STAT BLOG: 12/8/21

This is a weekly article in which we look back at eight different categories from last weekend and find a standout performer for each. The name isn't that complex, we just call it "8 Shining Stars". On December 3-4, it was the semifinals of the playoffs. Let's take a look at some players that made an impact in those big games.

QUARTERBACK - Brayten Silbor (Chaparral)

The game between the Firebirds and Williams Field started as a sluggish first half with the score tied at 7 and both teams having drives that stalled just past midfield. The offenses came to life in the second half, particularly the passing game for Chaparral. Three times the Black Hawks took a touchdown lead and each time Silbor brought the 'Birds back with touchdown passes to Galvin Higley, Lukas Garvey, followed by a touchdown run from Jamarei Ashby-Phan. With the CHS defense forcing a three-and-out, it was time for the 6-3, 205-pound senior signal caller to engineer a game-winning drive. With less than five minutes remaining, the Firebirds took it 64 yards to come away with a 35-28 victory. Silbor finished 24-of-35 for 356 yards and three touchdowns. Chaparral will attempt to defend its 6A title.
Next Up: Chaparral (9-4) will take on Highland (10-3) in the 6A Conference championship game on Saturday afternoon at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe.

RUNNING BACK - Wesley Lambert (Horizon)

The Huskies are continuing their playoff run and Lambert hit a pair of milestones in Friday's 28-24 victory over Desert Mountain. With 209 rushing yards on 29 carries, Lambert went over the 1,500-yard mark. His two touchdowns gave him 20 rushing scores for the season. The Huskies trailed 24-21 at the half and didn't gain the lead until there were less than 10 minutes remaining. Horizon got the ball back with five minutes to go and Lambert, a 5-8, 165-pound junior, kept the chains moving with clutch running to keep getting first downs and eat up the rest of the clock. The Wolves never had another offensive snap. It's Horizon's first finals appearance since 1995 (vs. St. Mary's).
Next Up: Horizon (11-2) will face Salpointe (11-2) in the 5A Conference championship game on Friday night at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe.

WIDE RECEIVER - Grady Hickey (Chaparral)

With Silbor completing 24 passes, half of those completions went to Hickey. The 5-10, 175-pound senior had 146 receiving yards and caught the first touchdown of the game in the second quarter. Hickey also bookended the scoring on a three-yard run with 1:01 to go giving the Firebirds the lead for good. It was reminiscent of his his touchdown runs against Saguaro and Pinnacle late in the game that secured wins this year. For the season, Hickey has 97 catches for 1,341 yards and has scored 13 TDs (seven receiving).
Next Up: Chaparral (9-4) battles Highland (10-3) for the second year in a row in the 6A Conference title game at ASU at noon on Saturday.

DEFENSIVE LINE - Isaiah Johnson and Jacob Holmes (Chandler)

Johnson (6-3, 285) and Holmes (also 6-3, 285) play defensive tackle and end, respectively for the Wolves. The seniors are D-I commits to Arizona (Johnson) and Tulane (Holmes). In Chandler's come-from-behind 27-21 overtime win over Liberty, the duo put up identical stat lines of four solo tackles, seven assisted tackles, and 11 total. Each recorded four tackles for a loss. Both got to the quarterback with Holmes notching three sacks. Trailing 21-7 after three quarters, the Wolves' D-Line did their part to shut the Lions out the rest of the way as the offense brought the team back.
Next Up: Chandler (11-1) will play Saguaro (11-1) at ASU in the Open Division championship game at 5 pm on Saturday.

LINEBACKER - Chance Cauthen (Highland)

The Hawks continue to put on the defensive clamps giving up just two touchdowns (their first two in the postseason) to Red Mountain in a 28-14 victory. Highland went through the entire month of November plus one game in December without surrendering three TDs in a game. Cauthen (5-11, 210) had a game-high 16 tackles with six of them solo. He also plays some running back (12 TDs this season) and gained a late first down to seal the game. The junior carries a 4.0 GPA.
Next Up: Highland (10-3) looks for its first conference championship in school history when the Hawks match up against Chaparral (9-4) for the 6A title this Saturday.

DEFENSIVE BACK - Antonio Martinez (Salpointe)

Midway through the third quarter, Salpointe had just taken a 16-14 lead. The Lancers gave themselves a cushion as Martinez, a senior cornerback, had tight coverage on his receiver. A short pass was thrown just a little inside and Martinez grabbed it and went 30 yards to the end zone untouched. Salpointe went on to win the game 29-17. Martinez also caught a pass in the game that went for 29 yards. The touchdown was his third of the year, but first on defense.
Next Up: Salpointe (11-2) goes for its first title since 2013 (vs. Chaparral) in the 5A Conference championship against Horizon (11-2) on Friday.

SPECIAL TEAMS - Javen Jacobs (Saguaro)

Hamilton began Saturday night's semifinal with a five-minute drive that resulted in a touchdown and a 7-0 advantage. That early lead lasted exactly 13 seconds as Jacobs brought the ensuing kickoff back 97 yards to tie it up. The senior caught a couple of passes for a total of 51 yards in the Sabercats' 31-24 upset of the top-seeded Huskies. For the year, Jacobs has nine rushing scores, a pair of receiving TDs, and two punt returns to the house. This was his first kickoff return for a score (and 14th TD) this season. With Jacobs as a weapon, Saguaro definitely has skills in all three phases of the game.
Next Up: Saguaro (11-1) will oppose Chandler (11-1) in the Open Division State Championship game at Sun Devil Stadium on Saturday night in Tempe.

TEAM - Saguaro

The Sabercats won six straight state championships from 2013-2018 (five 4A and one 5A). The Open Division concept was created because Chandler was dominating the 6A, Centennial doing the same at 5A, and Saguaro, likewise, at the 4A level when enrollment dictated what conference a school played at. SHS made it to the championship game in the first Open in 2019, defeated Hamilton and lost to Chandler 42-35. In 2020, a few cases of COVID-19 forced the Sabercats to drop out of the Open bracket on Thanksgiving morning. So, this has been a three-year climb to get to this point. When the Open playoffs began against Cactus, head coach Jason Mohns made a change at quarterback and Devon Dampier, a transfer from Pinnacle who had to sit the first five games, was at the controls. He rushed for three TDs in a 42-21 win over Cactus. They rode with Dampier again and the previously-unbeaten Huskies had no answer for him. Dampier ran the ball 16 times for 204 yards and threw just eight passes in a 31-24 victory. For the second straight game, he scored three touchdowns. On defense, Micah Lutu, who played his first two years at Chandler, had a pair of sacks and forced a fumble. The run defense was up to the task as Saguaro held the Huskies to 115 yards on the ground a week after Hamilton rolled up 331 against ALA-Queen Creek.
Next Up: Saguaro (11-1) will close the Arizona high school football season on Saturday night against Chandler (11-1).