Up 14-7 with 1:36 left at Pusch Ridge, the Morenci Wildcats needed to run the ball out to preserve the victory but a fumble on a short run gave the Lions new life at the 36 with 38 seconds left. Pusch Ridge eventually made it down to the 9-yard line with 7 seconds to go, with no timeouts, but a stop on a run attempt at the 5 ended the game with No. 13 Morenci pulling off the upset over No. 7 Pusch Ridge.

The win moved the Morenci record to 4-3 on the year and a more comfortable outlook for the state playoffs with the upset over a top ten team. Pusch Ridge fell to 5-2 on the year and we will have to wait until Tuesday to see how the loss affected the rankings for both teams.

Pusch Ridge scored first, but the team missed on a few early opportunities with a loss on downs at the 24 in the opening drive and then a fumble on the next drive at midfield. Morenci also struggled with a loss on downs and couple of punts but a fumble set the Lions up at the 46 with 1:37 left in the half and senior quarterback Bubba Mustain led the team down the stretch, capped by a 1-yard run on fourth down, to put the Lions up 7-0 with 14 seconds left before the break.

Morenci came out of the half with Julien Aragon returning the opening kick to the 35 to give the Wildcats a short field. Sr. RB Michael Casillas scored his first TD of the game a few plays later and his 1-yard run tied the game at 7-7 with 7:36 left in the third.

Pusch Ridge drove down to the 14 on the next drive but Tristen Sanchez blocked a 31-yard field goal attempt from Tyler Nolan to keep the game tied. Each team punted in a battle of field position until Casillas broke free from the 43 to put Morenci up 14-7 with 3:46 left in the game.

The Lions gave the ball back on downs at the 28 with 1:36 left but, as mentioned before, the team got the ball back on another fumble but time ran out.

Casillas rushed for 182 yards on 28 carries with two TDs and Mustain threw for 148 yards and he rushed for 65 with a short TD.

Pusch Ridge will travel to play Coolidge (4-4) next week and Morenci will host Fountain Hills 2-6.