Devon Henderson is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Dobson High School for AZPreps365.

As the realization of finality dawned on the Dobson Mustangs football team’s seniors, the tears followed. 

The routine five-clap count to break down the team huddle following every Dobson game carried a special tunnage Friday night at McClintock High School in Tempe. Dobson's 44-20 loss to the Chargers marked the last time they would huddle in their porcelain white and royal blue uniforms in the brotherhood this group had formed.

The recognition that the sport they’ve poured their lives into for so many years was just as quickly gone as it was acquired. 

“Football always leaves you before you’re ready to leave it,” head coach Bill Godsil said.

Senior wide receiver Brandon Chavarria Macpherson, succumbing to tears, reflected on how fast his senior season had come and gone.

“It was a blink of an eye,” Macpherson said. “It was just 7 on 7 [Summer Scrimmages] a couple of months ago. It’s just a blink of an eye. It’s over. It’s crazy.”

The Mustangs struggled to contain McClintock junior quarterback Jaxon Knutson's air attack. Following a field goal on their first drive, the conference's leading passer in yards and touchdowns’ rocket arm was unleashed. On the first play of their second drive, Knutson uncorked a 69-yard moonshot to sophomore receiver Amari Scroggins for McClintock’s first touchdown of the game which, following a blocked extra point, put the Chargers up 9-0.

Knutson showed his touch on a lofted pass to senior wide receiver Peter Schoppe for another score, opening the Chargers 16-0. Bad became worse for Dobson as it went three and out the ensuing drive, then muffed the snap on the punt that McClintock recovered in the end zone, extending its lead to 23-0 in a flash.

Those types of errors have held Dobson back all year Godsil said.

Dobson and McClintock continued battle in a game the Chargers would end up winning convincingly 44-20. (Photo by Devon Henderson/AZPreps365)“We’ve been our own worst enemy and just untimely at times for errors,” Godsil said. “That cost us on drives."

Dobson had its own flash later the same quarter. With four minutes and 50 seconds left in the half, sophomore quarterback Tomas Montemayor rolled left, throwing a bullet to Macpherson to open the Mustang scoring. McClintock fumbled on the first play of the following drive at its own 35. Montemayor wasted no time, immediately finding sophomore receiver Tremaine Turner for a touchdown. Following a successful two-point conversion, Dobson was back to striking distance at 23-14 in just 20 seconds of elapsed game time.

Dobson’s momentum wouldn’t hold for long, as passing touchdowns from Knutson to end the half and shortly into the second half extended the lead to 37-14. Knutson would go on to add another passing touchdown later in the game, his second to Schoppe to bring his final total to four for the game and 29 on the season. 

Montemayor showed off some of his own talent and what's to come in the future for Dobson. He launched two long passes of his own, down the seams, to Turner in the second half, checking various plays at the line, and getting the Chargers to jump offside multiple times with a hard count.

Montemayor recognized that while his arm strength was displayed, there were still facets of his game to be improved. 

“[I’m] pretty confident in my arm,” Montemayor said. “I just have to be more accurate and know when and how to put it on them.”

While some may want to flush this Dobson 1-9 season away and look towards the future, Godsil was quick to reiterate that the story of the night was the resilience of his graduating senior group, who played in what could be the last-ever football game of their lives. 

“[The senior class] started with a group of 150 freshmen, and then COVID hit, and these are the last 13 kids,” Godsil said. “They stayed with it and stayed together as a family and I just love it for them. They’re great kids."