Pinnacle Stuns Defending Champions Basha With Dominate 40-7 Victory

By: Chase Slisky

The Pioneers turned takeaways, defensive touchdowns, and a poised emergency quarterback performance into one of Arizona’s biggest early season surprises

   Pinnacle delivered the statement result of the young Arizona high school football season Friday night, overwhelming defending Open Division champion Basha 40-7 at Pinnacle High School.

   The Pioneers forced four documented turnovers, scored twice on defense, and controlled the game despite producing only 205 yards of offense. The victory moved Pinnacle to 2-1 and dropped Basha to 1-2 after consecutive losses.

   Pinnacle coach Dana Zupke praised the response after his team’s 26-15 loss to Mountain View one week earlier.

   “Proud of how our guys bounced back after a tough loss the week before,” Zupke said. Zupke is Pinnacle’s head coach.

Lowe answers the call

   Pinnacle entered the game with injuries affecting its quarterback room, leaving senior Braxton Lowe to direct the offense against a Basha roster loaded with college prospects.

Lowe had not played quarterback in a game since early in the 2025 season, according to Zupke. He responded by completing 11 of 20 passes for 105 yards. He also rushed 10 times for 21 yards and a touchdown.

   Zupke described Lowe as a “tough young man” while discussing the senior’s unexpected return to the position. Zupke is Pinnacle’s head coach.

   Lowe spread his 11 completions among six receivers. Senior Kaleb Berto led Pinnacle with three catches for 41 yards, including a 32 yard reception. Junior Terik Slaughter added two catches for 23 yards.

   Afterward, Lowe put the emphasis on the collective effort.

   “Great team win vs Basha last night. Hard fought win with my brothers 40-7,” Lowe wrote. Lowe is a Pinnacle senior quarterback and defensive back.

Blaylock keeps the offense moving

   Senior running back Matt Blaylock handled the largest share of Pinnacle’s rushing work. He carried 18 times for 66 yards and scored two touchdowns.

   Those numbers were not explosive, but they were valuable. Pinnacle needed an offense that protected the football, accepted modest gains, and converted the opportunities created by its defense.

   The Pioneers finished with 100 rushing yards on 36 attempts. Their longest run gained 14 yards, a figure that underscored how much of the scoring margin came from field position, takeaways, and defensive production rather than a collection of long offensive plays.

Blaylock also caught three passes for 19 yards, giving him a team leading 85 yards from scrimmage.

Mitchell reads it and runs

   Junior defensive back Ashton Mitchell supplied the defining play with a 20 yard interception return for a touchdown.

Mitchell recognized the situation, followed the quarterback’s movement, and attacked the throw instead of waiting for the ball to reach its intended target.

   “It was third and long. We knew they had to pass it. I saw him roll out to the right, rolled with him, and watched his eyes. I saw it in the air, knew I had to go get it, and then just cribbed it,” Mitchell said. Mitchell is a junior defensive back for Pinnacle.

   The return reflected how Pinnacle played throughout the night. The Pioneers anticipated Basha’s intentions, closed quickly, and turned defensive opportunities into points.

Defense changes the game

   Pinnacle recorded four sacks, recovered three fumbles, and intercepted one pass. Mitchell scored on his interception return, while senior Kaiden Conner reached the end zone following a fumble recovery.

   Junior Ian Fullmer led the pass rush with two and a half sacks and three and a half tackles for loss. Senior Aiden Ramos added a sack, while senior Kale Higley contributed half a sack.

Senior Kash Silva recorded 11 total tackles, including one and a half tackles for loss. Fullmer and senior Cole Nickell each finished with seven tackles.

   The defensive performance carried added weight because Basha entered the season as a leading Open Division contender. The Bears defeated Chandler in their opener before losing to Orange Lutheran and Pinnacle in consecutive weeks.

   “Defense wins games,” Pinnacle senior cornerback Xavier Thomas wrote after the victory.

   Pinnacle’s official football account celebrated the result with a direct message to its community.

   “Our Pinnacle Pioneers with the 40-7 win over visiting Basha Bears,” the program wrote. The account is Pinnacle football’s official team account.

More than an upset

   Basha entered the week ranked third in The Arizona Republic’s 6A rankings and had been identified as a preseason Open Division favorite. Pinnacle entered outside that publication’s ranked group after its loss to Mountain View.

   The result reversed those expectations in emphatic fashion.

   Pinnacle did not need a large offensive yardage total because its defense repeatedly shortened the field or scored without the offense. The Pioneers also held Basha to its lowest point total since a 35-7 loss to Liberty during the 2022 season.

   That 2022 Basha team recovered from the defeat and eventually won the Open Division championship, so one September result does not decide the postseason. It does, however, change how the rest of Arizona must evaluate Pinnacle.

What it means

   Pinnacle now owns a valuable victory over the defending Open Division champion and has demonstrated that it can win through defense, special teams, and situational offense.

   The Pioneers are 2-1 with two straight games against Queen Creek and Saguaro ahead. Their ability to produce pressure and takeaways gives them a reliable identity while the quarterback situation develops.

   For Basha, the loss creates immediate urgency. The Bears are 1-2 and face unbeaten Liberty next. Their path back into the Open Division conversation will require a quick response against another highly regarded 6A opponent.

Up next

   Pinnacle travels to Queen Creek for a 7 p.m. game Friday, September 18. Queen Creek enters at 1-2 following a 49-7 loss to Brophy College Prep.

   Basha returns home to face Liberty at 7 p.m. Friday, September 18. Liberty is 3-0 after defeating Highland 41-7.