I remember talking to then-Centennial athletic director on the sidelines at Liberty as the schools played their first football game against each other on Sept. 27, 2013.
He told me, "Thank God we get to play Liberty now." And it seemed like a strange statement. Centennial was the gold standard in West Valley football with three state titles and three more runner-up finishes - a clear top four program in the state.
But Stone was right. The Coyotes never had a long-term rival. Centennial beat Westview for its second and third state 5A-II titles in 2007 and 2008, but the Avondale school kept growing and went to the big enrollment division.
A potential neighborhood rivalry with Ironwood was never competitive. The Coyotes most heated rival at the time was Deer Valley, but most of that stemmed from a contentious recruiting/transfer/eligibility saga that dragged from the summer into most of the season and for a while had the entire Deer Valley athletic program banned from the playoffs.
While that rivalry ended in 2014, Stone proved prophetic. Centennial played Liberty for the Division II (today's 5A) title and the Coyoteswon the trophy and the last game of the season at ASU in 2014.
The same thing is happening today, nine years later, but the states are much higher. #1 Liberty and #3 Centennial are playing in the Open Division final as the clear top two teams in the state.
Here's a look at how we got here:
Sept 27, 2013: Centennial 42 Liberty 31
The series starts with a backwards game. Liberty coach Dan Filleman rode the combo of junior quarterback Tyler Wyatt and senior receiver Chad Bennett to a 24-7 halftime lead. Bennett finished with six catches for 200 yards and four touchdowns. Centennial came back by running junior back Dedrick Young in the I formation, to the tune of 39 carries for 329 yards and five touchdowns. Defensive tackle Brett Tonz finished the game with a 20-yard thick six.
Sept 26, 2014: Centennial 17 Liberty 14
This time the stakes were higher. Liberty was #1 and 5-0. Centennial was 2-2 but one loss was to eventual Division I champion Chandler. Filleman and defensive coordinator Mark Smith decided to bolster the Lions defense by playing defensive tackle Aaron Blackwell and cornerback Kory Wilson almost exclusively on that side of the ball. A defensive struggle ensued. Liberty grabbed a lead with a delay draw to Jake Schuiteboer. Quarterback Isaac Steele hit foormer quarterback (now receiver) Daniel Smith for the winning touchdown.
Nov. 29, 2014 Division II title game: Centennial 26 Liberty 14
A junior-dominated Coyote team came of age and dominated for three quarters, building a 20-0. Liberty snapped out of it as Alex Jackison caught two quick touchdowns from Wyatt to make it 20-14. Young quickly put it away, dashing through a huge hole in the Lions defense for 75 yards and title #4.
Oct. 30, 2015: Liberty 34 Centennial 33
Both teams moved up to Division I, a 17-team super division based on on-field performance mostly. Centennial was seen as a contender, while Liberty was not. Smith was now the head coach and Colin Thomas his offensive coordinator after Filleman took the Regis Jesuit job in Colorado. Liberty started 0-5 but won three of four region games. Centennial was 8-1 and led 33-21 midway through the fourth. Then Alex Jackson caught two Kaden Kubaiko touchdown passes in the final minutes for the Lions first victory over Centennial in stunning fashion. The upset ignited Centennial's legenday playoff run, as the Coyotes beat up four larger East Valley schools to win Division I - the closest thing to the Open Division until 2019.
Oct. 28, 2016: Centennial 23 Liberty 7
2016 was the quiet year in the rivalry as Liberty was down and dependant on running back Colton Newton. The Lions defense played hard but Zidane Thomas had 158 yards and was too much.
Nov. 4, 2016: Centennial 24 Liberty 10
The playoff rematch was more of the same. Ruben Beltran threw for two touchdowns in the 5-12 matchup.
Oct. 27, 2017: Liberty 21 Centennial 19
Business picked up this year. Centennial came into the final regular season game ranked in the national top 20 after beating Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas 12-0. Liberty was mistake prone and trailed 19-7 late. Smith's Lions regrouped, scoring twice in the final minutes again to win.Senior tight end Alec Moonier caught the winning 5-yard touchdown from quarterback Ryan Bendle, and Smith coined the phrase "Cray cray in the No Po."
Nov. 17, 2017: Centennial 42 Liberty 37
The 5A playoff semifinal rematch is still the high point of this rivalry. Thomas was a whirlwind, running for 278 yards and three touchdowns on 22 carries. Sophomore Dyelan Miller caught two Coyote touchdowns. Thomas established himself as one of Arizona's best offensive minds as five different Liberty players scored a touchdown. Bendle led a comeback and the Lions were driving. But sophomore linebacker D'Angelo Garcia tripped Bendle up two yards short of the first down to preserve the win. Centennial clobbered Notre Dame Prep in the 5A final.
There was some bad blood as the teams didn't play the next two years. Centennial won 5A again in 2018. Liberty won its first title in 2019, taking the 6A crown as the Open division started. Centennial lost to Hamilton in the Open.
Nov. 20, 2020: Centennial 34 Liberty 24
The series resumed to end the COVID season. Two Liberty fumbles that were not forced proved the difference, at the end of Colin Thomas' first year as head coach.
Nov. 27, 2020: Liberty 25 Centennial 24
The AIA selection committee booked a rematch for the next week with #5 Liberty travelling to #4 Centennial. Thomas went for the win late and his two-point conversion call worked. Freshman Navi Bruzon debuted, taking a handoff and threw for two to senior quarterback Brock Mast — the Lions’ variation of the “Philly Special.”
Nov. 12, 2021: Liberty 42 Centennial 24
Centennial collapsed to 3-8 this season, but was frisky and pushed the Lions until the fourth quarter of this one. Liberty made its second straight Open Division semifinal, again losing at Chandler in overtime.
Nov. 4, 2022: Liberty 24 Centennial 14
Liberty entered as the #1 in all of Arizona, and a revitalized Centennial was #6. The Coyotes' defense, led by Dylan Roberts, held Liberty to a season low in points and picked off Bruzon three times. But Liberty receiver Prince Zombo had a huge night and senior Wesley Grim returned a blocked punt for a crucial Lions touchdown.
Nov. 3, 2023: Liberty 36 Centennial 17
For the first time as the top two in the entire state, #1 Centennial was overwhelmed by #2 Liberty's offensive precision. Two big plays, a pick six by linebacker Keaton Stam and Braylon Gardner's 76-yard touchdown reception from Bruzon told the tale. Liberty broke through its semifinal wall and enters the rematch at #1 and the favorite.
