FINAL SCORE
No. 2 Mica Mountain 30, No. 17 Sahuaro 0
No. 2 Mica Mountain heads into its fourth postseason in its fifth full year of varsity football 9-1 overall and 4-1 in the 4A Kino after dominating No. 17 Sahuaro (5-5, in all phases. The defense, led by sophomore defensive ends Jack Andrews and Roman Leon, kept the Cougars and their potent running game out of the end zone. The offense thrived behind playmaking running back Jeremiah Anderson and spectacular receiver Eli Palma.
PHOTO GALLERY BY STEPHANIE VAN LATUM
DEFENSE MAKES STATEMENT
.@MicaMountainFB coach Jay Campos took Sabino to four state championship games and won a state championship last season in his first year coaching Mica Mountain. He knows how to prepare his team in the postseason. The Thunderbolts’ quest for a third straight state title starts in two weeks after a bye in the 4A playoffs. They ended the regular season 9-1 following tonight’s 30-0 win over Sahuaro.
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) October 30, 2026
Sahuaro was averaging 175.1 rushing yards entering the game and produced only 106 — 71 of them by sophomore Lekie Sika on 22 carries.
The Cougars are now 0-4 against Mica Mountain, with the last three outcomes shutouts. The Thunderbolts outscored Sahuaro 101-0 in those three games.
Sahuaro came close to ending the drought against Mica Mountain with the ball at the Thunderbolt 1 on a third-and-goal in the fourth quarter. An illegal shift penalty moved the ball to the 6. A rushing attempt was stopped for a 1-yard loss by linebacker Jacob Stough. Andrews and Leon then combined on a sack that resulted in a turnover on downs at the 8.
“This is a good team we played tonight, Sahuaro, and we knew we had to be physical on both sides of the line,” Mica Mountain coach Jay Campos said. “We came out and did a good job of that tonight. I take my hat off to the kids. They came prepared and they played a great football game. … To pitch a shutout against a good team like Sahuaro speaks volumes for what we do,” Mica Mountain coach Jay Campos said.
Proud of you @JackAndrews2029!! Doing this type of work as a sophomore is rare, I think the UofA colors will look good on you someday..
— Brooks Reed (@Brooksreed50) October 30, 2026
An interesting note about Andrews, one of the state’s leaders with 14 sacks: his father David played for Jeff Scurran at Sabino before playing for Rick Neuheisel and Gary Barnett at Colorado as a defensive end/fullback.
David Andrews is a member of Mica Mountain’s staff who communicates from the press box during the games.
Scurran watched the Sahuaro-Mica Mountain game from the sidelines with former Arizona tight end Glenn Howell.
Former Sabino and Arizona defensive end great Brooks Reed posted this comment on social media in response to Jack Andrews photographed wearing a towel with Arizona’s logo:
“Proud of you Jack Andrews!! Doing this type of work as a sophomore is rare, I think the UofA colors will look good on you someday.”
PLAYOFF TIME IS CAMPOS TIME
Campos, whose team has won three straight games by shutouts after an upset loss to Walden Grove, mentioned his team has “a lot of momentum going into the season, which is our favorite time of year.”
Is it ever.
In its three years of competition in the postseason, Mica Mountain is 10-1 with the loss to eventual state champion Canyon del Oro 23-7 in the 2023 4A semifinals. In the 8-0 playoff mark with two state titles the last two years, Mica Mountain’s average margin of victory is an incredible 24.1 points. The only game in single digits was a 21-14 win at Snowflake last year in the quarterfinal round.
Campos has coached a team to the postseason in all 16 years as a head coach — 14 with Sabino and now two with Mica Mountain.
His playoff record as a head coach is 19-16 with five advancements to a state title game. His overall record is 154-38, a winning percentage of 80.2.
His method to success in the playoffs?
“You can’t look past the first game,” he said. “The reality of the situation is we can’t look to the finals until we take care of the second round when we get to that after a bye week. We’ve got to focus on the moment. We have to focus on the game plan.
“That first Monday practice coming back, preparation week (after the bye week), that’s kind of where it starts, that practice. We can’t look ahead. We have to be in the present.”
THUNDERBOLT OFFENSE STRIKES IN MANY WAYS
.@MicaMountainFB senior RB Jeremiah Anderson is a constant threat whenever he has the ball in his hands. He finished with 188 yards on 15 carries with a TD in the 30-0 win over Sahuaro. https://t.co/UPmD2kaeA9
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) October 30, 2026
Mica Mountain capped its first three possessions with touchdowns and scored on a safety in between.
Palma’s impact on the game against Sahuaro was immediate.
In Sahuaro’s first offensive play from scrimmage, Palma separated from Sahuaro’s secondary and caught a 53-yard touchdown pass from Adam Becker.
After Sahuaro was forced to punt, Mica Mountain showed it can score after an extended drive. Becker engineered an 88-yard, 14-play possession that took 7 minutes and 50 seconds and ended with his 25-yard touchdown to Brett Abbott.
Anderson had five carries for 34 yards in that drive.
A safety as a result of a Sahuaro fumble occurred before Mica Mountain’s third touchdown, scored by Anderson on a 7-yard run. Mica Mountain led 23-0 with 8:36 left in the second quarter. Anderson had a 35-yard run in that possession.
“I feel really great; my big boys (offensive line), they’re letting me eat, they’re making me look really good,” said Anderson, who finished with 188 yards on 15 carries.
CAMPOS LATE-GAME SPEECH SPIRITED
After Mica Mountain turned the ball over on three straight possessions to start the second half, Campos gathered his team in front of the sideline and was spirited in his speech to them.
“I thought we were getting loose with some of our behaviors and our lack of focus,” said Campos, who noted this is the program’s youngest team to make the playoffs with 17 sophomores (including impact players Becker, Andrews and Leon).
“That’s why I pulled them together to get them to regroup, which they did.”
IN THE PALMA OF HIS HANDS
.@MicaMountainFB WR Eli Palma had two TD receptions – a 53-yard play on the Thunderbolts’ first play from scrimmage and a spectacular 7-yard catch in the end zone in which he barely managed to get both feet inbounds. He ended with 93 yards on four receptions. https://t.co/xU6430gHO3
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) October 30, 2026
That regrouping included a 7-yard touchdown reception by Palma in which he got both feet inbounds in the end zone despite having to dive for the pass thrown by backup Brenton Baker.
“When we need a play, I’m always here to make it,” said Palma, who had four receptions for 93 yards. “I appreciate my coaches always trusting me. My quarterback made a great throw. I can’t do it without them; it’s a team effort, for sure.”
Palma’s brother Alex played with Mica Mountain and graduated two years ago. Eli’s style of play with speed and sure hands is similar to the offensive MVP from last season’s 4A championship victory over Phoenix Arcadia — Evan Wheeler, who had 194 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Leading receiver Riley Carson also exhausted his eligibility.
The younger Palma is finally getting his opportunity as a junior and he is making the most of it.
“It was amazing, looking up to everyone,” Eli said about waiting to get his chance. “My brother played here. Carrying on his legacy, and the people in front of me, (I’m) always looking up to them.”
NEXT UP
Mica Mountain will earn a bye as a likely No. 2 seed. No. 1 Snowflake played at No. 6 Arcadia on Friday night. A loss by Snowflake could move the Thunderbolts into the top spot.
Sahuaro is in solid position to qualify for the playoffs as the No. 17 seed heading into Thursday’s game. The top 24 teams make the field,
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