“Flashy” is a word usually used to describe offenses, but it could fairly be used in conjunction with Phoenix Pinnacle’s defense Friday.

The Pioneers came up with five interceptions and four sacks against Glendale Ironwood, earning a 27-7 home victory in a 5A Division II first-round playoff game.

Ironwood’s second offensive snap set the tone for the night, as cornerback Tanner Thurston jumped a sideline route for an interception and raced 40 yards for Pinnacle touchdown. It was the first of many big plays by the Pioneer defensive backs.

“We’ve been leaning on our defense all year long, and we believe that’s what makes a team a champion,” Pinnacle coach Dana Zupke said. “We want to control the clock, and the ball.”

The third-seeded Pioneers (10-1) scored touchdowns on three consecutive possessions in the first half, following Thurston’s score with a 43-yard sprint by Daniel Ibanez and a 4-yard plunge by Conner Jeffries that made it 21-7 with eight minutes, three seconds remaining in the second quarter.

No. 14 seed Ironwood (6-5) was competitive at the line of scrimmage throughout the game, but struggled to generate big gains on offense. Its longest offensive play was a 37-yard run by Bobby Hodge on a fake punt. That set up the Eagles’ only touchdown, a 1-yard run by Hodge with 11:26 to go in the second quarter.

Every other time the Eagles threatened, the Pioneer defense answered, with plays like Austin Desenberg’s end-zone interception midway through the second, Jordan Soteros’ pick of a deep ball with 0:23 left before the half, or a sack-sack-interception series late in the fourth quarter.

Pinnacle only had one drive of more than four plays in the second half, but that one went 66 yards in 11 plays and ended with a 17-yard touchdown toss from Alex Cappellini to Alex Zemezonak with 6:13 remaining in the game.

Cappellini was 9 of 18 passing for 147 yards and was not intercepted or sacked. Jeffries ran 18 times for 73 yards, while Zemezonak caught four passes for 61 yards. Joe Distor had two sacks, Bobby Esposito and T.C. Mark each had a sack and Bryce Wawrzyniak had an interception on the game’s final play.

“They’re a good football team,” Ironwood coach Larry Allen said. “We didn’t play up to what we should have, but I don’t want to take anything away from Pinnacle.”

The Pioneers’ totals were limited by an Ironwood defensive line that excelled at both filling gaps and tackling. Senior linemen Philip De La Torre and Marshall Peugh led the way as the Eagles forced six Pinnacle punts.

Early in the game, Eagles quarterback Justin Butler repeatedly escaped Pinnacle’s pass rush by scrambling, but as the game progressed the Pioneers went to a more conservative pass rush. Butler then found himself with more time in the pocket — but few open receivers to target.

“What we’ve been trying to do all season is just keep at it and keep persisting,” Soteros said. “They ran a lot of slants, drags and deep routes, and we were able to keep good coverage.”

Ironwood was led by Hodge, who ran 16 times for 85 yards, had three catches for five yards and was 2 of 3 passing for 2 yards. Butler was 9 of 26 passing for 69 yards and five interceptions, but had four rushes of more than 10 yards.

Pinnacle moves on to a second-round date with No. 6 seed Scottsdale Desert Mountain, which was a last-second winner over Tucson Ironwood Ridge. Pinnacle defeated Desert Mountain in an Oct. 23 Desert Valley Region game, 27-17.