The Green Machine made a stop in Scottsdale Saturday to pick up another victory before heading to its final football destination.

All that’s left to haul for the green-clad Thatcher Eagles is a championship trophy to complete a rare 2A Conference three-peat.

In Friday’s final at Campo Verde, the program will get its chance to do so when it meets the only program that’s defeated Thatcher since mid October of 2016, Black Region mate Round Valley. But Thatcher already beat Round Valley 42-3 this season.

On Saturday at Chaparral, Thatcher took care of Phoenix Christian, 35-7, aided by five Phoenix Christian turnovers.

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“We know the process,” said first-year head coach Ramon Morales, who served on the staffs of seven of Thatcher’s eight championship teams. “We’ve been through the process. We are trying to keep our kids grounded. We know it’s been a goal (three-peat) since last season in the spring.”

At the start of Saturday’s game, its was Morales’ team that had trouble keeping the ball.

Phoenix Christian recorded its nation-leading 31st interception during the first drive of Thatcher, who proceeded to fumble on its next drive.

The second turnover resulted in Malik Taylor’s 33rd rushing touchdown of the season. In his previous five games, Taylor rushed for 1,220 yards and 20 touchdowns.

But for the third postseason in a row Thatcher kept Taylor (85 rushing yards on 25 carries) in check. After Taylor’s touchdown, a long kickoff return by Riley Morris helped set up Treven Clark’s second quarter, 11 yard touchdown.

Thatcher (13-0) then began to take over, with Phoenix Christian assisting. Thatcher went into halftime with a 21-7 lead after a muffed punt and Ben Shumway blocked punt led to touchdowns.

One of the bright spots for Phoenix Christian (10-3) was Man-Man Freeman’s running between tackles. The junior needed just 11 carries to rush for 126 yards.

For Thatcher, quarterback Jack Kortsen was one of its two-way stars Saturday. The senior had two interceptions and rushed for a team-high 167 yards.

Kortsen also rushed for two touchdowns in which he rolled out to his right with two backs leading the way. The designed play led to a 51-yard keeper that pretty much sealed the game in the fourth quarter.

“Our defense is a great lock-down D,” Kortsen said. “Phoenix Christian was a good team, but we stayed disciplined, and it worked out good. Our linemen are great.”

Winning three in a row is something only one other program, St. Johns, has accomplished in 2A.

The coach of Thatcher’s championship opponent, Round Valley’s Marcus Bell, played on that St. Johns team that three-peated from 1992-94.

Thatcher wouldn’t mind etching its name into the record books next.

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