SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — A dream season has come to an epic conclusion for the Hayden Lobos as they completed an undefeated run by winning their second straight 1A (eight-man) high school football state championship by defeating Bagdad 56-34 on Saturday night at Coronado High School in Scottsdale.
The Lobos came into this season with extremely high expectations after ending Mogollon's three-year run atop 1A last year and immediately showed they were up to the task, opening the season with a 66-8 win over Superior on Aug. 23.
That was followed by a statement win over Mogollon, 50-20, and a 30-20 win over Bagdad in what would turn out to be a preview of the 2024 state championship game.
The Lobos would go on to run the table in the regular season, finishing 9-0 and claiming 1A East region championship.
Those nine victories showed the Lobos were serious about repeating as state champs, as they won the games by an average of 48.67 points per game, never giving up more than 20 points and finishing with three shutouts.
After the regular season, the Lobos were given the No. 1 seed in the 1A playoffs, which earned them a bye to the quarterfinals, where they eliminated No. 8 Desert Christian, who was playing their first football season, 77-6.
Hayden then defeated No. 4 St. David, 53-6, to earn a return trip to the 1A state championship and a rematch with Bagdad.
The Lobos fell down early, as Bagdad took a 14-8 lead into the second quarter, but then turned on the jets and had a 16-point lead, 36-20, heading into halftime and never looked back as they won back-to-back state championships.
This is Hayden's third state championship in football, as the Lobos also won a Division B state championship in 1972.
Here's a look at the final 1A bracket.
Here's a look at every 1A state champion since the conference was re-named in 1989.
- 1989: Williams/Scottsdale Christian (Tie)
- 1990: Seligman
- 1991: Patagonia/Fredonia (Tie)
- 1992: Arizona Lutheran
- 1993: Williams
- 1994: Mogollon/Mayer (Tie)
- 1995: Fredonia
- 1996: Northwest Community Christian
- 1997: St. David
- 1998: St. David
- 1999: Joseph City
- 2000: St. David
- 2001: St. David
- 2002: Joseph City
- 2003: Mogollon
- 2004: Pima
- 2005: Pima
- 2006: Mayer
- 2007: Valley Union
- 2008: Mogollon
- 2009: Joseph City
- 2010: Joseph City
- 2011: Joseph City
- 2012: Joy Christian
- 2013: Bagdad
- 2014: Mogollon
- 2015: Pima
- 2016: Bagdad
- 2017: Williams
- 2018: Superior
- 2019: Williams
- 2020: Mogollon
- 2021: Mogollon
- 2022: Mogollon
- 2023: Hayden
- 2024: Hayden
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