Cesar Chavez DE Holmes chases down ball carriers
STAT BLOG: 11/11/20
This is a weekly article in which we look back at eight different categories from last Friday and find a 5A or 6A standout performer for each. The name isn't that complex, we just call it "8 Shining Stars".
QUARTERBACK - Adryan Lara (Desert Edge)
The 6-2, 200-pound senior signal caller continued his outstanding season with the Scorpions. For the second time this year, Lara had at least four touchdown passes. He posted a season-high 364 yards as Desert Edge won a key West I Region showdown with Sunrise Mountain, 26-23. Andrew Patterson caught eight passes and had more than half of the receiving yardage with a total of 213. In addition to a pair of scores from Patterson, Richard Kulik and D'Hayven Valentine each caught touchdown passes. DEHS is now 6-0 for the first time since 2016, when it started the year winning nine straight.
Next Up: Desert Edge (6-0) stays in Goodyear for a short road game at Millennium (0-4) this Friday.
RUNNING BACK - Caleb Jones (Basha)
The 5-9, 205-pound senior had a memorable night in a victory for the Bears. Jones touched the ball just 11 times, but came away with six touchdowns in Basha's 56-24 win at Mesa. On the ground, Jones had 10 carries for 140 yards and scored five TDs. He also was on the receiving end of a 40-yard touchdown pass from freshman Demond Williams Jr. The Bears have won four straight and take a winning record into this week's matchup versus an undefeated team.
Next Up: Basha (4-2) is on the road in Mesa against Mountain View (6-0) this Friday.
WIDE RECEIVER - Elijah Barclay (Salpointe)
The 6-2, 180-pound speedy receiver was the key factor in the passing game during the Lancers' 38-21 victory over Mountain Ridge. Barclay caught seven passes for 125 yards with four of them resulting in touchdowns. He's developing a chemistry with quarterback Treyson Bourguet after transferring to the Tucson area from Mater Dei in California. Bourguet took advantage of incoming blitzes by getting the ball to Barclay before the safety had time to get over. Added to their already-strong run game, it's a lethal combination on offense.
Next Up: Salpointe (4-0) is on the road at Marana Mountain View (0-0) this Friday.
DEFENSIVE LINE - Jacob Holmes (Cesar Chavez)
The junior defensive tackle had a game-high 14 tackles as the Champions gave Higley all it could handle. Despite a 20-17 loss, Cesar Chavez showed it could compete with a strong team from the East Valley while playing just its second game of the season. Holmes (6-4, 285) was part of a defense that had three sacks (two by Holmes) along with a pair of interceptions. Five of his tackles came behind the line of scrimmage. CCHS was looking for a game earlier this week and it found one.
Next Up: Cesar Chavez (1-1) is on the road in Vail against Cienega (2-0) this Friday.
LINEBACKER - Jacob Steward (Cactus Shadows)
The 6-foot, 185-pound junior kept the Falcons rolling with a fourth straight win, 33-0 over Agua Fria. On the night, Steward had a team-high 10 tackles and recovered a fumble. The win last Friday was the second shutout for CSHS this season. League play finishes for Cactus Shadows this week and it's a big one.
Next Up: Cactus Shadows (4-0) is on the road in Scottsdale against Desert Mountain (3-1) this Friday.
DEFENSIVE BACK - Mister Chavis (Maricopa)
The Rams ended a four-game losing streak with an 18-6 victory at Marana. Chavis, a senior who plays on both sides of the ball for Maricopa, intercepted a pass and brought it back 65 yards for a touchdown. He finished with nine tackles on defense. On offense, Chavis had 20 carries for 76 yards and scored two touchdowns. He even made an appearance on special teams with a block on a field goal.
Next Up: Maricopa (2-4) is on the road at Gilbert (2-4) this Friday.
SPECIAL TEAMS - Donovan Williams (Willow Canyon)
Willow Canyon went on a long road trip to Vista Grande and put up 49 points in the first half. Williams helped the Wildcat offense get in good field position with his skills as a punt returner. He had five returns for a total of 85 yards. Included in that was a 57-yard runback for a touchdown. On offense, Williams, a wide receiver, had one TD rushing and another receiving. In all, he totaled 170 all-purpose yards as the Wildcats got back on the winning side of the ledger.
Next Up: Willow Canyon (4-2) is on the road in North Phoenix at O'Connor (3-3).
TEAM - Verrado
The Vipers were coming off a 21-12 loss to Cactus Shadows that saw its ground game limited to 73 yards. With a 4-1 Ironwood team making the trip to Buckeye, Verrado needed to rise to the challenge. And it did. VHS posted 632 yards of offense and defeated the Eagles in a shootout, 60-46. Leading the way was San Diego-commit Logan Gingg, who posted monster numbers of 46 carries for 385 yards and six touchdowns. Cutter Briscoe threw a TD pass to Trey Nelson and also scored another time on a keeper. The Vipers, coached by Shawn Copeland, went for two after all of their eight touchdowns and were successful on six of those. Playing another strong offense this week, Verrado may need to hit a high number once again.
Next Up: Verrado (3-2) is on the road in Peoria at Sunrise Mountain (4-2) this Friday.
