Alan Judson is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Notre Dame Prep for AZPreps365.com

CHANDLER – Some may know a turnover the way Britannica dictionary defines it. “An individual pie formed by folding a piece of pastry in half over a filling” 

For Arizona College Prep on Friday night, they know turnovers as the four possessions they ripped from the grasps of Notre Dame Prep.

Notre Dame Prep fell to Arizona College Prep 31-21 Friday night in large part due to the four turnovers, with the Saints setting the Knights up once in the red zone, and giving the ball up in their own red zone twice.

“We just can't have turnovers in critical moments, especially in the red zone,” Notre Dame Prep head coach George Prelock said. “We just got to protect the ball. We have to emphasize the little things once we're getting hit.”

After the Knights (8-1) found the end zone on their opening drive and the Saints (4-5) punted, it would actually be Notre Dame Prep benefitting from the turnover first, as junior cornerback Matthew Higby would nab an interception to set up junior running back Gunnar Perry for a 5-yard equalizer.

Arizona College Prep senior running back Max Sasso would break out for 65 yards and a score before the first costly turnover would come for Notre Dame Prep. The Knights took over via a red zone fumble, as senior quarterback Evan Heinrich punched it in from 2-yards out for a 21-7 Knights lead.

The Saints would look to get within a score, reaching the one yard line, before once again fumbling away a score, but would force Arizona College Prep to punt.

With starting field position in Arizona College Prep’s territory, Notre Dame Prep eyed back-to-back possessions before and after halftime. But the Saints would once again turn the ball over, this time via interception, before heading into half trailing 21-7.

“Right now, we're our own worst enemy,” Prelock said. “We have got to get out of our own head.”

The Knights would take control out of halftime, scoring first to take a three-possession lead, with the Saints finding the end zone twice before the conclusion of the contest, including a second touchdown from Gunnar Perry. However, with the clock and one more interception thrown by the offense, the comeback would fall short.

“[Gunnar] has been the quarterback of our defense all season,” Prelock said. “He knew he was going to have to do a little bit more on offense, and he really embraced that. He played really well tonight.”

A larger effort was required from Perry with senior wide receiver/quarterback Landon Stych missing the contest due to injury. Stych had been an integral part of the Saint’s offense and defense all season, scoring 12 total touchdowns, a mark that leads the team.

The Saints complete their regular season at home next week against Desert Mountain, and Notre Dame Prep is hoping to receive reinforcements just in time for the playoffs.

“Next week we're gonna have some guys back [from injury], and our defense is just gonna be even stronger by that,” senior linebacker Mateo Gigena said.