PHOENIX — Up by eight with 69 seconds to go against the number one team in the country, Arizona's own Kelee Ringo took center stage. The 5-star recruit out of Saguaro High School snatched a pick-six out of the sky, helping his Georgia Bulldogs win the national championship, while his former Sabercats coach, Jason Mohns, watched from a hotel room in Texas, where he was attending a coaches convention.
Coach Mohns described the moment to ABC15's Fay Fredricks. "When Kelee made that play, I jumped out of bed. I was screaming and it's funny, I thought they might call security on me, but it was just an unbelievable experience."
Ringo played for Coach Mohns for three years, after moving to Arizona to be closer to his mom, who was a flight attendant. Tall, strong, and lightning-fast, the former track champ immediately caught the eye of the Saguaro High coaching staff.
"We took one look at him and said, this is a big-time player," says Mohns.
But they did make one change to his game, moving Ringo from running back to cornerback.
Ringo's story is not without its struggles. A shoulder injury sidelined him during his first season at Georgia. The tougher battle involved his mother, Tralee Hale. A breast cancer diagnosis in 2020 prompted an online fundraising effort that has raised more than $50,000. She's now in the final stages of treatment and incredibly proud of her superstar son.