Any question if No. 3 Desert View was ready for its 5A Round 2 game against visiting No. 14 Phoenix Mountain Pointe, the scowl on the face of coach Robert Bonillas during the pregame warmups was the answer.
Bonillas, also Desert View’s athletic director, did not take kindly a couple of Mountain Pointe’s players chirping the Jaguars’ way during pregame warmups. The formidable figure, who was a tight end at Arizona, stood staring toward Mountain Pointe’s players.
While conversating with others, he still kept an eye on Mountain Pointe’s group.
Despite Mountain Pointe scoring a touchdown on its first possession, Desert View carried out Bonillas’ resolve and did not buckle in its 37-21 convincing win over the Pride.
“We’re a little young, but at the same time, we’re able to overcome some of that,” said Bonillas, who played for Dick Tomey at Arizona from 1995 to 1998. “It’s fun to see these kids — some of them have grown up in the last four years — and the other ones, I’m still waiting to see what’s next for them.
“It’s fun.”
Desert View coach Robert Bonillas reflects on the mistakes his No. 3 team has to correct and the fun he is having coaching the most successful team in program history, the 11-0 Jaguars, heading into next week’s 5A quarterfinal game against No. 6 Canyon View (9-2) at home. pic.twitter.com/2Z9PaV7pe2
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) November 15, 2025
Mountain Pointe (7-5) finished with 16 penalties totaling 108 yards.
Desert View will host No. 6 Waddell Canyon View (9-2) in the 5A quarterfinals Friday at 7 p.m. The Jaguars have never reached the semifinal round in their 41-year history.
By the end of the first quarter against Mountain Pointe, Desert View senior quarterback Ryan Vasavilbaso completed a 27-yard pass to freshman Anthony Rodarte and a 49-yard strike to star running back/safety Jaylee Abraham to put the Jaguars up 14-7.
The lead mounted to 21-7 on Abraham’s 19-yard touchdown run with 7:25 left in the first half.
It was around that time that one of Mountain Pointe’s defenders was heard yelling at his teammates: “He’s toying with you guys!”
Desert View running back/safety Jaylee Abraham talks about his performance of four touchdowns and an interception that sealed the Jaguars’ 37-21 win over Mountain Pointe in the 5A Round 2 win. pic.twitter.com/ufuLbfzXNx
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) November 15, 2025
Abraham, who should be a state player of the year candidate for how he has lifted Desert View to an 11-0 record, finished with 97 yards on 21 carries with three touchdowns, four receptions for 120 yards and a touchdown and an interception late in the fourth quarter that sealed the victory.
“We just kept grinding, trusting the process of our team,” Abraham said. “We came together at the end. This a team win for sure to win this game.”
Specifically about his performance, Abraham, always about the team first, said, “It felt amazing because we won the game and we’re still undefeated. Our goal is to win state. We’re coming.”
OVERCOMING THE CRITICAL SITUATIONS
Desert View was its worst enemy in the first half on two special teams gaffes that led to Mountain Pointe touchdowns.
A roughing-the-kicker call on a missed 47-yard field goal resulted in a touchdown pass two plays later to give the Pride a 7-0 lead.
A shanked punt by Desert View that was minus-7 yards after a bad bounce, led to a 4-yard touchdown run on the following play to cut Desert View’s lead to 21-14 with 50 seconds left in the first half.
“It’s the playoffs, so we’ve got to be able to overcome the critical situations better,” Bonillas said. “That’s something we’re going to start working on.
“I’m proud of our boys for coming through, our assistant coaches and all the support from the community. It’s fun to be out here.”
VASAVILBASO DELIVERS AGAIN
Ryan Vasavilbaso’s couple of touchdown passes early set the tone for Desert View in its 37-21 win over Mountain Pointe in a 5A Round 2 win. pic.twitter.com/aknlyBBR8m
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) November 15, 2025
Vasavilbaso rebounded from being sacked on a fourth-and-goal situation at the 4 to completing a 12-yard pass to Rodarte on a fourth-and-7 play at the Mountain Pointe 47 on the following possession.
After that clutch play, Abraham had two runs of 10 yards and scored on a 2-yard run with 2:56 left in the third quarter to put Desert View ahead 28-21.
On Desert View’s next possession, Vasavilbaso connected with Abraham on a 47-yard pass that set up Abraham’s 4-yard scoring run with 9:35 left that gave the Jaguars a 35-21 lead.
The Jaguars’ last two points came on a safety produced by Marco “MJ” Morando‘s tackle of a Mountain Pointe running back in the end zone with 1:48 left.
“As a team, we played really well, but individually, we made some mistakes and I was guilty of that,” Vasavilbaso mentioned about being sacked an interception thrown late in the game, both near the Mountain Pointe end zone.
“I’ve got to be loss sloppy and communicate more with my coach.”
Spoken like a true senior leader. Although it was his first playoff victory at Desert View, he wants so much more.
Vasavilbaso completed 14 of 23 pass attempts for 244 yards with two touchdowns. He also had a 33-yard run in the opening possession of the second half.
Rodarte, who had three receptions for 36 yards, will take an unofficial recruiting visit to Washington on Saturday to watch the Huskies’ game with Purdue. Division I programs are noticing the young receiving talent who is 5-foot-11 and 170 pounds.
Fellow receiver Eric Barcelo had six receptions for 74 yards with a 28-yard touchdown.
SEVEN STILL STANDING
Southern Arizona has seven teams remaining in the postseason:
6A — Salpointe
5A — Desert View and Marana
4A — Mica Mountain
3A — Pusch Ridge
2A — Tanque Verde and Willcox
HOT TEAMS INTO THE PLAYOFFS
Teams with the longest winning streaks with the season reaching the 13th week (well into the playoffs):
11 games — Desert View (12-game streak dating to last year, 11-0)
10 games — Marana (10-1)
9 games — Tanque Verde (11-2)
7 games — Mica Mountain (9-2)
9 wins in last 10 games — Willcox (10-2)
5 wins in last 6 games — Pusch Ridge (10-2)
SOUTHERN ARIZONA IN THE PLAYOFFS
FRIDAY’S RESULTS
6A ROUND 1
No. 17 Salpointe 23, No. 16 Queen Creek 8
5A ROUND 2
No. 1 Goodyear Desert Edge 46, No. 17 Cienega 7
No. 2 ALA-Gilbert North 42, No. 18 Mountain View 0
No. 4 Marana 34, No. 20 Yuma Catholic 27
No. 3 Desert View 37, No. 14 Mountain Pointe 22
4A ROUND 2
No. 7 Mica Mountain 35, No. 10 Lake Havasu 0
3A QUARTERFINALS
No. 5 Pusch Ridge 51, No. 13 Florence 38
2A QUARTERFINALS
No. 6 Willcox 26, No. 14 Benson 6
No. 9 Tanque Verde 28, No. 1 Phoenix Veritas Prep 23
NEXT ROUND …
FRIDAY AT 7 P.M.
6A QUARTERFINALS
No. 8 Salpointe (6-5) at No. 1 Phoenix Pinnacle (7-4)
5A QUARTERFINALS
No. 5 Scottsdale Horizon (9-2) at No. 4 Marana (10-1)
No. 6 Waddell Canyon View (9-2) at No. 3 Desert View (11-0)
4A QUARTERFINALS
No. 7 Mica Mountain (9-2) at No. 2 Snowflake (10-1)
SATURDAY AT 6 P.M.
3A SEMIFINALS
No. 5 Pusch Ridge (10-2) vs. No. 1 Queen Creek Benjamin Franklin (12-0) at Mesa Westwood High School
2A SEMIFINALS
No. 9 Tanque Verde (11-2) vs. No. 4 St. Johns (11-1) at Tempe McClintock High School
No. 6 Willcox (10-2) vs. No. 2 Scottsdale Christian (11-1) at ALA-Mesa North High School
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