Salpointe’s season came to an end Friday night in the 6A semifinal round with the Lancers losing 37-28 at Queen Creek Casteel.
Pat Ryden’s team finished 7-6 in his second season coaching the program.
The Lancers upset No. 1 Phoenix Pinnacle 10-7 last week on the road to advance to the semifinals.
They played seven of their games in the Phoenix area, including the last four weeks, three of them in the postseason.
Chris Chaney and Alon Deon each scored on touchdown runs (Chaney of four yards and Deon 12 yards) against Casteel (8-5) on Friday night.
Salpointe's valiant effort in the postseason should be recognized. The Lancers traveled seven times — seven times — to the Phoenix area this season, four times in the last four weeks. Salpointe on an island as the only 6A team in Tucson. Pat Ryden and the Lancers are to be… https://t.co/92foDNftIQ
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) November 29, 2025
Casteel will play No. 2 Peoria Centennial (9-4) on Saturday at noon at Arizona State’s Mountain America Stadium for the 6A championship.
Rayce Alvarez completed touchdown passes of 75 yards to RJ Gory and 31 yards to David Rushing. Gory and Rushing return next season for the senior years. Both are being recruiting by Division I schools.
Chaney is also a junior and Deon and Alvarez are seniors.
Matthew Avelar, a junior who played a majority of Salpointe’s games in the first half of the season, will return for his senior season with the job all his behind center.
Place-kicker Troy Kuhlman, who made all four of his point-after attempts, is a junior.
The Lancers took a 28-24 lead with 4:50 left in the third quarter but could not score thereafter. They had a couple of turnovers late.
Tee Smith connected with Troy Jauregi for a touchdown for the second time in the game, giving Casteel a 31-28 lead with 3 minutes left in the third quarter.
Freshman place-kicker Jack Demmelmaier made two field goals in the fourth quarter, giving him three in the game, to seal the win. The field goals were of 34 and 32 yards in the fourth quarter. He made one from 24 yards in the second quarter.
QUEEN CREEK CASTEEL 37, SALPOINTE 28
First Quarter
Salpointe 7, Casteel 0 – Chris Chaney, 4-yard run (Troy Kuhlman PAT), 2:06 left
Second Quarter
Salpointe 7, Casteel 3 – Jack Demmelmaier 24-yard FG, 11:00 left
Casteel 10, Salpointe 7 – Brody Smith 34-yard pass from Tee Smith (Demmelmaier PAT), 7:00 left
Salpointe 14, Casteel 10 – Alon Deon, 12-yard run (Kuhlman PAT), 5:58 left
Casteel 17, Salpointe 14 – Tee Smith 15-yard run (Demmelmaier PAT), 1:30 left
Salpointe 21, Casteel 17 – RJ Gory 75-yard pass from Rayce Alvarez (Kuhlman PAT), 57 seconds left
Third Quarter
Casteel 24, Salpointe 21 – Troy Jauregui 98-yard pass from Tee Smith (Demmelmaier PAT), 8:11 left
Salpointe 28, Casteel 24 – David Rushing 31-yard pass from Alvarez (Kuhlman PAT), 4:50 left
Casteel 31, Salpointe 28 – Jauregui 42-yard pass from Tee Smith (Demmelmaier PAT), 3:00 left
Fourth Quarter
Casteel 34, Salpointe 28 – Demmelmaier 34-yard FG, 6:24 left
Casteel 37, Salpointe 28 – Demmelmaier 32-yard FG, 19.7 seconds left
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