Head Football Analyst Cody Cameron is in his third year with ArizonaVarsity, and he brings a unique mix of playing, broadcasting and analytical experience to the team. Follow him on Twitter HERE, and make sure to Follow Arizona Varsity on:
Last Friday night I headed out to Higley High School to watch the (1-1) Knights take on the (1-1) Desert Ridge Jaguars in a 6A Showdown. Led by a six touchdown performance from Senior QB Kai Millner, The Knights cruised to a 42-21 victory over the Jags, moving their regular season record to 2-1 in their inaugural season in the 6A conference.
Standout Players
Higley 2021 QB Kai Millner (6-2, 180)
Kai Millner was phenomenal in this game. The Senior gun-slinger and Cal Bears' commit absolutely shredded Desert Ridge's secondary, completing 27 of his 37 pass attempts for 471 yards and 5 touchdowns. Millner also hauled in a touchdown reception on a 4th and goal "Philly Special" offensive play call that I'm sure Head Coach Eddy Zubey had fun drawing up. Millner's mechanics are a thing of beauty and his release might be the quickest in the entire state. Millner went out on Friday night and proved that he's the real deal.
Higley 2021 WR Truitt Robinson (6'0, 175)
Robinson is emerging as Millner's go-to target in the red zone. The Senior WR caught two 1st Half touchdowns; his second coming just seconds before time ran out in the first half. He's a solid route-runner who creates separation with his acceleration. Robinson leads the team with five touchdown receptions on the year.
Higley 2022 DL Colin Kraemer (6'2, 250)
Kraemer made a living in the Desert Ridge backfield on Friday night. The Junior defensive linemen finished with 8 total tackles, 3 of those were tackles for loss. On a 4th down play early in the 1st quarter, Kraemer slipped passed a Jags' guard and made a huge stop behind the line of scrimmage. Definitely a player to keep an eye out for.
Desert Ridge 2022 DE/WR Lance Hartzclaw (6-4, 200)
Hartzclaw is a really intriguing prospect for the Jags. He's every bit of 6'4 with an athletic build, and he possesses a ton of athleticism. He sacked Millner twice in this contest; one of those coming from the left defensive end position where he chased Millner down from the opposite side of Millner's roll out. He showed a high motor and a relentless effort to attack opposing ball carriers. Hartzclaw also plays WR, and he is emerging as one of the Jaguars' best two-way players on the team.
Desert Ridge 2021 RB/LB Avantae Barrett (5-11, 210)
Avantae Barrett is an absolute tank. In Desert Ridge's first three offensive drives, The Senior RB shredded Higley's defense. Barrett looked unstoppable at times. He does a great job of keeping his shoulders square and running through contact. Barrett finished the night with 131 yards and two touchdowns, averaging almost 7 yards per carry in the game.
Cody's Game Notes
Click the link below to see Cody Cameron's notes from the game
Who to Watch
Higley 2021 WR Branson Heywood (5-11, 170)
Heywood has wrecked opposing secondaries in back-to-back weeks now. His route-running is crisp and he possesses break-away speed. The Senior WR hauled in 12 catches for 202 yards and a touchdown in the big win. Heywood has already surpassed the 400-yard receiving mark in only three games this season. Big-time playmaker for the Higley offense.
Quotable
Higley Senior WR Truitt Robinson on facing Chandler next week: "We have two stay disciplined. We can't get intimidated, I know their a big school and (have been) state champions for many many years, and that might intimidate some of the guys. We have to stay calm, cool, and collective."
Photo Gallery
Click Here to view ArizonaVarsity's Head sports photographer Andy Silvas' actions shots from this game.
Up Next
(3-0) Chandler @ (2-1) Higley
(1-2) Desert Ridge @ (1-2) Red Mountain
