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No. 39
CHAMPIONSHIP: Class 1A (known as Class C at the time)
SCORE: St. David 28, Salome 22
DATE: November 16, 1979
SITE: Phoenix Indian High School
GAME SUMMARY: Fox Sports 1450 “Eye On the Ball” sports talk show host Jay Gonzales covered this game as a correspondent for the Arizona Daily Star. Gonzales led off his report with St. David’s defense controlling Salome’s “powerful” running back Chuck Antoni en route to the state championship, handing the Frogs (10-1) their first loss of the season.
St. David (10-1) held Antoni to 86 yards on 26 carries after he rushed for more than 200 yards with three touchdowns the previous week against Pima.
Antoni had two touchdowns and scored 13 points, giving him a state-record 392. He ended his career with 654 points, second in the state behind Arley McNeil (Patagonia) scoring 688.
Salome led 22-16 with only 6:30 remaining in the game.
Corky Kitterman’s 15-yard touchdown run with less than 4 minutes remaining tied the game.
St. David defensive back Beck Mayberry became the hero with two late interceptions, the first halting a drive at midfield.
The Tigers’ ensuing seven-play possession ended with quarterback Spencer Brown scoring on a 2-yard quarterback sneak with 31 seconds left.
Salome drove to the St. David 24 before Mayberry recorded his second interception, with 4 seconds remaining.
Mayberry also rushed for 66 yards in the second half to spark St. David’s offense.
THEY SAID IT: “We had good practices this week. We just made up our minds to do it and we got it.” — Mayberry told Gonzales.
DID YOU KNOW: Mayberry, also a baseball standout with St. David, is now an assistant coach with the Tigers’ successful baseball program that won the 1A state title in 2021.
BOX SCORE (printed in Arizona Republic):
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