Mica Mountain came into Snowflake on Friday night with a reputation for a strong and stingy defense. Through the first three quarters of the 4A playoff game, the seventh-ranked Thunderbolts lived up to that reputation by keeping a powerful second-ranked Snowflake offense off the scoreboard. Snowflake scored twice in the fourth, but their season ended with the 21-14 loss.
Three Mica Mountain scoring drives and nearly a fourth gave them a 21-0 lead going into the fourth. The Lobos forced a fumble on what could have been their fourth scoring drive of the game early in the fourth, deep in Snowflake’s territory.
Both defenses played well through the first quarter, with each forcing two punts by the offenses. Mica Mountain’s third possession resulted in the first points of the game. On that drive, they were able to overcome numerous penalties and converted a fourth and one, as well as a third and 25, before finally putting the ball in the endzone on a 36-yard touchdown pass. The PAT gave them the 7-0 lead with eight minutes left in the second quarter.
Snowflake’s next possession resulted in an interception by the Thunderbolts, giving them a short field to work with. Gionn Jones ended the scoring threat when he picked off a Thunderbolt pass inside the Lobo twenty-yard line.
Snowflake moved the ball near midfield before having to punt. Neither team scored before half, leaving the Lobos trailing 7-0 at the half.
Snowflake again moved the ball well on their first second-half possession, but they were eventually forced to punt again.
Mica Mountain extended its lead on its initial second-half possession with a 23-yard scoring pass, moving the score to 14-0.
Snowflake avoided a near disaster when they fumbled the ensuing kickoff, but the Lobo defense held strong, getting the ball back in four plays for their offense.
Mica Mountain scored on a 19-yard run late in the third, pushing their lead to 21-0.
Snowflake forced a fumble inside their own twenty early in the fourth, then gained some momentum. The Lobos used that momentum to finally put the ball in the endzone, ending the scoring drought with a 12-yard touchdown pass from Jacob LaDuke to Mason Raban. McCoy Norton’s PAT made the score 21-7.
Mica Mountain turned the ball over on downs near Snowflake’s 40-yard line with under four minutes left in the game. LaDuke punched in a four-yard run, closing the gap to 21-14 with the PAT. Those were the final points of the night.
Snowflake’s final possession of the game and the season ended with an interception as they were trying to get a late desperation score.
Mica Mountain forced the Lobos to be one-dimensional on offense by holding that vaunted Lobo rushing attack to just 79 total yards. LaDuke gained 60 yards on 13 attempts, and Brenner Green picked up just 19 yards on 16 runs.
Through the air, LaDuke completed 10 of 26 passes for only 92 yards with 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions. Raban caught four for 46 yards; Green, 2 for 27; Christian Smith, 2 for 19; and Nash Reidhead had one for 1 yard.
Snowflake ended its season with an overall record of 10-2. Mica Mountain now moves into the semi-final round, where they will meet sixth-ranked Gila Ridge on Friday. Top-seeded Arcadia and 12th-seeded ALA-West Foothills will meet in the other semifinal game.
