GameNight Breakdown: Lahr leads Pride in win

After waiting four years for his first start as a varsity quarterback, Austin Lahr made his debut for the Mountain Pointe football team without a hiccup.

Well, he did throw up before the game, but that's probably to be expected in a season opener.

"Yeah, I threw up a little," the Mountain Pointe senior said after the Pride beat Cesar Chavez in Laveen, 24-19 in the football season opener Friday night.

"But our guys were great. I've never seen our guys this excited," Lahr added. "Once we got in the locker room everyone loosened up and we were ready. We went down and scored on our first two drives, that's how excited we were."

• Click here for a photo slideshow of Mountain Pointe's win

Lahr had played sparingly in three games last season and threw only two passes.

Against Chavez he competed 6-of-12 passes for 47 yards. He also ran for another 44 yards in nine carries.

The Pride had another secret weapon in junior back De'Andre Currie who ran for 231 yards and scored all three of Mountain Pointe's touchdowns running behind Lahr.

Currie spent most of last season in the junior varsity and didn't have an opportunity to work with Lahr.

"We got to know each other a little bit during the summer," Lahr added, "with practices at 6 in the morning and then in the heat this fall. De'Andre did a great job. He stepped into that hole like he's supposed to and took it into the end zone."

The Pride offensive line gave Lahr time and opened holes for Currie.

"These guys opened holes the whole game," Currie said. "You can't help but score when these guys open holes for 20 yards."

Currie is a 5-foot-6, 150-pound running back who can disappear from defenders.

"He's not very tall, but he's very strong in the weight room," Mountain Pointe coach Phil Abbadessa said, "and he uses that to his advantage because when he gets behind that lineman you can't find him."

Mountain Pointe took control early in the game and built momentum that carried through the first half.

"The kids played hard for each other and it was great competition," Mountain Pointe coach Phil Abbadessa said.

Lahr was going to be the starter ever since last summer.

"Austin is a great leader and it's good to see something good happen to a fine young man like that," Abbadessa said. "This was his first high school start. The kid persevered through three years of high school football now he's a starter in his senior year and he wins his first game. He's very positive."