Big schools took center stage Thursday and Friday, with games that included some heavyweight matchups in their first week of competition and some amazing performances, shocking bounce-backs and early statements. Let’s wind back and look ahead in this breakdown of Week 2 of the Arizona high school football season.
What we learned
It’s going to be the most wide-open Open Division playoff since its 2019 inception. There is parity across the state. Top-ranked Peoria Liberty’s offense wasn’t anything like last season when it had home-run hitters all over the place. That team will need defense to win games. Peoria Centennial will be vulnerable — for at least the first half of the season — until its explosive transfers become eligible. Chandler Basha impressed under a new quarterback in a win over a top Nebraska team. Phoenix Brophy Prep needed a late touchdown grab by Larry Legend’s son, Devin Fitzgerald, to pull out a win at Gilbert Williams Field. And Gilbert Higley, the best team in 5A, showed that two quarterbacks are better than one in an eye-opening shutout of Gilbert Campo Verde.
Biggest takeaway
Millard South might be one of the best teams in Nebraska, if not the best, but its coach, Ty Wisdom, got to see first-hand in Basha’s 39-25 win over his Omaha team how much Arizona high school football has progressed since he left the state as a head coach three years ago.
Say hello to quarterback Brodie Vehrs, who had to wait his turn behind the electrifying Demond Williams Jr., who completed a brilliant four-year run at Basha. How’s this for a stat line for Vehrs in his first varsity start: 14 of 22 for 395 yards, five passing TDs and no interceptions. Vehrs had the luxury of lofting passes to one of the best receivers in the state in Arizona-bound Gio Richards, who caught three TD passes and made an array of highlight-reel grabs, causing coach Chris McDonald to gush to reporters afterward, “I’ve been telling you guys that he’s the best wide receiver in the state for a really long time.”
It figured this would be more a ground-and-pound Basha team behind one of the best lines in the state and sophomore sensation Noah Roberts running the ball. But Roberts is equally as good at catching the football. He caught one of Vehrs’ five TD passes.
Biggest shocker
The way Surprise Paradise Honors bounced back from a 32-0 season-opening 3A loss at Thatcher to beat No. 1-ranked Bullhead City Mohave 34-27 might be the most shocking turn of events in Week 2. Paradise Honors figured to struggle offensively after graduating Gage Baker, who threw for a national record 91 touchdown passes in an 11-3 season that took the Panthers to the 3A final.
Don’t bury the Panthers yet. This team responded by beating the preseason favorite with big games from a couple of juniors. Quarterback Nolan Rau, who didn’t play in last week’s loss, was 16 of 33 for 219 yards and four TDs and ran for a score. Receiver/defensive back Preston Brown caught five passes for 137 yards and two TDs and had an interception on defense. Neither of these players were on the radar a year ago. Now they’re on everybody’s radar, and the Panthers are back.
“Proud of this team and the way they bounced back after facing adversity in Week 1,” coach Josh Goodloe said. “Last week, we went to Thatcher, having to bench six starters, five being on offense for being late throughout the week. As a staff, we knew once we got those guys back we would be a different team, and it showed.”
Best clutch ending
Phoenix Brophy Prep’s season theme is, “Unfinished Business.” That’s even the title of a weekly TV documentary on the team. Fitting to the theme, the Broncos didn’t let a big lead go to waste in Friday’s 35-28 win at Gilbert Williams Field. After building a 28-12 lead through three quarters, the Broncos were in a 28-28 tie late and needed a big play late. It came from junior wide receiver Devin Fitzgerald, whose 20-yard touchdown catch with 12 seconds left won the game. It was Fitzgerald’s third TD catch of the season and put the state on notice that he could be the breakout player of the year. Fitzgerald played a marginal role last season with Daylen Sharper the main target. Sharper also had a TD catch Friday, as junior QB Rylan Umphrey, making his first varsity start, threw all four TD passes and ran for another.
Best strategy
Gilbert Higley coach Eddy Zubey made a hard decision easier in the two-time defending 5A champion’s 42-0 rout of Gilbert Campo Verde. He utilized both Luke Haugo and Gunner Fagrell at quarterback. Haugo, who played in only two games last year due to a back injury, passed for 253 yards and three TDs and ran for another score. Fagrell, who led Higley to a second straight 5A title last year, passed for 101 yards and a score. J.D. DeCausmaker and Jaden Taylor both had more than 100 receiving yards and combined for three TDs.
“We were able to use both Luke Haugo and Gunner Fagrell in various ways in the game,” Zubey said. “They are very athletic and have unique skill sets. They have embraced their roles and only care about us winning. Both have told me they will do whatever the team needs.”
Biggest statement
How did a 3-7 Phoenix Union High School District team from a year ago have mighty Chandler on the ropes Thursday night? With belief in new coach Chandler Hovik, whose pride in the program runs deep. He left a solid Central program to return to his alma mater and was a two-point conversion away from tying Chandler with three minutes left in the game. Chavez drove 95 yards to get within 20-18 before the Wolves finally put away the Champions with a touchdown to close out a 27-18 win. It shows the kind of impact Hovik already has had after a year after the program was in disarray with the tragic drowning death of player Christopher Hampton during a team bonding camp in the White Mountains last summer. Hovik took over and has held this team tight. There are a lot of talented athletes in Laveen — as seen by the eight sacks against Chandler — and if Hovik can keep them home, this will be a rising program that will make future games like this not so shocking.
Best debut
In his return to his alma mater to lead Hamilton, Travis Dixon came away with a 17-10 win over No. 2-ranked Peoria Centennial Thursday. Dixon bounced around the field afterward, congratulating every player he could find before huddling them up in the end zone. Dixon has a great grasp of Hamilton’s roots, and is not to get too carried away over a first win. He understands this won’t be the same Centennial team that the Coyotes will unleash at midseason when several key transfers become eligible. The speed of its defense, making life miserable for Centennial QB Kainan Manna, was evident, as Derrick LeBlanc had three of the team’s five sacks. Centennial’s offensive line will get better once the transfers and a suspended player are on the field. Shamar Berryhill and Nikko Boncore, who will both be eligible in Week 6 of Centennial’s season, will be the home run hitters Manna will need to give them that playoff push.
More: Week 2 Arizona high school football schedule, final scores
Around the stateMarana, a 5A team, erased a 15-point deficit in the second half and shocked 6A Salpointe Catholic 27-24, ending the Lancers’ 27-game winning streak against Southern Arizona teams. Colten Meyer hit Dominic Cillitto from 5 yards out with 17 seconds left for the game-winning touchdown.In a meeting of last year’s 1A finalists, top-ranked Winkelman Hayden defeated No. 2 Heber Mogollon 50-20. Mogollon lost to Hayden’s in last year’s 8-man state championship game.Senior running back Bentley Corbin ran for 212 yards and four TDs on 12 carries all in the first half in Phoenix Sandra Day O’Connor’s 49-0 rout of Scottsdale Chaparral.In Tonopah Valley’s 65-20 rout of host Willcox, Sir-Izzik Caldwell threw six TD passes, ran for two more TDs and did not throw an interception.Looking ahead
Not as many marquee matchups but Friday features a few very intriguing showdowns:
Brophy Prep plays host to Colorado’s Regis Jesuit, which is coming off a 17-0 loss to Valor Christian. Mohave will see if it can bounce back at ALA West Foothills in a battle of top 3A teams. Desert Edge will see if can break through against another great defensive team at Scottsdale Notre Dame Prep, which got three TD catches and scoring run from Oregon-committed wide receiver Cooper Perry in Friday’s 49-0 rout of Phoenix Barry Goldwater. And Centennial will try to avoid a 0-2 start at Gilbert Highland, an Open semifinalist from last year. Highland opened with a 35-0 win over Surprise Shadow Ridge.
Richard Obert has been covering high school sports since the 1980s for The Arizona Republic. He also covers Grand Canyon University athletics and the Arizona Rattlers. To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at [email protected] or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter:@azc_obert
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Publish date : 2024-08-31 05:40:00
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