High school football roundup: Horizon, Saguaro, Perry, Arcadia, Higley score wins

Horizon outlasts Notre Dame

By Howard Schlossberg

In a battle of Northeast Valley 5A heavyweights Friday night, Horizon scored a TKO, but had to throw a lot of punches at a Notre Dame team that never relented.

In its 41-24 win, Horizon (5-2) threw Bodie Zamorano (187 yards rushing), Jase Ashley (115) and a college-sized offensive line over and over at the Saints (3-3), who threw Noah Trigueros' 252 yards passing back in return, but it wasn't enough.

Key plays

For Horizon, the key plays were almost all runs, almost all off tackle, behind big Dylan NolanCook or Carter Lavrusky.

But It started with the opening kickoff and the big plays never stopped coming all night. Vincent Valentino bolted 99 yards with the kick return, Horizon had a 7-0 lead and the track meet was on.

Horizon didn't put it away for good until Tanner Noot picked off a rare Trigueros mistake with 7:57 left. Horizon kept the ball 5-and-a-half minutes and that's when Kanyon Floyd kicked his second field goal for the game's final points with 2:32 left.

Between all that, the teams traded first half punches. Trigueros hit Jameson Bush for a 20-yard score and ran one in himself after versatile Cooper Perry completed a 46-yard strike to the goal line.

Horizon, meanwhile, was setting the table for huge things to come. Ashley scored from 15 yards out on a drive which Zamorano keyed with his legs as Horizon built a 24-17 halftime lead.

It was 38-24 after Ashley added a 66-yard TD jaunt and Zamorano another score, this one from 10 yards out.

Key stats

Zamorano finished with 187 on 26 carries while Ashley had 115 on 13. Horizon had 331 rushing.

Floyd kicked two field goals.

Trigueros had 252 of Notre Dame's 298 passing. He was 20 of 31, 1 TD, 1 pick.

Perry had 7 receptions, Bush 6.

Key quotes

Head coach Andy Litten likes his team and his behemoths up front who make it go.

"We know we can drive the ball behind the big dudes up front," he said.

But he knows his team has a lot to clean up and could very well see Notre Dame again in the playoffs.

"They're a nightmare," with the matchups they create, with Perry, Bush and Brady Meyer as Trigueros' weapons. "Their quarterback did a great job."

Trigueros, who had the crowd gasping over some of his scrambles that he turned into big gains, was not satisfied.

"I think we need to play better. I missed a couple of shots out there. We've got to play better as a team. We're a family."

Up next

Notre Dame entertains Higley next Friday. Horizon has a bye week before traveling to Higley on Oct. 20.

Saguaro snaps losing streak with victory over rival Chaparral

By Anthony Perez

Friday night’s matchup between Scottsdale Chaparral (2-5) and Scottsdale Saguaro (4-3) was a critical game for both teams. Not only was it the annual rivalry game, but this was also a chance for both teams to change their fortunes. If Chaparral wins, it’s a signature win that helps to boost the morale of the program. If Saguaro wins, it helps snap a two-game losing streak and demonstrate to everyone that they’re still a team to be reckoned with in 2023. In the end, the latter happened as Saguaro got three touchdowns from senior running back Jaedon Matthews en route to a 38-28 victory at home in 6A action.

Standout performers

As in any good rivalry, Chaparral did everything it could to keep the game close, and this was thanks in large part to senior quarterback Luciano Madda. With his squad trying to get back into the game late in the third quarter, he connected with Gavin Mesa on a short pass to pull his team within two scores. With the game almost all but out of reach in the fourth quarter, Madda threw for his second score of the night, this time to junior receiver Hunter Wohland, to cut the Chaparral deficit to 38-21 in a last-gasp effort to try to come back.

Matthews jump started the Saguaro offense on Friday night with two big rushing touchdowns that gave his team a 14-0 advantage before the first quarter even concluded. He then put an exclamation point on the third quarter, and arguably the game, when he had a short dash into the end zone with just four seconds left to give his team a 35-14 lead.

Highlight of the game

Despite being down by two touchdowns to start the second quarter, Chaparral showed fight late in the second quarter with a touchdown and an interception at the end of the first half that allowed it to take momentum into the locker room at intermission. But it was unable to carry that momentum into the second half as Chaparral came up empty on its first possession of the second half and Saguaro responded with a Joseph Clark touchdown. A touchdown that gave the hosts a 28-7 lead and seemed to take the air out of the Chaparral sidelines.

Quote of the game

“There’s always that anxiety through a season if you’re not doing what you expect, and as a coach and a coaching staff, we got to manage those expectations, we’ve got to manage that mindset that we commit to every week. And so, going into our practice we decided that we had to focus on this week and being 1-0 this week, and not worry about the playoffs, or not worry about what’s coming down the road. Let’s just focus on this game and get this win, and then we move on … we move on to the next.” - Saguaro Head Coach Zak Hill on whether his team was feeling pressure coming into this rivalry game

Up next

Both teams enjoy a bye next Friday, but then travel to Peoria for crucial games on Oct. 20. Chaparral will be at Centennial, while Saguaro will visit Liberty.

Perry downs Casteel in battle of kickers

By Benjamin Yates

The Perry Pumas got back on the winning track Friday night, defeating the Casteel Colts 31-12.

The first half saw little in the way of offense, as the teams went into halftime with the Colts up 6-3, after a 54-yard field goal by senior kicker Cyrus Aguinaga. The Pumas offense was unable to get any movement going before halftime.

Key second half plays

Things changed in the third quarter, as Perry junior quarterback Diesel Taylor and senior wide receiver Kolton Coleman connected for a huge touchdown that put the Pumas up 10-6. Senior running back Don Tinsley and junior running back LJ Walker would also get touchdowns of their own in the 3rd quarter, as Casteel would only get one off of senior wide receiver Branden Greene, followed by a failed 2-point conversaion.

Don Tinsley later made a run through the Colts defense into the endzone, adding to the Pumas' lead.

Key Players:

Let's hand it to the kickers. Colts Kicker Cyrus Aguinaga had an incredible first half with the two field goals that put the Colts ahead at Halftime. One of these field goals was for 54 yards. His punts were also incredibly well placed to allow Colts defense to make it difficult for Perry to score. Perry's senior kicker James Dean connected on three field goals in the game..

Key Quotes:

"Perry was killing Perry, we were making our own mistakes. Offensively we made a ton of mistakes in that first half. But we talked about some adjustments, and we scored 28 points in that half to their six." - Pumas Head Coach Joseph Ortiz

"First half we came out slow, every week we talk about coming out the gates fast. And we didn't execute it. I think every side of the ball, offense, defense, special, all picked it up, and we sealed the game." - Perry Junior Quarterback Diesel Taylor

"Lot of chemistry, after practice, I throw with him [Taylor] and we just get down on what the timing is of this route, how we want to throw to this one. Just building chemistry." - Perry senior Wide Receiver Kolton Coleman

"We got to do a better job of not making a lot of mistakes, an internal part of our team, and we'll have a better outcome." - Colts Head Coach Robert Newcombe

"Just a big moment, having been back past 50 this season, it was big moment, didn't fail to disappoint. I felt like we had the energy going into the half." - Colts Senior Kicker Cyrus Aguinaga on his 54-yard field goal.

Up Next:

Casteel (4-3) faces Hamilton (5-1);

Arcadia handles Mesquite to stay undefeated

By Damian Adams

The Arcadia Titans improved to 7-0 in 4A, handling Mesquite at home Friday, 30-17.

Arcadia started this game off with a boom as Brady Frost ran the opening kick back for a touchdown. That would be the only score for Arcadia in the first half.

Mesquite would go on a 17-0 run. This included an interception that was returned for a touchdown by Ethan Campbell and a touchdown pass from PJ Jones to Jaylen Coleman.

The second half would be the complete opposite from the first half. Arcadia made some adjustments, getting pressure on Mesquite's quarterback and running the ball well.

Arcadia would score 23 unanswered points in the second half. This included two rushing touchdowns by Brady Frost.Arcadia would go on to win 30-17.

Mesquite fell to 3-4.

Player of the Game

The player of the game is Arcadia's running back Brady Frost. Frost had a kickoff return for a touchdown and two rushing touchdowns.

Up Next

Next week Arcadia will be on the road against Combs. Mesquite will also be on the road against Vista Grande.

Higley wins on record night or ALA-GN receiver

By Eliya Herriott

On a record-setting night for ALA-Gilbert North’s Brandon Phelps, the Eagles fell short 49-29 against a tough Higley Knights team.

Phelps broke two Arizona high school football records previously held by former Saguaro star Christian Kirk, who now plays for the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars. Phelps on Friday eclipsed the record of 3,943 receiving yards held b Kirk and also surpassed the record of 51 touchdown catches.

More: ALA Gilbert North's Brandon Phelps on cusp of breaking several Arizona high school football records

Phelps started the night off with a 52-yard touchdown catch from Conner White, in the first quarter that would tie Kirk’s record.  The Arizona commit made history in the fourth quarter catching touchdown number 52.

Higley spoiled the party though in front of it home crowd..

Key playmakers

Jaden Taylor kickstarted things for Higley on offense in the first quarter. Kaden Millner found Taylor in the endzone for a touchdown reception, and the Knights first points in the game making the score 9-8 ALA Gilbert-North, followed by a two-point conversoin. Taylor gave his team the first lead of the night in the second quarter and the Knights would not look back from that point on. T

Higley quarterback, Luke Haugo was steady for his team the whole night. Haugo showed off his legs and arms in the win. The junior ended the night with four touchdown passes and 258 yards passing. Haugo even scored a touchdown of his own in the third quarter to extend Higley’s lead to 20 points, 35-15.

Key Play:

The Higley defense made big plays all night. In the second quarter, sophomore cornerback, Justice Brathwaite intercepted the ball deep in Eagles territory and returned it for a touchdown. Brathwaite made the score 28-9 at halftime, which would be a large mountain to climb for the Eagles.

Key Quote: 

“We started off really fast and we have a lot of new weapons on offense,” Higley's Jaden Taylor said. “We just all working together, coming together and being stronger as a team.”

Up Next:

Higley (5-1) will travel to Scottsdale to play Notre Dame Prep on Oct.13. ALA Gilbert North (4-2) will be back at home playing Cactus Shadows that same night.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Week 8 High school footbal lroundup: Horizon, Saguaro, Perry, Arcadia score wins