Mica Mountain wins 4A state championship, giving Pat Nugent 1st title as head coach

TEMPE — In just its third full season of varsity football, Mica Mountain High is a state champion.

Mica Mountain defeated Chandler Arizona College Prep 42-13 Friday evening at Mountain America Stadium to win the 4A state title and cap an undefeated season.

Pat Nugent won his first state championship as a head coach after decades of close calls, including a runner-up finish with Canyon del Oro in 2007.

Senior Josiah Thornwell rushed for 182 yards and four touchdowns as the Thunderbolts (14-0) dominated the Knights (12-2) at the line of scrimmage. Mica Mountain finished with 357 rushing yards. Senior quarterback Jayden Thoreson added 70 yards on the ground, including a 42-yard touchdown. Thoreson passed for 183 yards and one score.

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Junior linebackers Broden Schmidt and Ben Weinzinger tied for team-high honors with eight tackles apiece. They each had one of the Thunderbolts' six stops for a loss.

Mica Mountain led 14-0 less than five minutes into the game and 28-7 at halftime. After ACP trimmed its deficit to 28-13 with 7:18 left in the third quarter, the Thunderbolts responded with a touchdown — Thornwell's third of the game. He put the contest away with a 24-yard TD run with 6:19 remaining.