The battle of the rebuilding Ridges in the 6A Desert Valley went to overtime on Oct. 25.

Shadow Ridge had a chance to extend the overtime period against Mountain Ridge on Friday with a 23-yard field goal but were unable to do so, resulting in the Stallions' eighth loss of the season on Homecoming night, 24-21. 

Mountain Ridge (3-5, 2-1) coach Andy Johnson was proud of his team’s effort tonight. 

“We just kept fighting back,” Johnson said. “Stuff didn’t always go our way but we kept fighting for each other.”

Early in the first quarter, Shadow Ridge (0-8, 0-2) dropped a punt return and it was recovered by Mountain Ridge’s senior cornerback Kody Halpine. He took the run back all the way into the end zone to give the Mountain Lions the lead. 

Shadow Ridge responded with a touchdown with three seconds left in the quarter. On third-and-15, Shadow Ridge quarterback Talon Edwards found junior wide receiver Michael Cruz for a 28-yard touchdown. Edwards finished the game with 105 passing yards and two touchdowns. 

Edwards said it took him some time before he was able to get into a rhythm as freshman quarterback Christian Normandin missed the game with a collarbone injury. 

In the third quarter, Mountain Lions junior quarterback Lukas Baughman found senior runnung back Vince Norfolk wide open for an 8-yard touchdown pass. Baughman finished the game with 141 passing yards and one touchdown. 

Less than four minutes later, the Stallions responded again as Edwards scored on a 22-yard rushing touchdown with 3:51 to go in the third. After three quarters, the score was tied at 14. 

With just under eight minutes remaining in regulation, the Stallions put the ball on the ground again after Edwards was sacked. Senior defensive lineman Brody Hastings returned the fumble to Shadow Ridge’s 5-yard line. 

On the next play Norfolk scored his second touchdown of the game from five yards out.

Norfolk said he wasn’t feeling too well going into the game but he was just looking to make the most out of every opportunity he had with the ball in his hands. He finished the game with 122 all-purpose yards. 

Shadow Ridge senior running back Max Cauley scored on a one-yard rushing touchdown less than two minutes later. It was set up by senior running back Xavier Armenta’s 67-yard run two plays prior. 

Both teams were unable to score for the remainder of the quarter and the game went into overtime tied at 21. In overtime, both teams get an opportunity to possess the ball from the opposition's 10-yard line. 

Shadow Ridge’s defense held strong and limited Mountain Ridge to a field goal from senior kicker Brody Rainer, making the score 24-21. 

In the following possession, the Mountain Ridge defense stopped Shadow Ridge altogether as they missed the game-tying kick. Friday was Shadow Ridge’s first overtime game of the season. 

Shadow Ridge coach Michael Zdebski applauded his team’s competitiveness tonight and in recent weeks as their last two games were lost by an average of four points. 

“They work hard every day and they’re a joy to be around,” Zdebski said. “I told them, ‘at some point, something’s got to go your way as long as you’re persistent in what you do.’”

Edwards said the offense has been gaining an understanding of what they need to do. He said the Stallions are close to earning their first win of the season. 

"We’re as close as you can be,” Edwards said. 

Shadow Ridge will host Boulder Creek (3-5, 3-0) next Friday at 7 p.m.

Mountain Ridge will host 5A playoff contender Goldwater (6-2, 3-0) next Friday at 7 p.m.

Markos Tsegaye is a Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Shadow Ridge High School for AZPreps365.com