2026 High School Football

Si Charro! Football Report: Mica Mountain continues to roll like thunder, increasing winning streak to 13 games

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FINAL SCORE

Mica Mountain 49, ALA-West Foothills 21

Mica Mountain avenged one of its two losses from last year, beating ALA-West Foothills at home Friday night behind a balanced offense and stifling play from the defensive line in the win over the Guardians. The Thunderbolts (3-0) will next host Sunnyside (1-2) on Friday in a matchup with the other team it lost to in its 12-2 championship season in the 4A last year. That loss to the Blue Devils was their last. They have won 13 straight since.

MAJOR STORYLINE

Mica Mountain’s heralded defense was tested, especially with the pass with ALA-West Foothills’ combination of QB Rush Kamakeeaina to WR Dom Soto, but the pressure up front by sophomore defensive ends Jack Andrews and Roman Leon proved to be too much for the Guardians to overcome.

Mica Mountain’s defensive front, led by Andrews and Leon, limited ALA-West Foothills to only 37 yards on the ground on 21 carries. The Thunderbolts had four tackles for loss including two sacks, one by Andrews.

“We all play together; it starts with us up in the front, putting pressure on the quarterback, having to get the ball out quick, stopping the run first, linebackers doing their jobs, safeties coming down and filling, work as a team, as a brotherhood, great win,” said Andrews, who has 6.5 sacks in his first full varsity season (he joined the varsity from the junior varsity five games into last season).

Leon is the younger brother of former Mica Mountain standout defensive end Jimmy Leon, who is now in his second year at UTEP.

The younger Leon batted down two passes by Kamakeeaina and was constantly in the backfield, shutting down ALA-West Foothills’ running game.

“It’s good to have linebackers to fill the gaps when we need them, and it’s good to have another great end like Jack,” Roman said. “The first quarter, I like to read the tackles and see what they’re doing. After that I’ve gotta go get ’em.”

The constant pressure that limited the run offset Kamakeeaina passing for 288 yards with three touchdowns and an interception while completing 17 of 30 attempts. Soto had six catches for 149 yards with two touchdowns.

“They’re tough on the pass rush,” Mica Mountain coach Jay Campos said of Andrews and Roman Leon. “A little bit disappointed. We have a really good secondary, but we didn’t play as well as we wanted to tonight in the secondary. We have some things to work on.

“A lot of good things tonight but a lot of things we need to work on still. That’s why you need coaches, right? Start working and grind it out.”

SCORELESS QUARTER STREAK SNAPPED

Mica Mountain shut out its two first opponents — at San Tan Valley Poston Butte (29-0) and at home against Canyon del Oro (30-0) before facing ALA-West Foothills. Going back to the 4A championship game last year against Phoenix Arcadia, when Mica Mountain’s defense did not allow a score in the second half of their 42-17 win, the Thunderbolts had an 11-quarter scoreless streak after leading 14-0 going into the second quarter Friday night.

The streak was snapped on 13-yard touchdown pass from Kamakeeaina to Soto with 1:47 left in the second quarter, cutting the lead to 21-7.

Mica Mountain can still hang its hat on not allowing a rushing touchdown over the last five games, dating to the 4A quarterfinal win at Snowflake.

The defensive dominance, now under defensive coordinator Diego Rivas (who replaced the great Brett Darling), is a significant reason why the Thunderbolts are at 13 consecutive wins.

“Family, football, school, football,” Andrews reasoned for the dominance. “We’re in here six days a week, 6 a.m. practices, giving our all. Coming in with the guys, lifting. Zero-hour football. We have a class just for football, weight lifting after practice, treating our bodies well, eating well, doing what the coaches want us to do, being the best versions of ourselves.”

QUARTERBACKS BY COMMITTEE

Mica Mountain has an unusual but effective three-quarterback system that includes sophomore Adam Becker, junior Brenton Baker and senior Michael Consavage.

Becker completed all seven of his pass attempts against ALA-West Foothills for 127 yards with two touchdowns, including a 51-yard strike to Kaden Watson and 29-yard completion to Eli Palma.

Baker, son of former Arizona captain Barrett Baker, completed 8 of 11 pass attempts for 117 yards with a touchdown — a 10-yard connection with Palma — all in the first half.

Brenton Baker was 4 of 6 for 56 yards in the last possession of the half, capped by the pass to Palma that put Mica Mountain ahead 28-7 going into halftime.

Consavage ran five times for 40 yards and was 2 of 3 passing for 10 yards.

“We have the three right guys for it, to be able to interchange them,” Campos said. “If someone is not doing something correctly, we pull them out and do not skip a beat and have to wait for the next possession. It’s been good for us.

“The three quarterbacks, I have a lot of respect for them, the fact that they put their own egos aside and do what’s best for the team.”

Campos and his offensive coaches have a system in place utilizing the strength of a quarterback when it’s needed in a game.

“We have a senior (Consavage) who runs pretty well, a junior (Baker) who throws the ball and reads defenses pretty well, and a sophomore (Becker) who does both pretty well but he’s a sophomore,” Campos said. “We kind of use all three to make our offense hum.”

THUNDERBOLTS HAVE PLAYMAKERS

Complementing the quarterbacks are big-time playmakers who make Mica Mountain’s offense extremely dangerous, now averaging 36 points a game.

Watson’s 51-yard touchdown reception from Becker increased Mica Mountain’s lead to 35-7 with 7:34 left in the third quarter.

Watson, who finished with five catches for 104 yards, also had an 85-yard kickoff return for a touchdown that increased the lead to 42-14 with 5:21 remaining.

Palma had six receptions for 74 yards and two touchdowns.

Jeremiah Anderson led an effective ground game with 88 yards on 15 carries. He also scored on a 3-yard run in the first half.

NEXT WEEK

Mica Mountain will host Sunnyside (1-2) seeking to avenge last year’s loss on the road to the Blue Devils.

ALA-West Foothills will play at Glendale Independence (0-3).

The games start at 7 p.m. on Friday.

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