Last year Tempe Marcos de Niza and Mesa Desert Ridge lost a combined 13 of their last 14 games.

On Friday, the two teams met as the powerhouses of the 5A-II Pima Region and the Padres turned two fourth-quarter interceptions into a 55-39 shootout victory for the region’s No. 2 spot going into next week’s state playoffs.

“The kids have worked so hard all year,” Marcos coach Roy Lopez said. “This is what we played for. We had that one letdown in the middle of the season (a 13-9 loss to Scottsdale Horizon) but I feel like we have the momentum going into the playoffs.”

The Padres (9-1, 3-1) led 41-39 going into the fourth quarter after both teams had each scored three touchdowns in the third. Anthony Rose picked off Josh Cain on the third play of the quarter to begin a nine-play scoring drive that burned almost six minutes off the clock before David Viel connected with Harrison Evens from the 10 for a 48-39 lead.

Evens then picked off Cain on Desert Ridge’s next play and two plays later sophomore Damon Abreu raced 35 yards for the 55-39 final margin.

Desert Ridge (6-4, 2-2) had taken two leads in the game, both on touchdown catches by Carl Curtis, the first on a halfback pass from Chris Heldore and the second a 15-yarder from Cain. But the Padres turned four interceptions into touchdowns including one that Donavan Henley returned 45 yards for a score.

“What can I say,” Desert Ridge coach Jeremy Hathcock said. “I have to give it Marcos de Niza. It’s the second-best team in the state and they did a great job.”

Both teams had struggled last year, Marcos in the tough 5A Central and the Jaguars in the Fiesta, playing mostly 5A-I competition.

“Roy and I were talking about how pleased we are about how tough our conference is,” Hathcock said.

Marcos opened the game with two scores from Donald Richardson, the first coming on a 36-yard run and the second on a 10-yard pass from Viel. He added a 52-yarder in the third quarter and finished with 147 yards on nine carries.

“It’s great to be on a team like this,” the senior said. “Everyone’s playing together.”

The Padres tied the game with 55 seconds left in the first half.

Richardson opened the drive with a 17-yard run, then Viel had a 20-yard keeper. But after two incomplete passes, Lopez moved Viel to receiver and he caught a fourth-down, 23-yard scoring pass from Mario Moreno, who had started at quarterback much of last season.