Thatcher picked the right time to avenge its regular season loss to Round Valley — in the 2A Conference state championship game.

Ten years after winning its last title, Thatcher will get to hang its seventh banner in its gymnasium thanks to its 33-28 Saturday victory over Round Valley at Chaparral High School in Scottsdale.

“We decided to weather the storm and just do what we do,” coach Hinton said. “No matter what happens, we just try to be us.”

With a minute left in the first half, Thatcher tried to tie the game but a missed extra point left it trailing 14-13.

After a halftime show in which Round Valley’s first football state championship team was honored, Thatcher opened the second half with a game-scoring drive.

But what happened next, when Round Valley punted during its next possession, led to Thatcher taking a 26-14 lead. The stadium’s fans erupted when Thatcher blocked a punt to set up its next touchdown.

Round Valley senior quarterback Kyron Woolf missed the state semifinals while recovering from an injury but played in the final. Round Valley’s potent offense, however, struggled to get into a rhythm at times.

The game turned into a physical battle with few penalties, as both teams did all they could to win.

“You know we really rode the horse that got us here,” Hinton said. “It was power football all the way just like we started the season.”

Hinton added that everyone helped win the game not just one person.

Thatcher senior Jake Dunlap was not only the quarterback but also played a big role on defense and special teams. He scored three touchdowns, had some big sacks throughout the game and also punted.

“I have confidence. Everyone has confidence,” Dunlap said. “Everyone plays as a team. We’re all tough kids.”

Round Valley took control early with a first quarter touchdown pass to senior receiver Rhett Bingham and kept the momentum in the start of the second quarter when Woolf ran for another touchdown.

But the offense didn’t score again until six minutes remained in the fourth quarter, when Bryson Brown hauled in a 30-yard touchdown pass. Sophomore Colter Hogle scored Round Valley’s final touchdown with 55 seconds left, but it was too littile to late.

It was a tough ending for previoulsy undefeated Round Valley, the 2A's No. 1 seed. Some of Round Valley’s players left the field in tears without a state championship headed back to Eager.