The Nov. 29 2A football state championship game at Mountain Pointe High School in Ahwatukee was a contest between an elite program of the past and another of the present — and possibly the future.
No. 4 seed St. Johns entered the contest a three-time state champion from 1992 to 1994, and the program was looking to reclaim former glory after posting a 12-1 record in the regular season. The No. 2 seed Scottsdale Christian Academy represented the present, with the program looking for its third straight state championship.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementScottsdale Christian prevailed, 27-22, to make a threepeat and send a message to the rest of the conference it isn't going anywhere just yet.
St. Johns came close to pulling off a win, but its rally came up short on the final play of the game.
Scottsdale Christian players hold up the 2025 AIA 2A football championship trophy after defeating St. Johns on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025.Key plays
Following a two-yard touchdown run from senior Everett Salazar that gave Scottsdale Christian a 27-15 lead — its largest of the game — St. Johns responded by driving down the field in under three minutes and scoring on senior Sam Winters’ 23-yard touchdown reception from junior Kaden Waite. That cut the Scottsdale Christian lead to 27-22 with just 4:11 to play.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementScottsdale Christian was unable to extend its lead on its next drive and was forced to give the ball back to St. Johns, which drove down the field in under four minutes. St. Johns’ final bid to win the game came on a fourth and goal situation. Waite was unable to find an open receiver for a go-ahead score, sealing the win for the Eagles.
The Scottsdale Christian Eagles celebrate winning the 2A AIA state high school football championship on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025.Key players
Senior quarterback Sean Helgeson was named game MVP, while senior Everett Salazar backed him up with a solid game of his own.
In his final game for the Scottsdale Christian program, Salazar had three touchdowns, including a 1-yard run early in the second quarter that was the first of 27 unanswered points for his team, and a 9-yard rushing touchdown with 1:24 left in the third quarter that gave Scottsdale Christian its first lead of the game.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSt. Johns countered with the efforts of senior Sam Winters. The two-way player had a 68-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter that gave his team a 15-0 lead, its largest of the game. Winters was also the receiver responsible for putting a scare in the Scottsdale Christian sidelines following a touchdown reception late in the fourth quarter that cut the Eagles lead to 27-22.
Quote of the game
“We were in it from the very beginning and we never backed down the whole entire time, we absolutely didn’t. And we continued to play for each other, and love on each other, and the line did their job. The quarterback Sean [Helgeson], MVP, he played awesome, he really led the team.” - Scottsdale Christian senior Everett Salazar on his team’s mindset after they got down early.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Scottsdale Christian wins Arizona 2A high school football title
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