STAT BLOG: 11/19/19

This is a weekly article in which we look back at eight different categories from last Friday and find a standout performer in the Open, 6A, or 5A playoffs for each. The name isn't that complex, we just call it "8 Shining Stars". We hit on seven teams still alive in their quest for a Gold Ball.

QUARTERBACK - Parker Navarro (Desert Vista)

The Thunder outlasted Perry in a wild offensive game to reach the semis for the first time in eight years. Navarro, the 6-foot, 190-pound signal caller, had a career night as he completed 19-of-24 passes for 435 yards and seven touchdowns in a 70-63 victory over the Pumas. But, that's not all. After Desert Vista tied the game on a TD pass from Navarro to Elijah Ervin with five minutes to play, the Thunder successfully executed an onside kick. DVHS drove again and with 19 seconds remaining, Navarro scored the game-winner on a five-yard run. Desert Vista had 715 yards of offense and Navarro accounted for 543 of them. Ervin was his primary target with eight catches for 254 yards and four TDs. Navarro has significantly increased his output in his senior year going from 130 passing yards per game to 210.
Next Up: Desert Vista (9-3) will stay in Ahwatukee, but play at Mountain Pointe HS against Liberty (8-4) this Friday in a 6A semifinal.

RUNNING BACK - Deonce Elliott (Red Mountain)

The Mountain Lions are in the semifinals for the third time in four years and the 5-10, 195-pound senior is a big reason why. In a home game against Desert Ridge, Elliott had an incredible amount of production with just five touches. He had four rushing attempts for 167 yards with touchdown runs of 76 and 69 yards. Elliott had just one reception, but it also went for 76 yards and a score. In a 49-35 victory over the Jaguars, he became the Red Mountain career leader with 30 rushing touchdowns surpassing Lance Lawson. The Lions survived to play another game after Desert Ridge took an early 14-0 lead. Elliott has scored a touchdown in each of the last 11 games.
Next Up: Red Mountain (11-1) will stay in Mesa, but play at Westwood HS against Queen Creek (9-3) this Friday in a 6A semifinal.

WIDE RECEIVER - Dominic Digian (Casteel)

The Colts scored 28 second-quarter points to turn a tight 4 vs. 5 game into a rout. Digian, a 6-foot, 190-pound junior, had two first-half touchdown catches, including one of 55 yards in that explosive second period against Millennium, which turned into a 73-28 victory. Digian finished with his fourth 100-yard game in the last five (eight catches for 135 yards). The combination of quarterback Dane Christensen (also a junior) and Digian has led to a five-game win streak. In each of those games, Casteel has scored more than 40 points.
Next Up: Casteel (9-3) will travel to Gilbert to face Williams Field (10-2) in a 5A semifinal this Friday at Campo Verde HS.

DEFENSIVE LINE - Alex Wielert (Hamilton)

Centennial entered last Friday's Open quarterfinal averaging 41.9 points per game. The Coyotes scored at least 48 in each of their last five games during the regular season. But, Hamilton's defense was up to the task. Wielert, a 6-1, 200-pound defensive tackle, had four tackles, a sack, and four quarterback hurries. That pressure from the D-line led to three interceptions for the Huskies in a 28-19 road win. Wielert used a combination of strength and spin moves to disrupt the offense to help bring Hamilton to its first semifinal since 2014. Hamilton has played the most difficult schedule among the Open teams. The Huskies now have wins against Centennial and Chaparral to go with a loss to Chandler that came down to the last play.
Next Up: Hamilton (9-2) will travel to Scottsdale to face Saguaro (10-1) in an Open semifinal this Saturday at Coronado HS.

LINEBACKER - Braxen Tessler (Saguaro)

Tessler stood out on a field filled with future college players from Saguaro. The 5-9, 180-pound linebacker had seven tackles (three for a loss), three pass breakups, and an interception that he brought back 27 yards for a touchdown in the Sabercats 49-3 win over Horizon. Tessler made his presence known early by blocking Horizon's first punt of the game out of bounds at the HHS 35-yard line to give the Saguaro offense a short field.
Next Up: Saguaro (10-1) will play Hamilton (9-2) in an Open semifinal this Saturday at Coronado HS.

DEFENSIVE BACK - Gunner Maldonado (Chandler)

Maldonado, a 6-foot, 190-pound senior safety, intercepted two passes in the Wolves' 56-14 win over Chaparral. He brought the second one back 28 yards for a touchdown going from sideline to sideline before diving into the corner of the end zone for the score. Maldonado also helped out the offense with a 29-yard return of a free kick following a safety. The Northwestern commit is playing his third year on the Wolves' varsity team and looking for a third straight title (the school's fourth).
Next Up: Chandler (11-0) will stay in Chandler, but play at Hamilton HS against Salpointe (10-0) this Saturday in an Open semifinal.

SPECIAL TEAMS - Dillon Crowder (Casteel)

In just his fourth game as the Colts' kicker, Crowder had a busy night. The junior was 10-of-10 in extra points and also booted a 42-yard field goal, the longest kick for a Casteel player this season. The 6-foot, 150-pounder is also a multi-sport athlete that scored two goals on the CHS soccer team last year.
Next Up: Casteel (9-3) will travel to Gilbert to face Williams Field (10-2) in a 5A semifinal this Friday at Campo Verde HS.

TEAM - Campo Verde

After finishing the regular season with three straight defeats, the Coyotes needed to make a turnaround in the playoffs. Campo Verde started off with its first postseason win in six years against McClintock and then followed that up last Friday with a comeback for the ages. Trailing 22-0 against a Higley team that defeated them by 22 a month earlier, they Coyotes played Catch-22. Normally known as a rushing team, Campo took to the air with Zach Herrera hooking up with fellow senior receiver Ryan Hutchens once before the half to close the score to 22-6. Then, with the score remaining that way after three quarters, the Herrera-Hutchens duo connected twice more to make it a 22-19 game. A blocked punt gave the Coyotes the ball at the Higley 3-yard line, where junior Caden Calloway scored his 23rd touchdown of the season to complete the comeback with less than four minutes remaining. The defense put the clamps on the Knights, shutting them out in the second half. Jayden Fletcher and Mark Liano each had a pair of sacks. With the win, Team 9 at CVHS advanced to a place that none of the previous eight squads in school history have been to before.
Next Up: Campo Verde (9-3) will travel to North Phoenix to face Notre Dame (11-1) in a 5A semifinal this Friday at North Canyon HS.