'That's my guy': Chandler Wolves ready to ride with aspiring pilot Blake Heffron at QB

Blake Heffron stands out among the Chandler football players with his reddish-blond hair and red jersey. And because he might be the smallest guy on the field at 5 feet, 8 inches, 160 pounds.

But there is no denying who the new leader of this football team is.

"I've been playing with Blake since I was 10 years old," said highly regarded 6-2, 190-pound wide receiver Jaxon Branch said. "So our connection is there. We played freshman ball and JV ball together. I'm not worried about anything. That's my guy. If he's going to get it to me, I'm going to catch it."

Climb aboard this Chandler offense that is going to look much different than the one prototypical dropback quarterback Dylan Raiola operated last year, when the Wolves shockingly were shut out by Chandler Basha in the Open Division state semifinals.

Raiola, the No. 1-rated recruit in the country in the 2024 class, transferred to Phoenix Pinnacle, along with offensive lineman Andrew Dudley and running back Xavier Valdivia, who served as a backup to Ca'lil Valentine last season and pressed into action when Valentine got injured late last season.

Defensive coordinator Steve Vaught left to serve in the same capacity at Arizona College Prep.

But those who remain at Chandler aren't panicking or feel that the Wolves' culture might be crumbling.

There still is the highly recruited Valentine, who is finishing his track season this week before joining the football team for spring workouts. There still is safety Kennedy Urlacher, who recently committed to the University of Notre Dame. There still is highly coveted tight end Kaden Anderson.

And there is Heffron, who just came out for spring football this week after his baseball season ended last week in the double-elimination 6A tournament.

The Wolves, especially coach Rick Garretson, believe in Heffron and what he brings to the team, both on and off the field.

He's been a winner his whole life. He never lost a game as the starting quarterback on the freshman team and the starting quarterback on the JV team in his first two years of high school.

Now it's his turn to take the wheel.

"I know it's lower level, and then when he went in at quarterback last year, most of that was against the other teams' first team, and with his ability to run, and he can throw the ball, too, it creates a problem," Garretson said.

Garretson also likes freshman quarterback Dominic CarmIgiano, who is 6-2, 165.

Last year, when Raiola showed up with his impressive credentials from Texas, Heffron never complained about taking a back seat at QB. When Garretson asked him to play receiver and return kicks, Heffron said, "Yes, sir, whatever you need."

Garretson even played Heffron some at running back last year.

But now it's his turn to lead. He grew up playing both quarterback and receiver.

"Coming to Chandler, I knew that people would be coming in," Heffron said. "I just wanted to play with the best of the best.

"Having the No. 1 player in the nation come here, it was a great opportunity. I got to play receiver and help the team out in any way."

Heffron said he learned a lot from Raiola.

"Whatever helps the team best, if this is the best move, I just want to help the team win," Heffron said.

Heffron said he spends Sundays flying an airplane, working towards his license.

"That's my career path, what I want to do," he said. "Whether it's to go to college and studying aviation or just going straight to an American school and working my way up to become a pilot."

He said he became interested in flying as a little kid.

"I always had a fascination with being on planes," he said. "My brother used to BMX and we used to travel all the time. So being in that environment, I've always had a fascination for it."

He said he would travel in planes with his brother Brock, because of his BMX racing career. In 2007, when he was 9, Brock Heffron won his first BMX world championship in Canada and was later flown to Indianapolis to be part of a Sports Illustrated cover photo shoot with then Colts quarterback and Super Bowl MVP Peyton Manning. Brock was the SI Youth Athlete of the Year.

Blake didn't take that route, but he's ready to fly. He's 30 hours away from his license and 50 hours from his checkride, which is essentially the final exam to receive his FAA certification and rating.

"I'm getting there," Heffron said. "By the end of this year, I should get my license."

In the meantime, the Wolves are ready to ride with Heffron.

"I have all the confidence in the world with Blake Heffron," Anderson said. "That's my guy. That's like my brother.

"I think we pick up where we left off and get right back at it."

More: Higley football ready to make another title run after QB Luke Haugo transfers in

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Chandler football ready to ride with quarterback Blake Heffron