Pusch Ridge's comeback effort falls short in state playoff loss to Thatcher

Pusch Ridge Christian Academy took every hit Thatcher had Friday night, but following the lead of senior quarterback Ryan Fontaine, it just kept getting back up.

The clock eventually ran out on the Lions’ comeback effort in the 35-27 loss in the first round of the Class 3A State Tournament, but as PRCA’s second-year coach Kent Middleton hugged his players fighting back tears, he knew they did everything they could, especially the senior class.

“Our seniors have just done an incredible job of doing everything we’ve asked,” Middleton said “I can’t say enough about them. I love them all.”

Fontaine probably needed to ice more than his arm afterward.

He got hit on nearly every one of his 36 pass attempts, completing 23 of them for 254 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. He also couldn’t reach the safety of the sideline on any of his 14 rushing attempts, gaining 25 yards with two scores.

The lone passing touchdown seemed like it could have been a turning point. Fontaine found Hayden Hallett for the 9-yard score and then fired a dart to Bubba Mustain for the two-point conversion with 1:36 left to play. But the onside kick failed and Thatcher running back Josh Mangum, who had 25 carries for 190 yards with three touchdowns put the game on ice with a third-down conversion.

Still, it was the second time PRCA (8-3) scored while facing a 16-point deficit in the final five minutes. The other was on a 1-yard touchdown run by Fontaine.

“Ryan Fontaine is a very special football player and a very special young man,” Middleton said. “He’s been everything for this program.”

Critical turnovers swung the first half.

First, PRCA linebacker Abraham Grajeda recovered a botched snap just three minutes into the game, and Fontaine scrambled for a 16-yard touchdown to give the Lions an early lead. But then, it was PRCA’s turn to make a mistake.

Already up 10-0, the Lions came away with a fourth-down stop in the red zone, ending a Thatcher drive that had spanned 15 plays and 51 yards. On the very next play, Thatcher cornerback Nicholas Puzas leaped to intercept an underthrown pass from Fontaine in front of the Eagles’ bench.

Thatcher erupted. It didn’t waste the momentum, as tailback Ayden Bingham punched in a 2-yard touchdown run to cut the lead to 10-6. After a three-and-out, Thatcher scored again, this time on a 45-yard run by Mangum, giving the Eagles a 12-10 lead at half.

The Eagles (8-3) had been blown out by Pusch Ridge 41-14 two weeks ago. Friday's win moves Thatcher into the 3A quarterfinals, where it will play at No. 2 Snowflake (10-1) next week.