by Caleb Peckham

The TPA football team’s remarkable season came to a tough end last week against the Morenci Wildcats. Although fans were pleased to follow the Knights’ journey to the state semifinals for the first time in 11-man football, the team was hoping for even more, and they came just short of reaching the finals.

The Wildcats came out strong and used their size and some lucky breaks to take a 7-0 lead in the first half. The Knights’ gritty defense, anchored by Eddy LeBeau, Ryan Whalen, Anthony Brittain, and Defensive Player of the Year Levi Hartzler, held the normally potent Morenci offense to its worst showing of the season, and the team from eastern Arizona mustered only three points in the tight second half.

Unfortunately, Tempe Prep wasn’t able to capitalize on its defense’s stellar performance. The Knights’ offense drove the ball down to the six in the fourth quarter but came up empty-handed on the goal line, missing a chance to bring the score within a single possession. TPA closed the gap to 10-7 with Offensive Player of the Year Forest Redlin’s touchdown with under a minute remaining, but the valiant effort fell short in the final seconds.

Although the team missed the opportunity to travel to Flagstaff for the championship, its ten win season featured a victory over high-flying Seton Catholic and a thrilling Senior Night upset of Northwest Christian. At the midway point of the regular season, the Knights caught fire and produced a seven-game win streak that included playoff victories over Round Valley and Thatcher. The Knights’ tough defense and tenacious ground attack are now known all across the state, and Division V should be on watch for the years to come.