The Pusch Ridge Lions lost their top offensive and defensive playmaker in Bubba Mustain to graduation, along with the next two top defenders, but head coach Kent Middleton adjusted his roster and he put together an even more dominating defensive scheme that helps feed an improved scoring machine that led to an outright 3A South championship and a favorable ranking heading into the state playoffs.

Pusch Ridge (9-1) knocked off the 2023 state championship team in Sabino, had their way at previous top-ranked Thatcher and then finished the regular season with a 45-0 victory over Safford at home Friday night. Safford (4-6) came in ranked No. 20 and the Bulldogs needed a victory to break into the top 16 but all hopes of a postseason for Safford ended quite early.

Tyler Nolan made a 34-yard field goal to put Pusch Ridge up 3-0 with 7:27 left in the first, senior lineman Noah Morrison recovered a fumble to get the ball back and then Jacob Newman hit Nate Campa from 18 yards out to put the Lions up 10-0 with 4:51 left and then Newman hit Elliott Lovett from nine yards out to make it 17-0 with 2:24 left.

Cole Goodman came up with an interception to put Safford in good field position to start the second quarter but Diego Torres collected an interception a few plays later to put Pusch Ridge back in business and then Blake Reed ran the ball in from three yards out to make it 24-0 with 6:55 left in the half. Reed scored again from 12 yards out to make it 31-0 with 3:52 left.

The Lions defense got the ball back again and Newman hit Reed from 14 yards out to make it 38-0 with 1:02 left in the half. Pusch Ridge started with the ball in the second half and Newman collected his fourth touchdown pass when he hit Dominic Painter from 12 yards out to make it 45-0 with 10:08 left in the third. With the running clock, time went quickly and Race Pinneo came up with an interception with 3:50 left in the game to end one last threat from Safford.

The first round of the 3A state playoffs is slated for next Friday, Nov. 8 and the Lions are expected to host.

THE SCORES