Patrick Holleron is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Veritas Prep High School for AZPreps365.com 

Trailing San Tan Charter, 28-26, Veritas Prep’s football season came down to a two-point conversion at San Tan Charter high school on Friday night in the first round of the 2A state playoffs.

Falcons sophomore quarterback John Weiland took the snap and scrambled right looking for freshman tight end Miles Perry, but Perry wasn’t able to haul in the pass to tie the game.

And with that the Falcons (7-4, 5-1) were eliminated from the playoffs. The Roadrunners (9-2, 5-1) will advance to the second round of the tournament to take on Camp Verde (9-2, 6-0) at 7 p.m. Thursday.  

“Our team's effort was 100%,” Veritas Prep coach Jason Black said. “I look back and realize I could have done a few things better throughout the game. That probably would have put us in a better position. I put this one on myself.”

The Roadrunners took a 7-0 lead at 6:38 in the first quarter when senior quarterback Zayden Neill threw a 28-yard touchdown pass down the right sideline to junior wide receiver Uriah Neloms.     

The Falcons answered right back though with Weiland leading a four-play drive that ended with a 24-yard touchdown strike to senior wide receiver Henry Rathsburg with 4:39 left in the quarter. The Veritas offense was unable to find the end zone again in the first half as multiple drives fizzled out quickly.

“We were giving the ball up after three or four plays each drive,” Black said. “I think if we could have controlled the clock earlier in the game we would have been able to pull this one out.”

The Roadrunners proceeded to take the lead early in the second quarter and never lost it. Neill broke out of the pocket and ran in for a 5-yard touchdown to make it a 14-7 game at the 9:27 mark of the quarter. 

The Veritas defense kept San Tan in check for the rest of the first half, forcing four fumbles and blocking a 25-yard field goal attempt in the last 11 seconds of the half. 

“Veritas Prep, the last three times we've played them, they've had a really solid defensive plan and they've done different things each time,” San Tan Charter coach Chase Cartwright said. “So we've had to make adjustments throughout the game.” 

Coming out of halftime the Roadrunners came out swinging with Neill throwing touchdown passes of 25 and 79 yards to senior wide receiver Maison Coffman to make it 28-7 midway through the third quarter. 

Neill completed 17 of his 22 passes for 264 yards and threw three touchdowns. He also rushed for 73 yards and one touchdown.

As the Falcons faced a 28-7 deficit they focused less on passing, instead going back to what they do best in running the ball. With the drive starting at the Roadrunners’ 40, senior running back Max Kaminski helped spark Veritas’ comeback with a 24-yard run. Weiland capped off the drive with a 16-yard strike to Rathsburg making it 28-13 at the end of the third quarter. 

“Max was taking over and that allowed us to make it close,” Veritas Prep safety Christian Dominguez said. “That caught their defense off guard and opened things up for us.”

The Veritas defense stepped up again at the start of the fourth quarter, forcing a quick three-and-out. The offense was spearheaded by big runs from Kaminski to set up a 2-yard touchdown run  by Weiland to make it a one-possession game with 4:21 to go. 

The Falcons scored one more time as Kaminski pounded his way in for a 2-yard touchdown. Kaminski rushed for 84 yards and one touchdown in his final game. 

“We told ourselves coming out of halftime that we're going to keep going until the last second, until the last whistle is blown,” Veritas Prep running back Tico Lentz said. “And that's what we did and I’m proud of how we played.”