Eastmark advances to 3A state title game with win over Pusch Ridge

Nov. 19—Scooter Molander recalls the original 13 players that showed up to a football camp at Queen Creek Middle School nearly four years ago when he was first hired as head coach at Eastmark.

He told them they would be the ones to build the program into a power. They worked for two years before their first varsity season. As juniors, they made the playoffs for the first time.

This year, they had bigger expectations. They wanted to be the best team in 3A. They wanted to compete for and win a state title.

On Saturday afternoon at Mountain Pointe High School in Ahwatukee, the Firebirds took another step toward that goal by beating Pusch Ridge 45-10 to advance to the 3A state championship.

"This is what we've built," Molander said. "There's plenty of things we can improve on. I'm super happy for my team. We are where we want to be but we're not satisfied.

The game was called early after two Eastmark players collided helmet to helmet. The collision left one, junior defensive tackle Israel Krize, laying on the field turf.

Molander said he was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital as precaution. Krize was heard telling coaches and training staff around him that he could get up as he was moving his extremities. A good sign but erring on the side of caution, he was transported anyway.

"We think he's going to be fine," Molander said. "It was precautionary."

It took one offensive possession for Eastmark to find its stride against Pusch Ridge.

The Firebirds drove down the field early in the first quarter but were forced into a long field goal try. The snap was bobbled and Pusch Ridge recovered. It gave the Lions enough momentum to drive down the field and hit a 39-yard field goal to take an early lead.

It was Pusch Ridge's only lead of the game.

"We were kind of just feeling them out," Eastmark senior linebacker Kaden Armstrong said. "They're going to make adjustments, they came into the week studying us, too. They played a good game we just overcame. We found out what we needed to do and we did it.

"Defense has to take it as a challenge to hold them to as little points as possible and we did a great job of that today with physical play and hard work and relentlessness."

The Firebirds simply took over. Austin Johnston put them on the board with a 4-yard sweep to the left. On their next drive, quarterback Mack Molander kept it himself for a 4-yard score.

Mack then connected with Johnston on a 30-yard touchdown to extend Eastmark's lead. Pusch Ridge managed to find the end zone on a 15-yard run by quarterback Bubba Mustain, but it was the only time.

Mack again connected with Johnston in the second half on a 58-yard touchdown. Then two consecutive rushing touchdowns by Diego Rodriguez and Coleman Samples put the game out of reach for good.

Mack finished unofficially 11-of-17 for 217 yards through the air and three total touchdowns. Johnston had four catches for 123 yards and three total scores. He also had an interception late in the fourth quarter.

"It's a great feeling but we're a team. We play as one," Johnston said. "I'm thankful my teammates were able to put me in situations where I can make plays.

"We have so many weapons. If you're going to double me you'll have problem on the other side with Jaxon (Bailey) and our run game is effective."

It was about as complete a performance Eastmark could've had in the semifinal matchup. But Molander believes there is still more work to be done.

He told his team after the game how proud he was of them, but that they shouldn't be satisfied just yet. They have one more to go, and it will come next Saturday at Desert Vista High School in Ahwatukee against either fourth-ranked Show Low or top seed Thatcher, who handed them their only loss of the season back in August.

"It feels great," Molander said of the opportunity to play for a championship. "The amount of time we are away from our families. It's seven days a week these last few weeks. It's worth it when it works out well."

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