CHANDLER — With under a minute left, Arizona College Prep’s senior wide receiver Ashton Sanchez caught a 38-yard touchdown reception to break a tie in Friday's 5A playoff second round game and take a 35-28 lead.

In the 47 seconds it had left, #10 seed Cactus Shadows bounced back with a touchdown of their own. Now with two seconds remaining, Cactus Shadows was down 35-34.

Faced with the option to either attempt an extra point to tie the game or a two-point conversion to grab the lead with two seconds left, Cactus Shadows Coach Chris Dixon chose to go for the win.

Falcons senior quarterback Donivan Dixon was run out of bounds, and #7 Arizona College Prep (9-2) defeated Cactus Shadows 35-34 on Friday, Nov. 14, in Chandler.

“We put ourselves in the position. I mean, it was a back-and-forth game, and we needed to finish and we didn't,” Chris Dixon said.

The game started with a big return for the Knights after kickoff by ACP junior strong safety and running back Jcory Horne Jr. began the scoring with a touchdown. 

Cactus Shadows (7-5) quickly struck back, ending the quarter tied 7-7.

In the second quarter, ACP scored a touchdown, but their 2-point conversion failed.

Before the end of the quarter, Cactus Shadows freshman defensive back Colin Godfrey intercepted the ball and returned it 91 yards for the touchdown.

With that pick-six accompanied by an extra point, the Falcons led the game at halftime 14-13.

 “We threw a pick when we probably should've ran. We went for two, and we just didn't get the ball high enough. Those are things that we have got to be better at, that I have got to be better at,” ACP Coach Derek Zellner said.

Each team scored one touchdown in the third quarter. Cactus Shadows built a 21-13 lead after senior Alex Dafnis bulled in from the 1.

Senior Max Sasso responded with a short rushing touchdown for the Knights and ran in a two-point conversion. The teams ended the quarter tied 21-21.

The fourth quarter started with a bang, after a 90-yard touchdown pass from ACP senior quarterback Evan Heinrich to senior receiver Kyle Poole. With a successful kick, the game was now 28-21.

The Knights recovered a fumble by Cactus Shadows, but the visitors quickly got that ball back after intercepting a pass.

Senior receiver Trey Peck took a quick screen from Dixon 14 yards for the final tying touchdown with 2:15 left in the game.

Every quarter of this game was tight and hard-fought, and it had the rowdy fans at the edge of their seats.

Zellner said the bye week his team had last week helped. The Knights were able to heal up and work on the things they needed to.

“The boys got to win. I couldn't be more excited or proud of these guys,” Zellner said.

He said the Oct. 24 game against Notre Dame Prep “beat them up” a bit, and that held them back in a 32-27 loss to Campo Verde Oct. 31.

Zellner said Cactus Shadows is a great group of young men and coaches, and he tips his hat to them. 

“I mean, you get to witness an instant classic tonight,” Zellner said.

This game marks the end of Donivan Dixon's high school career.

Dixon is set to take the next step in his career at Northern Arizona University.

He said that the result of the game was sad, but they will eventually have to move on.

“I feel like it's one of the best seasons in Cactus Shadows history. I feel like we shocked a lot of people,” Dixon said.

Chris Dixon said that the team will have to work harder, and with many players graduating, reload with a group of new guys in the off-season.

Donivan Dixon said he encourages newcomers to enjoy the four years of football, as it goes by quickly.

“As a father, I pray that he does what he needs to do and learns his lessons from four years of this, and hopefully we prepared him for the next level,” said his father and coach Chris Dixon said.

Coach Dixon said that the hope of preparation goes for all of their players heading on to college. 

Arizona College Prep will face off against #2 seed ALA - Gilbert North (10-1) in the next round of the 5A Conference playoffs at 7 p.m. Nov. 21. The Eagles won the regular season meeting of these teams 35-14 Oct. 17.

“I'm excited for the game (against ALA). I've been looking forward to that since freshman year,” Sanchez said.