4A State Title Recap: Mica Mountain vs Arizona College Prep

<p>It all comes down to this! Two teams, 60 minutes, and the winner goes down in the history books. The Mica Mountain Thunderbolts versus the Arizona College Preparatory Knights at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe to crown a champion.  We will recap the Mica Mountain vs Arizona College Prep playoff game in this article and highlight some of the standout performances from Friday's contest.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Game Summary</h2>   <p>The Thunderbolts started off fast recording two rushing touchdowns, one from RB Josiah Thornwell from 5 yards out and one from QB [player_tooltip player_id='704786' first='Jayden' last='Thoreson'] taking it to the house from 43 yards out for the early 14-0 lead. Arizona College Prep would strike back getting a 19 yards touchdown run from RB Tyler Lowder from 19 yards out to close the gap to 14-7. Mica Mountain would respond with another rushing touchdown from RB Josiah Thornwell from 7 yards out for the 21-7 lead before the end of the 1st quarter. This time, Mica Mountain would get it done through the air as QB [player_tooltip player_id='704786' first='Jayden' last='Thoreson'] connected with ATH Riley Carson for the 53 yard receiving touchdown going up 28-7 before halftime. After Arizona College Prep would call a fake punt for 43 yards to help salvage a drive together, it would end with QB [player_tooltip player_id='1587252' first='Evan' last='Heinrich'] rushing it in for touchdown from about 3 yards out. They would then go for 2 points and not convert for the score to now be 28-13. It would be all Mica Mountain to close any hopes of a comeback as once again RB Josiah Thornwell would rush it in from 2 yards for the lead now to be 35-13. The Knights would turn it over on downs at the start of the 4th quarter with ATH [player_tooltip player_id='954323' first='Jimmy' last='Leon'] deflecting the pass at the line of scrimmage for the incompletion. The Bolts offense would capitalize once again with another RB Josiah Thornwell from 24 yards out to seal up the title for Mica Mountain. Final Score: Mica Mountain 42, Arizona College Prep 13</p>   <p>Both teams fought all game long and deserved to be in the position. Offense wins games, but defense wins championship, and the Mica Mountain defensive line proved that to be true as they were absolutely unstoppable in this game. We will now share some of the stand-out performances from Friday's game.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Offensive Standouts:</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">2026 Athlete Riley Carson is the definition of an all-around athlete. His most impactful plays came on the offensive end. He played wide receiver, snagging in a pair of catches, including the 53-yard touchdown in the second quarter. He played safety and had a pair of passes broken up in the secondary. He is also Mica Mountain's Kicker, Punter, and Kickoff/Punt Returner. What more can this guy do? He is fast, twitchy, and has a nice center of gravity, which makes him tough to tackle. He made an impact in all three phases of the game last night and had a big hand in aiding this team to victory.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">2025 Running Back Josiah Thornwell had himself a game that he will never forget. He rushed for over 80 yards on the ground and had four touchdowns on the night. He got it down on the goal line, quickly finding the lane and bursting right through the hole for the score. He was also explosive in the open field. He demonstrating outstanding vision, putting his foot down and burning past defenders for the score. He also played some snaps on defense, grabbing a pair of tackles to aid in their dominant performance. Thornwell had an excellent final game and left it all out on the field for his team.</p>      <p class="text-gray-700">2025 Quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='704786' first='Jayden' last='Thoreson'] commanded his offense like a pro. He was a threat both on the ground and through the air, as he had a passing and a rushing touchdown. He made all the right decisions for his offense and was very decisive when he threw the ball. He was dynamic, especially on the ground, with over 70 rushing yards, as he can get going and accelerate in the open field in a hurry. Another senior for this Mica Mountain team that helped lead his team to a spectacular performance.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">2025 Offensive Lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1353905' first='Ronan' last='Saloman'] was uniquely utilized in this game to help propel his offense forward. He was asked to pull mainly from his left guard position regularly and helped his teammates work to the second level on combo blocks. His speed and quickness for his size, as well as his push at the point of attack, were notably impressive. They made sure to run behind him in the red zone to get in for their key team's scores. Saloman was a consistent piece for the Knights offense in his final game for the team.</p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Defensive Standouts:</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">2025 Athlete [player_tooltip player_id='954323' first='Jimmy' last='Leon'] was easily the most crucial player on this Knights team in their efforts to win it all. On offense, he 6 catches for over 70 yards at the tight end position, making consistent grab after grab to keep those chains moving on offense. At defensive end, Arizona College Prep ran most of their runs to the opposite side of the field to avoid him getting involved in the game. That didn't stop him from making an impact, recording a tackle for loss, a few hits, and two pass deflections including the one late in the 4th quarter to turn it over on downs. He is simply a game wrecker and showed he was the most dynamic athlete on the field in this game. Leon was a absolute beast in his final game for Mica Mountain.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://youtu.be/LHiRnSxofFU </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">2025 Defensive Lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1145548' first='George' last='Flores'] was a major component on why this defensive line is one of the best in the state. He played both ways for the Thunderbolts, playing offense line and pulling a fair amount to help spring significant gains for this explosive Mica Mountain rushing attack. But where Flores shined was on the defensive side of the ball, recording multiple tackles to shut down the Arizona College Prep running game. He did an excellent job diagnosing and penetrating upfield. He would then trail a pulling lineman and locate the ball carrier in the traffic for limited gains. A captain and a leader for this Mica Mountain team, he was entertaining to watch on Friday.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Another Notable Mica Mountain defender who had a great game was 2026 Linebacker Broden Schmidt. Having close to double-digit tackles, a tackle for loss, and a pass defense, laying a massive hit on a wide receiver for the incompletion. He was an enforcer in the box, displaying grit and toughness, sticking his nose on every single play. When he got downhill, he was going to deliver with emphasis and power. An exciting returning piece Mica Mountain looks forward to having next season that had a fantastic state championship game.</p>      <p class="text-gray-700">2026 Defensive Back [player_tooltip player_id='401154' first='Daniel' last='Velasquez'] was all over the field for his defense last night. Mainly playing at the safety position, he flew around the field recording numerous tackles and a pair of tackles for loss. He was decisive and came downhill with sound aggression to get the ball carrier down on the ground. He was able to cover a lot of ground in the open field, showcasing excellent range and agility. He will definitely be a player to keep your eyes out for and watch as he aims to lead his team back to this game next season.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">2026 Linebacker Cam Mitchell was dealing with many eclectic looks from this Mica Mountain offense and still found a way to get involved. He had over five tackles on the night, navigating traffic working inside to outside. He displayed great agility and remarkable toughness. He was even better in zone coverage, making some crucial tackles on the field for limited yards after the catch and bringing up critical downs in the game. Even in a losing effort, Mitchell fought his tail off and will look to take his game to another level next season.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://youtu.be/AwNhjXYMmtQ </div></figure>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Other Notable Players:</h2>   <p>Tyler Lowder RB Arizona College Prep - For a ground game that really struggled to get going, Lowder helped provide a spark plug to the Knights early in this game. He had their first touchdown of the game for that 19-yard touchdown, showcasing quickness and good change of direction in the open field. He gave his team some life when they needed it, precisely what great players and competitors do.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://youtu.be/C4RaR6RDFWo </div></figure>   <p>Jaysen Criswell DL Mica Mountain - This entire defensive line for Mica Mountain put on a show, and Criswell was no different. He was constantly in the face of the opposing quarterback, getting a sack in the game giving him no time in the pocket as well as recording a few knockdowns. He was an unsung hero who added to Mica Mountain's outstanding defensive line performance.</p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1174196' first='Nathaniel' last='Bryant'] DB Mica Mountain - In the secondary, Bryant was all over these Knights receivers from the start. He ran stride for stride, contesting these receivers downfield, as well as having a few passes broken up when he was targeted. He was the lockdown guy for the Thunderbolts defense, assisting with their disruptive game plan.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Results:</h2>   <p>Mica Mountain completes the perfect season and reaches 14-0 on the year, capping it off with a 4A State Title. This team will undoubtedly be remembered in school history for their stifling defense and quick striking offense as they move this one to the trophy room.</p>   <p>Arizona College Preparatory with the loss moves them to 12-2 on the year as the 4A state runner-up. This team still had a tremendous season with many returning pieces that can help them run it back next season.</p>

It all comes down to this! Two teams, 60 minutes, and the winner goes down in the history books. The Mica Mountain Thunderbolts versus the Arizona College Preparatory Knights at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe to crown a champion. We will recap the Mica Mountain vs Arizona College Prep playoff game in this article and highlight some of the standout performances from Friday's contest.