How Paradise Honors quarterback Gage Baker can make national history in 3A football final

Surprise Paradise Honors senior Gage Baker is on the brink of history. National history. But you wouldn't know it by his demeanor, the way he heaps praise on his teammates, his coaches, the community, and everybody involved in getting the little school from Surprise into its first 3A football championship game.

"We might be getting all these accolades but the ultimate goal is to win state," Baker said.

Anything Baker has done this season, or throughout his career, has always been about "we." Not him. But he can't avoid the national spotlight.

When the Panthers (11-2) meet preseason No. 1 Tucson Sabino (10-3) on Saturday at 6 p.m.,, at Mountain Pointe for the title, Baker needs eight TD passes to break the single-season national record of 91. That might sound far-fetched, but Baker has made eight TD passes in a game seem routine this year.

In last week's 72-56 semifinal win over Valley Christian, Baker through nine TD passes. It was the second time he had done that in the playoff. He threw for nine scores in a 64-23 first-round win over Gilbert Christian.

And that wasn't even the most he's thrown in a game this year. He had a state-record-tying 10 TD passes in a 69-15 win at Show Low on Sept. 15. Since becoming eligible halfway through his sophomore year after transferring from Willow Canyon, Baker's name shows up three times among 12 quarterbacks in the AIA record book who have thrown at least eight TD passes in a game. And that was before this season got underway.

"As a high school kid, his ability to dissect defenses and understand where our receivers will be based on coverage and concept during a game is astronomical," coach Josh Goodloe said. "He is one of the smartest football players that I have ever coached and most unselfish players."

During the Morenci quarterfinal game, Paradise Honors faced a second-and-goal situation with less than 30 seconds to play, trailing by a point.

"Josh had noticed on the previous play how the defense was playing (wide receiver) Josh (Morales). He came to the sideline and said, 'We have Josh in this route.' I looked at him and said, 'Let's go.' "

Baker connected with Morales for the last of his five TD passes on the night for the game-winner in a 42-35 victory that advanced the Panthers to the semifinals.

"Not many coaches would trust a 17-year-old young man to make the call," Goodloe said. "I never once doubted it."

Now, after obliterating some more state records in the Valley Christian win, completing 44 of 54 passes for 656 yards and nine TDs, Baker's biggest task is ahead. How to dissect Sabino's defense.

Sabino has a high-powered offense, led by a quarterback who has been leading the Sabercats since his freshman year. Cameron Hackworth has passed for 3,755 yards and 38 TDs and has run for 845 yards and 14 scores. Hackworth and his main weapons, receivers Shamar and Savaughn Berryhill, let Paradise Honors know how much work it needed when the teams scrimmaged each other in August a week before the first game.

Baker knew even before the scrimmage, Sabino would be the team they would be chasing, because of how dominant it looked in 7-on-7 competition in the summer.

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"Focusing on the games all the time is something that the coaches have instilled in us," Baker said. "It kept us driving."

The tougher schedule helped. It started with a win over a Thatcher program that is storied. There was the loss in Bullhead City to Mohave. Then the one-point heart-breaker to American Leadership West Foothills.

"I think it showed us where we're at as a team," he said. "It showed the kind of grit and perseverance out team has. Learning that knowing what we were going to face in the playoffs was huge."

Even when asked about the national record, it's "we." Not himself. And that's not in his mind.

"The main focus it try to go win state," he said.

To overcome Sabino, Baker might need to get that national record. He has amassed 5,629 yards and 84 TDs passing this year, while completing 334 of 439 passes (76%), with help from brilliant playmakers in Morales (81 catches, 1,533 yards, 27 TDs), Isaiah Thomas (89 catches, 1,623 yards, 26 TDs) and Coleman Burkhart (52 catches, 899 yards, 15 TDs).

"The team goals are always going to be the best," Baker said. "Just do your best. Put in 100% every day. The results will come. That's always been my mentality."

When Baker came over from Willow Canyon as a sophomore, his leadership drew people on campus to him.

"As a staff, we immediately noticed his ability to lead others," Goodloe said. "He was appointed to the leadership council by his peers and was a two-year varsity team captain."

Baker called it "a match made in Heaven," after the five-game sit coming over his sophomore year to be part of Goodloe's air-raid offense that fit his skills and those around him.

In just 2 1/2 seasons, Baker became only the third QB in Arizona high school history to surpass 11,000 career passing yards. He has 11,247 yards and 166 career TD passes. Baker passed former Pinnacle star Spencer Rattler (now at South Carolina) last week on the all-time list to No. 2, behind Yuma Catholic's Richard Stallworth, who passed for 12,590 yards from 2020-22.

Baker, 6-foot, 180 pounds, gets frustrated at times that there hasn't been a Division I college football offer. He said he does have a Fort Lewis offer and three D. III offers.

"It's just the size of the school," he said. "It doesn't matter. There are going to be ballers throughout the state."

Goodloe believes Baker can lead at the Division I level.

"The college that overlooks the physical side and takes a chance on this young man will not regret their decision," he said.

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: How Surprise Paradise Honors quarterback Gage Baker can make history