MARANA — Marana's dream season came to a close Wednesday night as the No. 2 Tigers fell 35-14 to No. 3 Hamilton in the 6A semifinals, a game that stayed tight until a late first-half turnover swung the momentum out of their hands.
For much of the opening half, Marana matched the defending champions play for play. But an interception deep in its own territory set up a Hamilton touchdown drive just before halftime, and the Tigers were never able to regain their early rhythm.
A string of short-field possessions, a quite a few trick plays, for the Huskies in the second half widened the gap beyond reach.
Even in defeat, Marana's offense flashed the pieces that powered its unbeaten run. Freshman quarterback Isabella Garcia threw for 245 yards, including a 55-yard touchdown to senior standout Malaysia Roebuck, and added a rushing score.
Roebuck closed her career wth 87 receiving yards, while senior Sadie Brown hauled in nine catches for 118 yards.
The loss doesn't diminish what the Tigers accomplished: a 17-1 season built on senior leadership and the emergence of a young freshman quarterback.
The future remains bright.
Garcia's rapid rise, paired with freshman Sophia Silverstein and sophomores Mazie Brown and Brooklyn Griffin, can turn Marana into one of the state's most compelling teams with a strong young core.
While the Tigers came up one win short of a title shot, their season signaled that Marana has firmly arrived on Arizona's flag football map, with even bigger goals ahead.
