Upsets, statements, comebacks: Week 7 Arizona high school football rewind
Statements were made, big plays turned in, reality checks and more during Week 7 of the Arizona high school football season.
Let's rewind it and look ahead:
What we learned
The American Leadership Academy charter family has turned into a monster that is taking over Arizona at nearly every level. From Queen Creek to Gilbert North to West Foothills, they've put ALA on the football map. There was once a time when charters were regarded as academic institutions that made athletics secondary, Not anymore. This family tree keeps growing and football roots are deep.
It was evident in the ALA Queen Creek's dominating performance in a 28-0 win at Phoenix Mountain Pointe that moved the team to 5-1 in its first season in 6A, and in No. 6-ranked ALA West Foothills' 49-48 3A win over No. 3 Surprise Paradise Honors, the biggest win in that school's short two-year football history. After Isaiah Morales made a big tackle just short of the goalline, safety Tegan Kirkpatrick blocked a 20-yard field goal as time expired to clinch the win.
ALA Gilbert North (4-1), the defending 4A champion that got moved up to 5A this year, had a bye this week and will get ready for its biggest game since joining the bigger conference with an Oct. 6 game at defending 5A champion Gilbert Higley (4-1), which will now have its transfers, led by QB Luke Haugo, turned loose.
It takes good facilities, good coaches and kids who will go through a wall. Check. Check. Check.
"ALA QC is certainly leading the way," ALA Gilbert North coach Randy Ricedorff said. "I will tell the difference isn't the facilities. It's in the families that choose to attend and values we are all trying to teach and live y.
"It doesn't hurt having excellent coaches, as well. I would put ALA QC coaching staff against any collegiate coaching staff in America. They are hard to beat."
"This was definitely the biggest game at our school," said ALA West Foothills coach Chad Mitton, whose team's only loss this year was to top-ranked Bullhead City Mohave 28-20. Mohave had beaten Paradise Honors 56-28 the week before that.
And don't forget about ALA Ironwood, which is 4-3 in Loren Dawson's first year as head coach, after beating the newest Queen Creek school, Crismon, 38-13.
Biggest statement
Goodyear Desert Edge's transfers all had an impact in their first game of the season during the Scorpions' 41-14 win over Goodyear Millennium. Running back Markhi McKinnon, who led Barry Goldwater in rushing last year, ran for 186 yards and a TD on 25 carries, giving them a vastly improved run game. Receiver Jaqua Anderson, a big-play target on Liberty's nationally ranked team last year, had a TD catch. Jadius Jones, a defensive end who was at Moon Valley last year, had two sacks. And kicker Kole Rogers, facing his former team, had five touchbacks and converted six of seven points after touchdowns. So, in all, Desert Edge (5-1), which lost its only game to 6-0 6A heavyweight Centennial 13-0 to open the season, will be better on offense, defense and special teams down the stretch and will be headed to the Open Division playoffs out of 5A if they keep this up.
Best comebacks
Gilbert Highland was down 15-10 heading into the final quarter before clamping it down on defense and going on a 10-0 run to put away Mesa Red Mountain and win 25-15. It was another gritty effort led by the Cullimore cousins, linebacker Kash and safety Kody, and another statement how resilient this team is. The Hawks (4-2) gave Basha its only loss (22-21) and lost to 6-0 Chandler 22-20 last week. They hang their helmet on defense.
Scottsdale Desert Mountain got down 10-0 against Horizon in the third quarter, forced some turnovers, mainly from cornerback Santana Wilson, and pulled out a a 24-22 win on Brady McDonough's 18-yard pass to tight end Dillon Hipp, who sidestepped a defender on his way to the end zone with 16 seconds left.
How open is the Open?
Desert Edge (5-1) and Desert Mountain (6-0) out of 5A appear closest to being a competitive Open eight playoff team. Nobody from 4A will get there. But 6A is so strong this year, it feels like the Open will be a 6A bracket. There's big disparity between 6A and 5A. Desert Mountain coach Conrad Hamilton, whose team had to escape an average 6A team in Chaparral, believes the Open is a 6A playoff bracket.
"We want to win every game, we want to win our section," Hamilton said. "That's our focus. We just want to be the best we can be.
"Do I think any 5A team can play in 6A, win an Open Division title with the teams and ourselves that I've seen this year? They have no shot."
Around the state
Kayenta Monument Valley, wearing pink jerseys, won its homecoming game, beating Chinle 28-0, with all the scoring coming in the first half. But the story was the stands. It was filled with about 4,000 fans, coach Bryan Begay said. Who said the passion of Rez Ball only comes in basketball? "I've been saying for years, we have as many football spectators as basketball," Begay said. "We had 4,000 spectators at our homecoming football game, demonstrating the popularity of football." Begay said it was the first time Monument Valley ever wore pink jerseys. "Pink jerseys mean more than just us," he said. "It represents a cause, a belief, and teaches us a lesson to love one another more."
Eagar Round Valley final won a close game at the end, hanging on for a 7-3 3A victory over Payson with Ryker Marble scoring from 13 yards out with 2:40 left. Round Valley (3-3) had lost in back-to-back week to Thatcher and Poston Butte in the final seconds, before winning its last two.
Thursday night, Apache Junction led Marcos de Niza 36-36 with 1:41 left, before losing 51-37. Marcos de Niza had a scoop and score on an AJ fumble, and after AJ returned the kickoff 80 yards, it gave up a pick six. Game over. "These kids are young but they're coming," AJ coach Bruce Brinkley said.
Scottsdale Saguaro has given up 94 points in its last two games — losing 63-6 to Sierra Canyon last week and 31-17 Friday to Centennial. Starting QB Mason Bray was out with an injury and is expected to miss the next few weeks, coach Zak Hill said. Saguaro started freshman Will Mencl, who was 4 of 6 with a TD and an interception returned for a score, before being knocked out of the game with an injury. Due to the JV QB, Elijah Sherbin-Fox, already having played in the JV game, he was limited to two quarters. Sophomore tight end Kamden Segall, who has experience in his life playing QB, rotated at QB. His only pass was intercepted and brought back for a TD. "Our guys fought hard and played physical with the situation we were in," Hill said. "Our defense played well." This season could quickly unravel for a 3-3 team that reached the Open final three times, winning it all two years ago. The Sabercats should beat Chaparral next week, but finishes against Liberty, Salpointe Catholic and Pinnacle.
Flagstaff Coconino let Bridger French go to work in a stunning 41-7 4A win over Prescott Valley Bradshaw Mountain, which last week had given Bob Young his 200th career win. French ran for 220 yards and three TDs, improving Coconino to 3-2 in Gary Cook's first year leading the team. Cook was Bradshaw Mountain's offensive coordinator last season.
Buckeye (5-1) lost its first game with Northwest Christian quarterback Evan Tarasenko carving up the Hawks' secondary with 435 yards and three TDs, including a 99-yarder to Cole Muscari, in the Crusaders' 44-36 win that kept them unbeaten at 6-0. Gunnar Penzkover, who has committed to Grand Canyon for baseball, had four catches for 171 yards and two TDs, including an 80-yarder. "We make sure that we know the weak spots in teams and figure out ways to pick them apart," said Tarasenko, who moved in last spring from Maui. "Everyone is so bought in to this and we’re all striving for success on a daily basis. I’m proud to be able to lead this team and am so thankful to be around the guys I call my teammates."
Game of the Week
In a battle of unbeatens that will have an Open semifinal vibe, Peoria Centennial (6-0) travels to play Chandler (6-0). Both teams have great defenses and enough firepower on offense to makeg plays.
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 7 of Arizona high school football
