They couldn’t close the deal. Phoenix Pinnacle (1-1) took a first-half lead over No. 3 Avondale Westview and led until senior running back R.J. Robinson scored on a 24-yard run with 3:21 left Friday to give Westview the go-ahead score in a 16-10 Knights win at Pinnacle High School.

SLIDESHOW: Friday night high school football

The Pioneers stuffed the Knights on a fourth-down play late in the first half and got a 37-yard field goal from junior Alex Zemezonak for a 10-7 advantage.

Twice in the second half, Pinnacle moved the ball into Westview territory but couldn’t score.

In the fourth quarter, the Pioneers got to the Westview 8, but after an incomplete pass and a five-yard penalty, Zemezonak missed a 31-yard field goal.

The Knights, last year’s Class 5A-II runner-up, followed with an 11-play, 80-yard drive culminating in Robinson’s touchdown.

“We were pounding it and it was shoestring, shoestring, shoestring tackles,” said Westview coach Jeff Bowen. “R.J. broke loose in the end and it was a great effort on his part.”

Westview finally broke through the Pioneer defense, which had made the big plays most of the night.

Along with the first-half fourth-down stuff, Pinnacle negated two second-half drives with big plays. The Pioneer secondary stopped tight end Eric Ramsey one yard shy of a new set of plays on fourth down at the Pinnacle 20.

The next Westview series ended with an interception from senior Tyler Gallant.

“We know we have a good defense,” said Pinnacle coach Dana Zupke. “We’re young on offense and I think we gave them one too many opportunities. Our offense did a good job moving the ball, but we have to get that touchdown at the end.”

Pinnacle got the ball back at its 20, but a bad center snap sailed over an unexpecting Alex Cappelini. The junior quarterback recovered the ball on the Pioneer 4. Three plays later, Pinnacle elected to take a safety.

Robinson closed the game with a 21-yard burst that gave his team a game-clinching first down. He finished with 78 rushing yards on nine carries.

Cappelini was sharp most of the night, completing 12-of-21 for 152 yards.