Despite the lead in the Snow Canyon Warriors against the Snow Canyon Warriors, the Crimson Cliff Mustangs are back for a 12-8 victory in the first game of Friday’s third Best 4A Championship Series.

Like many of the 4A Championships so far, the 9 events across the district are also a round-trip battle.

"Well, we know it's going to be a melee," said Mustang head coach Justin Abbott. "Those guys in the other canoes and coaching staff did a great job to make sure these guys were ready, but, you know, our guys only had a lot of battles.

"We're tenacious, you know, not much to give up. Our canoe is huge."

Snow Canyon scored its first game at the first bottom, but the Crimson Cliff answered immediately, scoring four runs over the next two innings to lead 4-1.

While the Broncos seemed to be in their favor, the Warriors responded with a junior inning.

Snow Canyon sent 11 batsmen to run seven runs to lead 8-4. In the process, it dispatched the crimson cliff start pitcher Madden Smith to participate in the shower.

Smith allowed seven runs, but junior Mason Anderson replaced him with a game he never played in the state playoffs.

After only one of his own money was allowed to make money, Anderson began to strike with the Warriors, and then it was up to the Broncos' offense to get the team back into the game.

After the fourth inning without a score, the Crimson Cliff gave some help with the help of a struggling Snow Canyon pitching, playing four games in the fifth inning to put the score 8-8.

After strikeouts started, McKay Wright doubles, walks and pitches hit the base. Two hitters, another free pass and Mason Burbidge's stud triple doubles scored.

On the mound, Anderson began to drop the batsman one by one. In the next three innings, the junior hit five innings, sending the game to the rest.

"I feel good when I come in. I'm always trying to do things I've never done before. I've never played state games in my life, so I just have to finish it," Anderson said.

With Anderson trading on the mound, the Mustangs took the eighth victory to secure the top hit of the victory. After the first three batsmen, the crimson cliff ran a runner around the corner, and a knockout stomped on Jason McArthur, who stood out in his last two set appearances.

However, the shortstop hit the right side of the infield this time, giving the Broncos a 9-8 lead.

"I got there and knew I had to do my job, so I used the two-strike method there," McArthur said of his GoAhead RBI.

“I knew PJ (Hancock) was going to throw some speed away and then he actually came to me with another fastball, so I just tried to hold my hand and drive through and finally got a workout.”

The crimson cliff added three more games to fame to make it a 12-8 advantage, while Anderson closed the Warriors at the bottom of the eighth inning to secure a first game victory.

“He’s a guy who just came in and was like, ‘I’m going to get the job done. Give me the ball. I want the ball,’ Abbott said of Anderson.

"You love people like that, you don't want to not shoot those guys. He did a job. Our guy supported him and he just kept showing up."

With Friday's results, the Broncos are now only one win away from their third state championship in four years. But even with a series of leading players, Abbott wants his team to be ready.

“I think our goal is to win (the first game),” Abbott said. “I think we have to take this approach, like the first game tomorrow is also an elimination game for us. I think if we take this approach, I think we’d think we’re going to fight.

"We've been through the battle test. We've been through a lot of clubs. We've done a great job and then we haven't finished some games yet, and you know, it's just proof of these guys and other staff coaches to make sure we're ready for these guys."

Game 2 of the state’s championship series will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Bruce Hurst Field. If Snow Canyon wins the first game of the day, then Game 3 will be played at 1:30 pm