Mountain Pointe makes point, scores 66 in Sollenberger Classic victory

LAS VEGAS — Mountain Pointe (Phoenix, Ariz.) football coach Norris Vaughan tells it straight. No holding back. No coach speak.

He thought his state 2013 champion Pride could have beat anyone in the country last year, even mythical national champion Booker T. Washington (Miami, Fla.) or California Open champion and third-ranked St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)

Anyone.

"By the end of the year, I would have put us up against anyone," he said of his 14-0 team that finished No. 7 in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 national rankings. "We were that good."

So when the Pride opened un-ranked to start 2014 and at No. 152 in the MaxPreps computer rankings, Vaughan was more than a little perplexed.

"That doesn't seem quite right," he said more than once before his team's season opener against defending Nevada state champion Reed in the second game of the Sollenberger Classic at Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.).

Mountain Pointe said it wasn't making a point, but the Pride sure passed the Top 25 eye test with a 66-13 victory Saturday night behind three touchdowns from speedster Paul Lucas.

Lucas opened the scoring with a 47-yard touchdown catch and run, a 55-yard run and an 83-yard kickoff return. The 5-foot-11, 168-pound senior is one of the fastest track and field sprinters in the country.

"Paul Lucas was pretty sensational tonight," Vaughan said.

The rest of the Pride weren't too shabby either. They scored about every way imaginable, including a 50-yard field goal by John Abercrombie.

They also had 45-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Ke'Shawn Churchwell, two short touchdowns runs by Tyrek Cross, a 14-yard scoring toss from impressive first-year starting quarterback Garvin Alston to JaQunn Gipson, a 23-yard TD run by Brandyn Leonard and a 66-yard touchdown scamper from reserve Robert McCallum.

"We can do it all again," Vaughan said. "We just have to get confidence, rather, they have to get me to trust in them still. We took a lot of steps in that direction tonight."

The Pride had a 45-0 lead by midway in the third quarter, prompting a running mercy clock. Backup Reed quarterback Matt Denn stopped that immediately with a 46-yard touchdown scamper, but then Lucas gave Mountain Pointe back a 52-6 advantage with his 83-yard kickoff return.

"I don't think we were worried about making a statement out here," Lucas said. "We still got a lot of work to do. This was a good start, but we have to work hard week by week."

Lucas finished with six carries for 86 yards, Leonard added 70 yards on 10 carries and the Pride finished with 411 total yards. Alston, a 6-foot-3, 175-pound southpaw, finished 7 of 11 for 139 yards.

"He might be a Division I college quarterback," Vaughan said. "He's long and athletic. We'll turn him loose soon enough once I have a little more faith in our wide receivers."

With both Sollenberger games drawing running clocks, the natural question on everyone's mind was why didn't officials schedule the two defending state champions, Gorman and Mountain Pointe, against each other.

Vaughan wondered the same thing, but wasn't lobbying for it. Asked if he wished he had played Gorman, ranked No. 13 by MaxPreps and No. 1 by USA Today, on Saturday, Vaughan said.

"I don't want to say that," he said. "I'm not going to disrespect Reed like that. Maybe they had an off night, I don't know."

Later, he admitted, he expected Mountain Pointe and Gorman to rematch after last season when the Pride shocked the home team 28-21. That win seemed to propel Mountain Pointe into its historic season.

"I would have loved to play Gorman and I know Tony (head Gorman coach Sanchez) wanted to play us," Vaughan said. "I think we both thought that was going to happen, with us both being state champions. But I don't make those decisions. We just play who we play."