EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been changed to reflect the correct name for the Pinnacle quarterback.

FLAGSTAFF — Quarterback Wyatt Horton threw three touchdown passes and the Pinnacle defense held their opponent to under 200 yards of offense in a 19-9 win over Nevada-based Arbor View on Friday afternoon.

Horton completed 10 of 18 passes for 122 yards and the three touchdowns to lead the Pioneers (1-0, 0-0 6A Northeast Valley), which are hoping to raise a 6A championship trophy come December after losing 37-26 to Highland in the title game last fall.

Now a junior, Horton was the top signal caller in 2022 but his offseason was turned upside down after the nation’s No. 1 overall football recruit Dylan Raiola transferred in from Chandler back in January.

By June however, Raiola had transferred once again, this time to a high school in Georgia. The nation's top senior recruit has committed to the Georgia Bulldogs.

Sparks flew to begin Friday’s contest at the Walkup Skydome on the campus of Northern Arizona University after Arbor View linebacker Christian Thatcher blasted a defenseless Pinnacle punt returner who signaled for a fair catch.

Thatcher was ejected from the contest.

Several players on the field from both clubs needed to be separated, and it took several minutes of conversation between the referees before tossing Thatcher after the brutal hit.

Later in the first quarter, Aggies kicker Jean Vinatieri hit a 32-yard field goal to give his club a 3-0 lead, but Horton responded with three straight touchdown passes in the second quarter, and at the beginning of the third to seal the deal.

Horton’s first touchdown pass found the hands of Josh Pinder on a 3-yard strike, then he found Jace Pina on an 11-yard pass to make it 13-3 with 57 seconds to go in the first half.

On Pinnacle’s first possession of the fourth quarter, Horton found Mac Richards on a 5-yard strike to make it 19-9 and the Pioneers never looked back.

Richards had three catches for 47 yards and the score, while running back Mason Hughes had 14 carries for 97 yards.

For Arbor View (1-1), quarterback Thaddeus Thatcher completed 7 of 13 passes for 126 yards and two interceptions. He was sacked five times by the Pinnacle defensive front.

Wide receiver Jayden Williams had three catches for 96 yards.

Thaddeus Thatcher did have a rushing touchdown, a quarterback sneak with 2:49 to play in the contest to cut Pinnacle’s lead to 10, 19-9.

But it wasn’t enough in the loss.

UP NEXT

Pinnacle will return home in Week 3 to host Tolleson. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

Arbor View heads to California next week to face Apple Valley. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

Brian M. Bergner Jr. has covered professional, collegiate and high school sports for more than 20 years. Follow him on Twitter @AzPreps365Brian. Have a story idea? Email Brian at bbergner@azpreps365.com.