High school football overtime games don't get any shorter than the one Perry and Desert Vista played on Friday night to open their 2016 season.

Kenny Fultz broke a couple tackles on the way to 10-yard scoring run to complete the first overtime and give Perry a 30-24 victory over Desert Vista in a 6A contest at John Wrenn Stadium.

"This was the first overtime game in Perry history," Perry coach Preston Jones said. "We liked the way it turned out." As a matter of record, it turned out it was actually Perry's second overtime game in its history. The Pumas lost to Queen Creek on the road in 2011. It was their first overtime game in front of the home folks and came with the desired ending.

Fultz, who played a larger role on offense in the second half, tallied the play after Desert Vista fumbled on the first snap of the extra period. The fumble was recovered by the Pumas. Two plays in a prep overtime is the minimum to determine a winner.

In winning the first ever meeting between the schools at the varsity level, Perry snapped a seven-game losiing streak dating back to last year. The Pumas did it with sophomore quarterback -- D'Shayne James -- getting the start for recovering starter Brock Purdy. Purdy, a junior, is bouncing back from a bout with mono and could return next week. Both James and Purdy figure to get time behind center going forward.

The end of the losing streak didn't look promising for Perry with 7:20 left in the third period. Desert Vista had just extended its lead to 21-10 on the second of consecutive drives that ended in short touchdown passes from Thunder quarterback Nick Thomas to slotback Keishaud White. Desert Vista scored with six seconds left before halftime for a 14-10 lead. That came after Perry opted to go for a fourth-and-one at its 30.

"I didn't have second thoughts," Jones said. "The defense said they could hold them if we didn't make it. They almost did. But they did get the lead.'

Perry's didn't flinch at its largest deficit of the game. The Pumas responded with 9-play, 52-yard drive -- mostly on the ground. That was unlke the opening half when Perry rushed for only 37 yards. They ran for 38 on this one  with with Fultz and senior running back Clayson Conrad doing the damage. Conrad's 13-yard TD run pulled Perry within 21-16.

Desert Vista notched a field goal on its next possession -- a 26-yarder from Riley Erickson to make it 24-16 on the opening play of the fourth quarter. Thomas, who had an outstanding game running and scrambling keyed the drive with a 22-yard completion and four rushes for 40 yards. Thomas finished the evening with 116 yards on 18 rushes -- most of it in the second half. Thomas passed for 130 yards (16-of-28).

Perry answered that score again with an 80-yard drive that took just three minutes. A 49-yard hookup from D'Shayne James to Fultz was the impetus. D'Shayne James, who threw a 45-yard TD pass in the first period to older brother and senior Nate James (the prettiest play of the game with the throw and moves by Nate after the catch), tallied on a 2-yard run. That pushed Jones to go for two and the tie with 8:57 left. The Pumas converted on a well-executed pass from wide out Colby Dickie, who took a handoff from D'Shayne James and flippedi it back to D'Shayne James for the conversion and a 24-24 tie.

D'Shayne James finished 10-of-22 for 177 yards. He added another 48 yards rushing, most of it in the first half.

Desert Vista had a good opportunity to get the winning score in the final 5 minutes.. A 24-yard punt return by White set the Thunder up at the Perry 26. A problem with the snap on first down -- similar to the opening play of overtime -- resulted in a fumble and Perry recovered. Neither team threatened after that and Perry ran out the clock on its final possession to bring on overtime.

The beginning of the game wasn't promising for Perry. The Pumas fumbled a handoff on the opening play from scrimmage and it was grabbed in midair by Thunder lineman James Stagg at Perry's 12-yard line. Three plays later Thomas scored on a 1-yard run for the first points with only 57 seconds elapsed.

The first play of Perry's next series the snap from center was bad and resulted in a 16-yard loss. Perry took care of the ball the rest of the night.