Pusch Ridge wide receiver Ben Walker endured his share of pain the last 48 hours after injuring his back making a catch in practice earlier in the week.

Walker was able to cover up that physical anguish with a clutch reception Friday night with 2:16 left in the game that sealed a 30-21 victory for the Lions over host San Tan Foothills in the Division V game that likely will adorn Pusch Ridge with the section title come the end of the month.

Pusch Ridge improved to 5-1 overall and sent San Tan Foothills to its first loss of the season. Easily the two best teams in Section VI of D-5, Pusch Ridge now has the edge the rest of the way over San Tan Foothills in the battle for the section title and automatic berth at state. it was a team effort for Pusch Ridge in the second half as they shut out San Tan Foothills the final 24 minutes. Pusch Ridge trailed at halftime, 21-14.

Walker, a 6-foot-4, 195-pound wide out, struggled to one catch for five yards in the first half. San Tan Foothills was well aware of Walker's prowess and paid plenty of attention to him throughout the game. But Walker came up with four second-half receptions for 69 yards. Two of the three netted Pusch Ridge first downs in the fourth period. The final catch was meant to move the chains and keep San Tan Foothills from a final possession that might allow the host Sabercats a chance for a late win.

Walker did better than that. He snared a high throw from quarterback Cody Cropp, escpaped a tackle and turned the reception into a 46-yard score and game clincher. The TD pass was the second of the night for Cropp, who flipped a swing pass to Taylor Fitzgerald for a 34-yard score in the second period.

"In practice on Wednesday  I went up for a catch and came down wrong," Walker said. "I felt pain in my back and my (right) leg went numb. I was a in a lot of pain. When I got up (Thursday) it felt better. My mom is a chiropractor, and she helped me the last couple days."

Walker enjoyed a huge game last year in Pusch Ridge's 42-12 win over San Tan Foothills. In that game he caught seven passes for 131 yards and three TDs. His five catches for 79 yards this time would have to suffice.

"That play was one that will get you fired or makes you look like a hero," Pusch Ridge coach Troy Cropp said. "San Tan has a great team, and a great staff. We knew this was going to be a dogfight."

Walker's catch wasn't the only big one in the final period for Pusch Ridge. Trailing 21-17 in the first couple minutes of the final quarer, running back Tyler Overstreet managed to snare a pass in tight coverage from Cropp on a third-and-9 from the San Tan Foothills 25. The catche netted Pusch Ridge a first-and-goal at the one and Overstreet punched it in for a 24-21 lead with 10:30 left. It was Overstreet's second TD of the night. His first came on the Lions' first play from scrimmage -- a 71-yard run. Overstreet finished with 143 yards in 11 carries.

Pusch Ridge's defense came through in the second half using a pair of takeaways in the fourth quarter to keep San Tan Foothills off the scoreboard. Senior linebacker Mitch Reilly intercepted a pass inside the red zone with 8:20 left that thwarted a potential go-ahead score by San Tan Foothills. San Tan Foothills got the ball back again and was at midfield  with less than three minutes to play. Pusch Ridge was able to strip quarterback Malik Wolf of the ball and the Lions recovered.  That miscue set up the Walker TD three plays later.

San Tan Foothills didn't have the success running the ball it had prior to Friday. Senior running back Ricky Wilson was limited to 73 yards on 16 attempts, but did scored twice on short runs. It was the first time Wilson had failed to rush for 100 yards or more this season. Wolf completed 6-of-11 passes in the first half for 156 yards. One of those completions was good fof 68 yards and a TD to Garett Baer. Wolf was just 1-of-6 for 33 yards in the second half.