McQueen stuns Sloan Canyon for 4A football state title — PHOTOS
Sloan Canyon’s football team rolled through most of its competition this year, but faced a challenge against McQueen in Tuesday’s Class 4A state championship game at Allegiant Stadium.
The Pirates trailed 13-0 in the first quarter and surrendered a 20-13 lead in the fourth quarter, but had one last chance to keep their perfect season alive.
McQueen came up with a stop to seal the upset. Sloan Canyon’s pass on fourth-and-10 from the McQueen 26-yard line fell incomplete with under a minute left. The Pirates, the Southern Region champion, suffered their first loss in a 27-20 defeat to Northern champion McQueen, which won its seventh football state title and first since 2008.
“I’m proud of (my players),” Sloan Canyon’s second-year coach Nate Oishi said. “The outcome was out of their individual control, but they took it one play at a time and we played like that all season. They gave their full effort from the first game to the last game.”
Sloan Canyon (12-1) is in its third season as a football program. The Pirates were an independent last year.
“(The players) set the culture for this program,” said Oishi, whose staff is made up of his former UNLV football teammates. “They set the standard for the program. They made history for this program. I have nothing bad to say about my boys. They played hard all the way to that last snap.”
McQueen (11-2) trailed 20-13 to start the fourth quarter and punted the ball back to Sloan Canyon. The Pirates were called for roughing the kicker, however, giving the Lancers a first down. McQueen quarterback Ryder Tucker threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Alex Grush seven plays later to tie the game.
Sloan Canyon started its next drive near midfield, but quarterback Cade Hoshino was sacked on third-and-9 and McQueen got the ball back. The Lancers’ drive appeared to be over when they were penalized for holding on a fourth-and-1 at the Pirates’ 23-yard line, but Tucker threw an 18-yard completion to Brooks Porter to extend the drive.
Running back Nason Rodriguez scored from 15 yards out the next play to give McQueen the lead with 1:35 remaining. The Lancers held on the rest of the way.
“It’s validation for all the hard work and hours that these kids have poured into each other and bought into us as coaches,” McQueen coach Matthew Marner said. “We focus on being the best version of ourselves. We knew we were the more physical team today. They have great athletes and they’re undefeated for a reason, but we’re here for a reason too.”
Hoshino completed 21 of his 34 passes for 272 yards and three touchdowns but was intercepted three times. He threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Christian Rhodes early in the second quarter to get Sloan Canyon on the board, after McQueen raced out to a 13-0 lead by scoring touchdowns its first two drives.
Hoshino then connected with wide receiver Brandon Quaglio for a 16-yard score with 22 seconds left before halftime to tie the game. He threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Justice Hutchins on the first drive of the second half to put the Pirates up 20-13, but the team couldn’t capitalize on any of its final chances.
“The message was to hold their head up high,” Oishi said. “They competed every practice, proud of their effort. We were region champions and we can hold our head up on that. We fought to the end and that’s all you can ask for as a coach.”
Rodriguez ran for 141 yards and two touchdowns for McQueen, including a 12-yard rushing score in the first quarter. Tucker threw for 217 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. His 11-yard touchdown pass to Porter in the first quarter gave the Lancers a 13-0 lead.
“These kids are battle-tested,” Marner said. “We’ve played overtime games. We played (the 4A Northern Region title game) that came down to a stop at the end. We weren’t afraid of playing 48 minutes and beyond if we had to.”
Sloan Canyon running back Jermaine Wilson Jr. rushed for 98 yards. Quaglio had five catches for 91 yards and Rhodes had 123 receiving yards on seven catches. Simote Tupou recorded two sacks on defense for the Pirates.
Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.
