Superior celebrated at Maricopa High after winning, but the real party likely will begin when it returns to its field and sets up a bounce house.

To motivate themselves after losing last year’s 1A Conference title, Superior’s returning players pledged to place a bounce house on its 50-yard line if they won the big prize this year.

Boys will be boys.

Superior was jumping with joy Saturday after winning its first ever Arizona Interscholastic Association football championship. But Hayden, the team Superior defeated 70-20 and participated in its first football title game in 30 years, also deserves praise.

After receiving their runner-up trophy, Hayden’s players made it a point to stay on the field and congratulate Superior during its trophy presentation.

It’s believed that Superior High opened its doors in the 1920s and had only one football title, a mythical state championship won 64 years ago, to show for.

“It’s been my passion, giving back to these kids,” Superior coach Ryan Palmer said. “To see them accomplish their goal, I just couldn’t be any prouder. It means the world to me.”

Palmer deserves a lot of credit for what his team accomplished Saturday.

He took over in 2008, a season after Superior cancelled its football season for lack of participation. The 11-year rebuilding project culminated at Maricopa High with a well-deserved Gatorade shower with a couple of minutes remaining in the title game.

Palmer didn’t doubt his program would eventually win the big one even during the three semifinal runs the past three seasons.

“We trust the process, and we work hard,” Palmer said. “There’s been a lot of alumni who set the foundation.

“Even though this our first state championship in 64 years, these kids saw it modeled, and they took it to the next step. Really, a lot of this goes to the kids that came before them.”

The coach leaned on a strong senior class to take Superior far this season.

(Superior's seniors capped their careers as champions.)

The ring leader, quarterback Steven Ybarra, is as tough as they come.

The two-way standout lost his mom in a car accident days before his first birthday. 

“This whole week I’ve been praying to my mom, and praying to God to give me the best game of my life,” Ybarra said. “And they made it happen.”

Superior, the No. 2 seed, was the heavy favorite and played like it, scoring on its opening drive, highlighted by a long Ybarra pass to Jesus Castellanos over the middle.

But Hayden (8-4) quarterback Arthur Castillo didn’t run like an underdog when he sprinted 73 yards to the end zone on his team’s first drive. Just like that, Castillo had six points, the total amount Hayden scored in its first meeting against Superior in the regular season.

But 11-0 Superior was in no mood for a competitive game. It scored at will and was up 58-12 by halftime.

(Hayden participated in its first title game in the past 30 years.)

“I’m proud of my kids,” said Hayden coach John Estrada, who also reconstructed his program into a contender since taking over in 2015. “We’ve come a long way. Superior is an elite team. They are tougher than heck and senior loaded. Their quarterback is a stud and hard to stop.”