Hamilton senior Marchiol named Arizona's Player of the Year
WEEKLY BLOG: 12/19/21
It was back in the first month of the pandemic in March of 2020 that then-sophomore Nicco Marchiol transferred from Regis Jesuit in the Denver area to Hamilton High School due to uncertainty of whether the Colorado schools would play. Two seasons later, he has finished his academic studies in Chandler and his varsity playing career with a slew of awards.
On Saturday afternoon in Scottsdale, at a ceremony put on by the Grand Canyon State Gridiron Club, Marchiol was announced as the recipient of this year's Ed Doherty Award.
The 6-3, 218-pound senior quarterback led the Huskies to an 11-1 record and the top seed in this year's Open Division tournament. Marchiol passed for 2,690 yards and 37 touchdowns (with just two interceptions) and rushed for 369 yards and six scores. He was named the 6A Premier Region Player of the Year by the league's coaches.
"This honestly means the world to me," Marchiol said. "It's called the Heisman of Arizona high school football. Knowing that, it also carries a heavy weight with some of the best high school players in Arizona football history."
In addition to the Ed Doherty Award, Marchiol has earned the state of Arizona's Gatorade Player of the Year, the Quarterback of the Year from the National Football Foundation, the Arizona Cardinals' Player of the Year, and the Offensive Player of the Year for Channel 12's Friday Night Fever.
Marchiol joins recent Ed Doherty Award winners Brock Purdy (2017), Bijan Robinson (2018 and 2019), and Ty Thompson (2020).
"Great leader," Hamilton head coach Michael Zdebski said. "Wonderful young man. I can't think of a more deserving person. He's a hard worker, very humble, and appreciates everything life has to offer him."
Earlier this week, Marchiol signed with West Virginia, where he was offered in April, went on an official visit in June, and committed later that month. He has graduated early and will be heading Northeast in two weeks.
"I think there's a whole level of excitement that comes with college football, especially in a place like Morgantown," Marchiol said. "We're going to pack it out every week."
Marchiol is the second player from Hamilton to win the Ed Doherty Award. He joins Cole Luke, who was one of six recipients of the award in 2012.
Prior to the announcement of the winner, the top five candidates were brought up to the stage. They were Javen Jacobs (WR-Saguaro), Angel Flores (QB-Casa Grande), Brayten Silbor (QB-Chaparral), and Richard Stallworth (QB-Yuma Catholic).
The award's namesake, Ed Doherty, was a football player and coach. He was the only person to serve in the head coaching position for both Arizona and Arizona State. In the high school football ranks, he was the head coach at St. Mary's (1965-1970) and Salpointe (1978-1982).
In addition to the announcement of the winner, the entire day was about the celebration of the 59 nominees, which were selected throughout the season by having one of the top weekly performances in the state. All levels and areas of the state were represented from Willcox in the south to Yuma out west along with Mohave Valley and Flagstaff up north. While most of the medallion winners were offensive players, there was representation on the defensive side of the ball and along the offensive line. A total of 47 different schools were represented as the nominees were individually announced entering the ballroom.
Prior to the start of the luncheon, a Green Room was set up where media members were able to interview the finalists. A total of 52 of the 59 nominees were in attendance and I had a chance to talk with a few of them.
"I'm pretty honored," Liberty running back Zach Wallace said. "It's cool to see the people start to notice the work they've put in and watch it all start to unfold in front of you."
Wallace, a junior, played in the Open Division tournament for the second straight year. He earned his medallion in Week 3 with 19 carries for 110 yards and three touchdowns. One of those was the game winner in a 41-38 triple overtime win over rival Sunrise Mountain.
"I remember we were down at the half and I told the team 'Don't stress it, we'll come out of it.'," Wallace said. "We came out and ran the rock really good and got it rolling again."
Empire running back/linebacker Jake Lambert was a medallion winner in Week 9 doing work on both sides of the ball in a 27-7 win at Amphitheater. Lambert rushed for 216 yards on 33 carries and scored two touchdowns. On defense, he had a team-high 10 tackles (8 solo), three tackles for a loss and a sack. So which side of the ball does the senior like playing on more?
"I like linebacker more, because you get to go hit someone," Lambert said. "They have to get up again and do another play against me and now, they have that fear."
In 2019, Empire, located in Tucson, finished 1-9. Last year, the Ravens were only able to play one game. In '21 with Lambert rushing for 1,042 yards and leading the team with 158 tackles, Empire ended up at 5-6.
"It's great getting to know (the other finalists) and just seeing that we all have something in common," Lambert said. "We love football."
Basha sophomore quarterback Demond Williams Jr. was a medallion winner for the second straight year. He led the Bears to a perfect 10-0 regular season and a spot in the Open Division tournament. Williams Jr. was selected following a Week 7 Thursday night game against Mountain Pointe. He accounted for four touchdowns (three passing and one rushing) in a 48-21 victory over Mountain Pointe.
Williams Jr. had two games this year with over 300 passing yards and rushed for a touchdown in 10 of the Bears' 11 games. He said he prefers throwing for 300 yards over showcasing his running ability. He picked out a couple of opponents that put up the biggest challenge to the BHS offense.
"Highland's defense was so complicated," Williams Jr. said. "So was Liberty. It's a three-safety look and something we don't usually get."
Basha could be primed for another big year in 2022. Of the players that logged the bulk of the playing time, only four players were seniors.
Blaine Hipa transferred to Chandler from Hawaii, where he didn't have a junior season (the state did not play in 2020). He won what started as a six-person battle for the quarterback position in spring ball and held it throughout the year. In Week 4 against Liberty, Hipa earned his medallion with a 361-yard passing effort (27-of-39) and three touchdown passes. The Wolves broke the game open in the second half after it was tied 21-21 at the break.
"It means a lot because we put a lot of work in and it's good to be recognized as a good player," Hipa said.
It was on his first day there that he learned about the Battle for Arizona Avenue against Hamilton. In this year's rivalry matchup, Hipa threw two first-quarter touchdown passes, but Hamilton ended up winning 21-14.
Three other individuals were honored during the ceremony.
Davian Miranda Carrasco, a senior linebacker at Salpointe, was the recipient of the Impact Award. Among the things he has done for his community are preparing, serving, and volunteering for the Tucson Boys and Girls Club Thanksgiving event, working with Casa Maria to feed and clothe the homeless, and a Back to School challenge with his teammates shopping for backpacks, clothes, and shoes for students in need. He carries a 4.1 GPA and intends to pursue a college degree in Business Management.
Gerald Hancock was inducted into the Arizona High School Officials Hall of Fame for his contributions to the game since the 1970s.
Don Kile was awarded the Contributor to the Game from the Arizona Interscholastic Association. He established the Grand Canyon Gridiron Club and brought back the Ed Doherty Award in 2017 after a five-year hiatus. Kile also took over the Quarterback Club which awards high school players nationally. He has been involved with the National Quarterback Hall of Fame for professional players as well. Kile reminded the student-athletes to plan ahead and be prepared so they're always ready.
"You can't wear a shirt while you're still wearing it," Kile said.
Reach Chris Eaton at gridironarizona@yahoo.com or DM at @gridironarizona with story ideas.
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