ALA Queen Creek set to take on Highland with Open playoff ticket on line

The rapid rise of American Leadership Academy Queen Creek in football is impossible to ignore. The school itself is relatively new, having only been built in 2012.

In 2019, ALA Queen Creek won the Arizona Interscholastic Association 3A division state title. After the COVID-impacted season in 2020, the Patriots made the Open Division playoffs out of 4A in 2021 with two-sport athlete Logan Hubler at quarterback. Last year, this time from 5A, they again made the Open.

This season, their first in 6A, the Patriots again are on a path to the Open Division playoffs as they are No. 6 in the latest AIA rankings for the Top 8 teams that would go to the Open.

In The Republic’s Super 10 rankings, which combines both the 6A and 5A conferences, ALA Queen Creek is No. 7.

And if they want a shot at another berth in the Open in 2023, this week’s game against Gilbert Highland is a crucial step. The Hawks are ranked No. 6 by the AIA in 6A but are just on the cusp of the Open's Top 8 because two 5A teams and one 4A team is rated ahead of them.

So, the winner of this game likely will get an invitation to the Open playoffs. If either falls short, they will be ranked at or near the top of the seedings in the 6A Conference playoff tournament.

“I told the team this is our biggest game of the year,” Patriots' head coach Ty Detmer said. “I’ve probably said that every week, but it just keeps building with the rankings nearing the end of the season. This is a chance to prove it again that we belong and keep an opportunity open to hopefully host a playoff game, whether that’s in the Open or wherever that may be.”

Since taking over as coach in 2021, Detmer has turned the school into a top contender. The former Heisman-winning quarterback from BYU has made an imprint as the Patriots have risen up the high school ranks.

On offense, ALA Queen Creek is led by senior quarterback and BYU commit Enoch Watson.

Watson is 11th overall in Arizona across all divisions for most passing touchdowns with 21 on the season. He has three interceptions and has thrown for 1,777 yards while completing 63 percent of his passes.

He also has a knack for making unexpected plays. Watson put together his own version of the "Immaculate Reception" earlier this season when ALA Queen Creek beat Pinnacle 29-28 on Sept. 22.

“He’s got confidence in his abilities,” Detmer said. “He’s a great leader with that group. And he brings playmaking abilities. With the Pinnacle game, it was kind of a fluke play, but he has that capability to have the wherewithal to stay involved, catch it and break three tackles to get in. But he’s also good enough to beat you in the pocket with his arm and accuracy. He’s been a key focal point. He’s kept us in games and allowed us to win them at the end.”

Senior wide receiver Jayden Williams has emerged as a top target for Watson. Williams leads the team with 38 receptions for 749 yards and seven touchdowns.

The pair will try to crack open the rigid Highland defense.

The Hawks are allowing 22.5 points per game. That may not seem like a gaudy number, but the effort it takes to score is where Highland makes its mark. They’re physical.

They limited Basha, led by quarterback Demond Williams Jr., a University of Arizona commit, to their lowest offensive output when Highland dealt the defending Open champions their only loss of the season, 22-21 on Sept. 1.

“They’re a tough, physical, hard-nosed group that’s detailed and confident in what they do,” Detmer said. “It’s not anything crazy – they’re not blitzing from everywhere. They play really sound, they all know their responsibilities and they do it. For us, we got to match that offensively. We gotta be able to line up, stay on blocks and then you always gotta know where (Kody) Cullimore is, number 2. He’s the guy they allow to play free and you have to account for him.”

For Highland, the weight of the game is significant. They have come painstakingly close to being in the Open Division playoffs the last three seasons.

“It's basically a playoff game,” Highland head coach Brock Farrel said. "Whoever wins goes to the Open. It's like any big college football game where the winner gets to go to a bowl game or a chance at the College Football Playoff. It doesn't mean our season is over. But whoever wins this game is in the driver's seat for the rest of the season."

They have made the 6A final in each of those years, and have won the last two state championships at that level. A win on Friday would be massive in making a statement to the AIA, which just ranked 4A Canyon del Oro at No. 3 in the Open Division.

On offense, the Hawks are a balanced as they average 181 passing yards and 175 rushing yards per game as a team.

Senior running back Jay Martin is one of the go-to players in the backfield with 630 yards and nine touchdowns on 106 carries. Watch for Cullimore though, who also gets freedom on the offense as the Hawks deploy him at quarterback in their Wildcat formation in the red zone. Cullimore has recorded six touchdowns.

But make no mistake, this is a team that wins most of its games on defense.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: ALA Queen Creek to take on Highland with Open Division playoff on line