados’ last second stand on a Bolt two-point conversion that failed in the fourth quarter of CDO’s 17-15 home win, Tucson, Ariz., October 13, 2023.
Canyon de Oro's Kayden Luke (30), left, slams into Mica Mountain's Kason Colbert (44) on a carry up the middle during their game at Canyon del Oro High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 13, 2023.
Mica Mountain's Jonah Garcia (13) gets a hand on the mask of Canyon de Oro's Joe Alba (23) stopping his first quarter run at Canyon del Oro High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 13, 2023.
Canyon de Oro's Kayden Luke (30) gets hoisted into the air by Sa'Kylee Woodard (55) after barging in for what turned out to be the winning points in a 17-15 win over Mica Mountain at Canyon del Oro High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 13, 2023. The loss was the first for the Bolts, dropping them to 6-1, CDO stayed unbeaten at 7-0.
Canyon de Oro's Chase Laux (14) hangs on to drag down Mica Mountain's Kason Colbert (44) on a run in first quarter of their game at Canyon del Oro High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 13, 2023.
Canyon de Oro's Izaiah Lucero (2) flies in to make the shoestring tackle and stop Mica Mountain's Conner Hangarner (7) on his catch and run in second quarter of their game at Canyon del Oro High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 13, 2023.
Canyon de Oro’s Kayden Luke (30) stretches for the goal line to notch the Dorados’ first score in the first quarter of their Oct. 13 matchup against Mica Mountain — a game that came down to the wire.
Mica Mountain's Kason Colbert (44) twists out of the grip of Canyon de Oro's Kayden Luke (30) in the backfield during the first quarter of their game at Canyon del Oro High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 13, 2023.
Canyon de Oro's Kayden Luke (30) dives from behind to stop Mica Mountain's Conner Hangarner (7) and his run in the second quarter of their game at Canyon del Oro High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 13, 2023.
Mica Mountain's Broden Schmidt (40) puts a headlock on Canyon de Oro's Kayden Luke (30) and drag him down on his end run in the second quarter of their game at Canyon del Oro High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 13, 2023.
Mica Mountain's Conner Hangarner (7) rides the block of teammate Devin Hayward (4) to get inside the Canyon del Oro five in second quarter of their game at Canyon del Oro High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 13, 2023.
Canyon de Oro's Kayden Luke (30) runs over Mica Mountain's Broden Schmidt (40) picking up yardage at Canyon del Oro High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 13, 2023.
Mica Mountain's Devin Hayward (4) chases his own muffed punt through the legs of Canyon de Oro's Chance Cassel (10) in the dying seconds of the second quarter of their game at Canyon del Oro High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 13, 2023.
Canyon de Oro's Tristen Mcclelland (17) runs out of reach of Mica Mountain's Jaysen Criswell (51) looking for time to throw at Canyon del Oro High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 13, 2023.
Canyon de Oro's Kayden Luke (30), left, Stayton Brooks (52) and Oro's Gavin Bower (8) are among the Dorados it takes to stop Mica Mountain's Kason Colbert (44) in third quarter of their game at Canyon del Oro High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 13, 2023.
Canyon de Oro's Cash Dickey (12) hits Mica Mountain's Josiah Thornwell (5) from behind after his catch at Canyon del Oro High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 13, 2023.
Mica Mountain’s Jayden Thoreson (2) slides down in front of the umpire after scrambling out of trouble late in fourth quarter of the Thunderbolts’ matchup at Canyon del Oro High School on Oct. 13, 2023.
Canyon de Oro's Izaiah Lucero (2) makes sure Mica Mountain's Devin Hayward (4) stays separated from the ball on the Bolt throw over the middle in their game at Canyon del Oro High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 13, 2023.
Mica Mountain's Jayden Thoreson (2) manages to just get off the pass and avoid the sack by Canyon de Oro's Gavin Bower (8) at Canyon del Oro High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 13, 2023.
Mica Mountain's Nathaniel Bryant (21) catches Canyon de Oro's Ryan Madsen (16) from the blindside stopping his run-after-catch in fourth quarter of their game at Canyon del Oro High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 13, 2023.
Mica Mountain's Jayden Thoreson (2) threads the needle between Canyon de Oro's Stayton Brooks (52) and Kayden Luke (30) for a touchdown in the final seconds of the fourth quarter of their game at Canyon del Oro High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 13, 2023.
The Canyon de Oro student section celebrates as the Dorados take the field before kick-off against Mica Mountain at Canyon del Oro High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 13, 2023.
Canyon de Oro's Adrian Davidson (28) squeezes into his pads and jersey before the start of the night’s game against Mica Mountain at Canyon del Oro High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 13, 2023.
Mica Mountain's head coach Pat Nugent, left, has a laugh with his former player and assistant and current head coach at Canyon del Oro, Dustin Peace, before their game at CDO Tucson, Ariz., October 13, 2023.
Mica Mountain's head coach Pat Nugent walks the field as the Bolts get ready to take on the Dorados at Canyon del Oro High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 13, 2023.
Canyon de Oro's head coach Dustin Peace and his staff try to get the Dorados organized for a goal line stand with the game on the line against Mica Mountain at Canyon del Oro High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 13, 2023.
Kelly Presnell
Photojournalist
As featured on
High School football: CDO/Mica Mountain lives up to hype; Dorados last unbeaten Tucson-area teamA matchup of 4A powers in Oro Valley Friday night lived up to its billing. Canyon del Oro (7-0) held off Mica Mountain (6-1) to remain Tucson area's only unbeaten high school football team; elsewhere, Salpointe (6-1) blown out by Peoria Liberty for Lancers' first loss.
High school football across Tucson and surrounding communities — looking back at Week 8 and ahead to Week 9: Sabino is our team of the week ... and can once-dominant Salpointe Cathaolic and Pusch Ridge Christian regain their footing and get back in the win column?
“I think everybody talked about it all year long,” Mica Mountain coach Pat Nugent said of facing Canyon del Oro in the Class 4A state semis Friday. “Unfortunately we gotta meet each other in the semifinals. I wish we were separated — see them in the finals — but it is what it is."
