Things are starting to come together at the right time for Phoenix Mountain Pointe's football team after a 1-3 start.
The Pride is coming off what coach Jon Roberts described as one of the biggest wins in his life, beating 5A preseason favorite Goodyear Desert Edge. It came after losing to top-ranked (5A) Scottsdale Desert Mountain, 54-0.
Now, as it heads into the second half of the season, the Pride has several transfers now eligible who should impact the rest of the season.
They get bigger and stronger on the offensive line and will add a key receiver and another quarterback, all of whom should help.
Christian Normandin, a transfer from Surprise Shadow Ridge, will get worked into games at quarterback.
But head coach Jon Roberts likes the way his
offense has been running, especially with 6-foot-4, 200-pound athlete Chris McCorkle running RPO plays out of the wildcat. McCorkle ran 11 times for 192 yards and a touchdown against Desert Edge.
"I didn't know he was that fast," Roberts said. "He ran away from those Desert Edge kids and they've got a fast defense."
In the losses to Phoenix Desert Vista and Glendale Mountain Ridge, Roberts said he sat about eight starters for part of the games due to violating team rules.
"It's got to be bigger than football," said Roberts, in his second year leading Mountain Pointe. "You want them to go to college. If you don't help develop that character, they're not going to be prepared for that grind. It is a business now. I want them to have an opportunity."
The players are rejuvenated from the 34-27 win over Desert Edge. It ended a three-game losing streak.
"It all came together," Roberts said.
Receiver/defensive back LeGarrette Blount Jr., who caught two touchdown passes against Desert Edge, said that win can lead to great things for the rest of the season.
"It brings extra intensity to practice," Blount said. "It brings us to an edge that we have right now. We want to bring that defense to the next game."
Mountain Pointe faces another good 5A team in Chandler Arizona College Prep (4-1) on Thursday, Oct. 1.
Quarterback Kristian Escobedo, who completed 9 of 12 passes for 130 yards and three TDs against Desert Edge, said it's important not to get overconfident.
"We're not making the next game too big," Escobedo said. "It's just another game. Last week is last week. We're going to go into this to fight and compete and hopefully come out with a win."
Running back Jamier McKinney is coming off one of his best games, rushing for 110 yards and a touchdown on just 12 carries agaisnt Desert Edge. He's been averaging more than 100 rushing yards a game for the Pride.
"It definitely opened up a few doors," McKinney said of the Desert Edge win. "Now we know how good we can be. We want to go 1-0 every week and go to state."
Richard Obert has been covering high school sports since the 1980s for The Arizona Republic. He also covers Grand Canyon University athletics and the Arizona Rattlers. Please sign up for Azcentral Preps Now newsletter. To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter:@azc_obert
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Mountain Pointe football energized by upset win, transfers
