What we learned in Week 11 of Arizona high school football: Upsets, breakthroughs

Week 11 of the Arizona high school football season popped with the unexpected, from the Open now looking more like an elite 6A level to players coming through due to injured players ahead of them, to shocking discoveries.

Let's wind back through and look ahead as the 3A and 2A playoffs are now set:

What we learned

The Open is going to look like a glorified 6A bracket by the time the regular-season ends next week. That's unless 4A Oro Valley Canyon del Oro gets bumped back into the Open by the Arizona Interscholastic Association's computer formula due to 5A teams Desert Mountain and Desert Edge both losing Friday night. Cactus may have ended any hope Desert Edge had of getting into the Open. Same with Higley against Desert Mountain. But those teams aren't shedding tears over that. They realize their best shots at a gold ball are in the 5A bracket. The 6A Conference is the biggest conference for a reason. It is loaded with great teams. And next week's showdowns between No. 1 Liberty and No. 2 Centennial, and No. 4 Chandler and No. 5 Hamilton are going to feel like Open Division playoff games. Throw in No. 3 Basha, and No. 6 Highland as a wildcard, and it's going to be an incredible Open Division race to the top.

Week 11 Arizona high school football schedule, final scores

Biggest takeaway

Thunderbird is no longer playing in obscurity in 4A, coming off back-to-back wins over Buckeye and Northwest Christian. This team plays hard. They have tough players who are willing to sacrifice their bodies, playing both sides of the ball. They a zillion percent every play, and every team they play will know who they are after playing them. Their only losses were to a really good 5A team in Apollo and maybe the second-best team in 4A in Yuma Catholic, which can complete its first unbeaten regular season in 4A next week with a win at Northwest Christian. Thunderbird coach Matt Nalette deserved a ton of credit, relying on neighborhood kids, who are unselfish and resilient and are laser-focused, behind twins Tyler and Travis Woods, running back Elijah Little, a couple of jumbo receivers in Will Clark (6-5, 210) and Ryan Kavalami (6-2, 205) and a quarterback with moxie in junior Andrew Cohill. If people thought the 4A title runs through Canyon del Oro, Yuma Catholic or Northwest Christian, it's time to pay attention to the Titans.

Best second chance

Higley sophomore quarterback Gunner Fagrell gave up the keys to the offense once heralded junior Luke Haugo became eligible after five games. Fagrell didn't complain after leading the defending 5A champion Knights to a 4-1 start with the only loss a double-overtime 38-32 thriller at Desert Edge. But coach Eddy Zuby was glad he got those games in, because now they may need him for the rest of the season, if Haugo doesn't recover in time from an injury that kept him out of the last two games. After a 28-6 loss to Horizon, Higley shocked everybody with its 58-21 dismantling of previously unbeaten Desert Mountain, as Fagrell passed for 246 yards and five TDs and no turnovers. He found eight different receivers. He's got a great head on his shoulders and he doesn't let the big moments faze him.

Finding greater purpose

There are bigger things than winning football games, and Perry coach Joseph Ortiz and Desert Edge co-coaches Mark and Marcus Carter discovered that this weekend. On Friday morning, Ortiz's grandfather died. He said he was super close to him, a man who helped mold Ortiz to be the man he is today. Then, that night, his team lost to powerhouse Chandler 49-7, after a moment of silence was given before the game for Ortiz's grandfather.

"I was numb all day," Ortiz said. "It was hard to get up. Never shed so many tears in my life. I didn't know how I would get through the day and the game, but the support from my family, my Perry family, friends and so many fellow high school coaches called and messaged me. He loved to watch me coach and I know the score isn't what we wanted, but I hope I made him proud."

On Saturday morning, the day after losing to Cactus 33-27, the Carter twins led their Desert Edge team, wearing pink shirts, participated in the American Breast Cancer Society's 3K walk. This the third year they've done this. The first year, they had 25 kids. It doubled last year. On Saturday, there were even more, including teachers, cheer members, parents and administrators. They raised $1,000 in donations.

"Part of our job is to serve the community that serves us," Marcus Carter said. "We know for sure there's wonderful women who are battling and/or battled breast cancer and want them to know we have their backs."

Added Mark Carter: "Everything we do at Desert Edge is meaningful and with intent. It goes to show how much of an impact these young men can have on campus."

Biggest transition

It may not look like Pima had to overcome any adversity by the score — a 49-20 win over Santa Cruz — to close out the 2A regular season. But the No. 1-seeded and defending champion Roughriders will have to now navigate the playoffs without their most dynamic player, quarterback/defensive back/kicker Jaxon John, who suffered a dislocated ankle on the eighth play of Pima's first drive on a 23-yard scramble. He had replaced the starting QB three weeks ago, after that player broke his hand in practice. Enter freshman Cedric Grimes to lead the offense Friday. And, before Friday's game against Santa Cruz, Pima linebacker Hayden Shinkle suffered back spasms and couldn't go. That next man up was freshman Joseph Palmer, who played above expectations, coach Josh Wilkins said. They all came through to complete a 10-0 regular season and secure the top seed in 2A.

"We all know defense wins championships and boy did ours deliver last night, led by linebacker Tuddy Smart," Wilkins said. "Hats off to Santa Cruz. We love playing smash-mouth football and they definitely matched our intensity."

Around the state

• In Camp Verde's 72-16 win over Bisbee, QB Tyson Buckley completed 22 of 28 passes for 318 yards and six TDs with Jordan Williams on the receiving end of seven passes for 148 yards and three TDs.

• Round Valley upset Blue Ridge 24-14 in a 3A final regular-season game that gave the Elks a No. 12 seed in the playoffs, and dropping Blue Ridge to No. 9 and a road game in the first round against No. 8 Tucson Pusch Ridge. Gauge Baker and Ryker Marble both had rushing TDs. Marble passed for 170 yards on 9 of 13 passing and intercepted a pass in the end zone.

• Central clinched the 5A Metro title with a 41-21 win over North. Running back Khameron Athy broke Trung Canidate's school record for most TDs in a season with 28. He had three TDs, one rushing and two receiving, against North. Canidate was at the game to see his record fall.

• Hamilton was without starting QB Beckham Pellant (injured), but his backup, Rich Lucero Jr., came through with 297 yards and four TDs passing and no interceptions in a 49-28 Premier Region win over Casteel.

• Senior Brandon Phelps caught a TD pass for the 27th consecutive game in his career, leading American Leadership Gilbert North to a 41-21 5A win over Notre Dame. Phelps, who has committed to Arizona, had eight catches for 179 yards. Tyton Slade added five catches for 110 yards and two TDs and had his 13th career interception.

• Enoch Watson propelled American Leadership Queen Creek to a 55-47 win over Williams Field with 326 yards and five TDs passing, along with 132 yards and two TDs rushing, as the Patriots (7-2) stayed in the Open playoff race.

Game of the Week

Liberty (8-1) plays host to Centennial (9-0) that could mark the first time an Arizona school comes within four touchdowns of the Lions. That's if sophomore QB Kainan Manna can go. He got nicked up in the win over Pinnacle and didn't play in the second half.

To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert atrichard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter:@azc_obert

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: What we learned in Week 11 of Arizona high school football