Whether it's 11's or 7's, Chandler continues to take trophies
WEEKLY BLOG: 5/30/21
In another sign of things returning to the way they once were, 30 schools brought a total of 32 varsity teams to the Fear Farm Sports Complex in the West Valley on Saturday. Many fans brought their lawn chairs to take in the action on a day that started with temperatures in the low 80's and gradually crept to the century mark.
It was something welcomed by the players and coaches as a year ago at this time, interactions with other schools weren't allowed and while some teams were able to hold light practices, the opportunity for a test against fellow competitors from other schools just wasn't there.
The Memorial Day weekend marks the start of about a month-long period of 7-on-7 tournaments for skill players and big man challenges for linemen. While scores are kept and teams are seeded into brackets and advance, it's a time for coaches to evaluate their personnel under a different environment than your typical afternoon practice.
This tournament at Fear Farm was run by the Gotta Believe Athletic Club and headed up by Mesa head coach Chad DeGrenier. It was the eighth year for the tournament, which routinely brings in many of the top teams in the Valley. For the first time, it was held out in the West Valley rather than Scottsdale.
"I've been out here before," DeGrenier said. "They do a great job. The fields are flat. People are able to move around and get to the next game. I'm glad all the high schools are here to compete."
For those that may not be familiar, 7-on-7 features a quarterback, a center (who only tosses the ball to the QB and is not eligible), and five receivers. Defensively, there is no pass rush and teams can use any combination of linebackers and defensive backs. Games were played with a 25-minute running clock (no timeouts) and drives began at the 40-yard line. Teams had three downs to reach the 25, three downs to make it to the 10, and three downs after that to score. Touchdowns were worth six with the option for the teams to take a free point for 7 or go for two from the 10-yard line and make it an 8-point drive (missing it resulted in scoring just 6). The defense could pick up two points (and possession of the ball) with an interception. Runs, reverses, and double passes are not part of the play calling.
Helmets and pads are still disallowed by the AIA until the end of July when schools begin their last stretch of training before the season. Because of this, tackling is not allowed. It's simply one-hand touch. Many schools use soft-shell helmets to help limit injuries. To simulate a pass rush, quarterbacks had four seconds to get a pass off, otherwise they were considered "sacked" and it was a loss of down. There's very little huddling and plays are called rapidly. Defenders were allowed to jam receivers at the line of scrimmage. To assist in the calling of plays, each team had a coach behind the line of scrimmage to give verbiage for what play he wanted. In addition to the coach, some teams had reserve offensive players behind the line of scrimmage to make quick substitutions.
Of the 30 schools in the passing competition, 18 were from the 6A Conference, seven from the 5A, and five from the 4A. Both of last year's 6A finalists (Chaparral and Highland) were there as well as five of the eight Open Division teams from 2020 (Chandler, Hamilton, Saguaro, Centennial, and Liberty). Chandler and Hamilton each brought two squads (an A and a B team). Teams were placed in four-team divisions for three games of pool play. After that, the teams were seeded from 1 to 32 based on the results of those games. A single-elimination bracket determined the winner. This event was solely a passing tournament (no big man competition).
With 12 fields in use and games going on simultaneously, a lot is happening and it's impossible to see everything. In six hours of being out there, I saw 10 games involving 16 different teams (so half the field). Here's a spin around taking a look at seven of the schools that I saw:
Casteel
LAST YEAR: In its first year at the 6A level, Casteel finished 5-4 and was the No. 5 seed in the playoffs. The season started with some thrilling close games as the 'Cardiac' Colts rallied for one-point victories against Boulder Creek and Higley before edging a Queen Creek team that also came in at 2-0. Casteel finished the regular season with Fiesta Region wins over Desert Ridge and Red Mountain to make the eight-team playoff field. The Colts' wins came by 1, 1, 1, 5, and 7 points.
RETURNING OFFENSIVE SKILL PLAYER: RB AJ Murphy (161 rushing yards, 139 receiving yards)
SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN 2021: A new group of seniors. The ability to compete during the summer.
TALKING TO THE COACH: Head coach Bobby Newcombe has a new quarterback as last year's starter, Dane Christensen, will be heading to South Africa for a church mission and then he'll be on to BYU. I've heard a lot about Landon Jury the past two seasons and this summer marks the beginning of his turn as the starting QB. "Landon Jury is phenomenal in every way shape and form," Newcombe said.
Newcombe was also pleased with turnout and vibe at the recently completed spring practices. "Great energy. Great excitement. Great attendance. Kids absorbing the learning and really enjoying playing football," he said.
When asked about the team's goal for the day, it was about becoming one unit. "Communicate and build some team unity. Just be out here together and win, lose, or draw, enjoy ourselves today," Newcombe said.
IN THE TOURNAMENT: I saw Casteel play in its first game of pool play bright and early at 8:30 a.m. Jury passed for four touchdowns and an interception made the difference in a 30-28 win over Desert Vista. The Colts finished 1-3 overall and were knocked out in the first round of the bracket by Cactus.
Higley
LAST YEAR: Also in its first year at the 6A level, Higley finished 4-5 and while the Knights didn't make the playoffs (finished with a ranking of 12), they did play in and win the Inaugural Chilly Bowl. In a game put on by Arizona Varsity's own Chilly, Higley destroyed Mountain Ridge, 50-14. Despite the losing record, HHS was very close. The Knights had one-point losses to Casteel and Williams Field and played Hamilton tough, falling 42-36. For the 2021 season, Higley and Casteel will switch regions with the Knights moving to the Fiesta and the Colts going to the Premier.
RETURNING OFFENSIVE SKILL PLAYERS: RB Colton Allen (281 rushing yards, 2 TDs); WR Carter Hancock (549 receiving yards, 4 TDs)
SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN 2021: Not a big 'star' on the team. This is a squad that will have to play together and believe in one another.
TALKING TO THE COACH: Head coach Eddy Zubey is excited about the return of wide receiver Aidan Garcia. He suffered an injury in the Knights' first game that cost him his junior year. Garcia is back now, and ran track for Higley. He competed in the 200 and 400. His 4x400 relay team qualified for the state meet. "We really missed his downfield presence last year," Zubey said.
From 2016-18, Higley had playoff runs to the semifinals in both the 4A (2016-17) and in the 5A (2018). Despite losing quarterback Kai Millner to graduation (and Cal), the expectations don't change. "We want to make it to the Open and make a run at it. In the summer, our goal is to become closer as a team and execute better," Zubey said.
Cash Merrell was the JV quarterback for the Knights last year as a sophomore. Higley's plan at the event was to ride with him as he gains experience with every rep. "(Our goal today is) to go as long as we can," Zubey said. "Cash Merrell is the only QB we have out here. As long as he improves every game, we will be better over the summer."
IN THE TOURNAMENT: I saw Higley in pool play against Apollo in the morning. Merrell had four touchdown passes in a 30-21 win for the Knights. With the score tied and Apollo getting close to taking the lead, David Constantini intercepted a pass to put Higley on top. On defense, Nijrell Eason is one to watch. Eason played on varsity as a freshman and had three interceptions. The Knights went 2-2 overall, were seeded 12th, and were eliminated in the first round of the bracket by Highland.
Gilbert
LAST YEAR: Coming off a playoff appearance in 2019, Gilbert finished 3-5 in 2020. The Tigers play in the loaded San Tan Region with Horizon, Notre Dame, Campo Verde, and Saguaro. The Tigers welcomed in senior transfer Gavin Goulette for the last four games. That included a memorable 47-46 shootout loss against the eventual 4A champion Mesquite. Another close loss came against Mesa as the Jackrabbits scored a late fourth-quarter touchdown in a 21-14 loss for the Tigers.
RETURNING OFFENSIVE SKILL PLAYERS: QB Sean Fogel (113 yards, 2 TDs); RB Cooper Zellner (246 rushing yards, 2 TDs, 135 receiving yards); WR Tylon Thompson (209 receiving yards, 1 TD)
SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN 2021: Lost 28 seniors, but had a lot of sophomores from last year's roster that got playing time. Kids took weight room to heart this offseason. There is optimism with the junior class. A new defensive coordinator in Quenton Maag.
TALKING TO THE COACH: Head coach Derek Zellner discussed several players that stood out for the Tigers on Saturday. Wide receiver Carter Dickie, safety Cooper Zellner, receiver Tylon Thompson were mentioned along with Noah Narain and Stephen Schenk. Schenk just finished his freshman year. "We're all a team and we don't know who's going to make a play," Zellner said. "We just say 'Everybody has an opportunity to make a play'."
The Tigers do have to replace a pair of linebackers that each had 100 tackles, but have depth in the secondary. "We do have a lot coming back," Zellner said. "A lot of the back end guys are coming back. We're very confident in where we're heading."
For Saturday's event, Zellner was relishing the teaching moments for his team. "Camaraderie, fight, executing, and team. What we're trying to do on offense and defense."
IN THE TOURNAMENT: I saw Gilbert play its best defensive game of the day to round out pool play. The Tigers allowed just one touchdown in a 23-9 victory over Valley Vista. The Tigers finished 2-2 overall, were seeded No. 13, and were knocked out of the bracket by ALA-Queen Creek in the first round.
Mesa
LAST YEAR: Mesa started out 2-1, but hit a tough portion of the schedule in the middle (Corona del Sol, Desert Edge, and Basha in succession). The Jackrabbits finished the year with a tough 36-35 loss to district rival Westwood, which cost them a chance at .500. Mesa ended up at 3-5 in head coach Chad DeGrenier's first season with the team.
RETURNING OFFENSIVE SKILL PLAYERS: RB Craig Montgomery (711 rushing yards, 7 TDs); WR Josh Irish (471 receiving yards, 5 TDs); WR Tre Brown (295 receiving yards, 3 TDs)
SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN 2021: The chance for DeGrenier to work with the team. Getting to compete in tournaments, including winning a bracket game. Kids working in the weight room.
TALKING TO THE COACH: DeGrenier praised wide receiver Etwood Williams, who made a big catch. Williams mostly played defense for MHS last year. He also said Brown did a great job and pointed out the importance of an interception by Manny Pino, who will be a junior last year. "That two points is the difference," DeGrenier said.
The transition to being a new head coach in 2020 was a tough one with the restrictions on practices and being forced to "meet" your team via Zoom calls. Having the offseason back to normal, has DeGrenier feeling enthusiastic. "Just being able to see the kids every day. Work with them and in tournaments to watch them compete."
Doing something over and over again leads to being able to improve whether it is the simple act of throwing and catching, running routes, or knowing what your defensive assignment is. Being in tournaments like this helps drive that. "If we compete and get better every rep, I'm pleased as can be," DeGrenier said.
IN THE TOURNAMENT: Mesa went 2-0-1 in pool play and was the No. 6 seed. I saw them in the first round of the bracket against Centennial. As DeGrenier referenced above, an interception by Pino was indeed the difference in a 9-7 victory for the Jackrabbits. It's been a while since MHS won a bracket game in a summer tournament setting. Cy Schmaltz was the team's quarterback. Mesa would finish at 3-1-1 as it was eliminated in the next round by Liberty.
Saguaro
LAST YEAR: Coming off an appearance in the Open finals in 2019, the Sabercats had to navigate around a schedule filled with reschedules or cancellations from opponents dealing with COVID-19 issues. Two games were canceled and not rescheduled, one game was canceled and later rescheduled, and another contest was set up just 24 hours before kickoff. Saguaro finished the eight-week schedule at 5-1 with the lone loss coming in a nationally televised game against Hamilton (13-7). A human committee voted SHS into the Open Division field (the computer formula used in 2019 would have had the Sabercats in the 5A bracket). However, Saguaro had to pull out of the tournament on Thanksgiving morning due to a few COVID-19 cases on its own team. On the field, in the Sabercats' final two games (against Horizon and Gilbert), they outscored their opposition 83-0.
RETURNING OFFENSIVE SKILL PLAYERS: QB Ridge Docekal (916 yards, 7 TDs); RB Javen Jacobs (290 rushing yards, 1 TD; 392 receiving yards, 4 TDs)
SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN 2021: Depth of talent is spread out. Team plans to only play guys one-way rather than both in the past. Talent is distributed among the sophomore, junior, and senior classes.
TALKING TO THE COACH: Head coach Jason Mohns said the team was without a few of its regular starters on Saturday, so Junius Marsh was playing cornerback. The Class of '22 athlete is normally a wide receiver and will play there during the season but has versatility. "He's really a recruitable guy on both sides of the ball," Mohns said. "He's had a heck of a day on defense."
We're still more than three months away from the regular season and Mohns acknowledged that his team is a little out shape compared to what he is used to over his nine years as the head coach. But, there was a bigger purpose in mind. "We sacrificed our normal offseason of winter conditioning to spend extra time on our install and scheme," he said. "We have to play catch-up there. I want to see a little more of the competitive edge."
Some teams have special plays they use just for 7-on-7 competitions. While there are fewer players on the field compared to a Friday night in the fall, Saguaro tries to emulate those conditions as much as possible. "We run our stuff," Mohns said. "We have three linebackers on the field. We have a tight end on the field. We have a running back on the field. We're just trying to get better at our scheme."
Mohns said there is not a direct correlation from summer tournament success to claiming gold balls in December. He said the team won four or five state titles in a row without claiming any summer trophies. "We want to compete," he said. "We want to face some adversity and see how they respond. When you put guys in a competition situation, we want to see how they show up."
IN THE TOURNAMENT: Saguaro went 2-0-1 in pool play and defeated Seton Catholic and Highland in the first two rounds of the bracket. I watched the team grind out a 14-7 victory over Hamilton's B team in the quarterfinals. The defense responded after giving up an early touchdown on the Huskies' first possession. Saguaro's run ended in the semifinals against Chandler and it ended up 5-1-1 on the day.
Chaparral
LAST YEAR: Unlike Saguaro, Chaparral faced it's bout with COVID-19 at the start of the season. Just days before the opener, the team had to shut it down for two full weeks. Without enough time to prep for Week 3, the Firebirds were forced to sit that one out as well. That left just a five-week season and Chaparral scored an impressive 53-36 win over Casteel in the middle of a 2-2 start. With the playoffs on the line against Pinnacle in the finale, Chaparral delivered with a 52-10 home thumping. Despite being the No. 7 seed, the Firebirds swept the 6A Conference playoffs defeating Queen Creek and O'Connor on the road before turning back Highland in the final for the school's first title since 2011.
RETURNING OFFENSIVE SKILL PLAYERS: QB Brayten Silbor (2,348 yards, 18 TDs plus 4 rushing TDs); WR Gavin Higley (141 receiving yards)
SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN 2021: There is a jolt of confidence coming off of the championship season. Have to stay where they're at and continue to build at what needs to be worked on. Some players that were on the cusp on playing time in 2020 will have a chance to step up into those starting positions this fall.
TALKING TO THE COACH: Head coach Brent Barnes had plenty of players to give a shout-out to following the team's first game that I watched at 9 a.m. (a 32-14 win over ALA-Queen Creek). CJ Eastwood had an interception. Cody Judge, who just finished his sophomore year, didn't play much on varsity last year, but is making the most of his future. "Now, he's one of our leading guys at the X receiver and probably our fastest guy on the team," Barnes said. Barnes likes how Higley has got bigger and faster. He will be moving from tight end to the H-position. Running back Grady Hickey was hurt in the Firebirds' first game last year, but is back and made plays all day. Receiver Jamarei Ashby-Phan adds to the depth at the receiver position.
Another player that stood out was Anthony Lucas, who you wouldn't expect to see on the field on a summer Saturday. Lucas, who is 6-5 and 280 pounds, is a defensive tackle. One of the top players nationally in the Class of '22, Lucas has narrowed his list of 25 offers down to a top 10. He has long arms, big hands, and the love of playing football. He played tight end shifting in and out of the offensive formation. "He'll do that in the fall too," Barnes said. "He's gotten more athletic and can run a little better."
While the goal for Chaparral isn't to collect summer trophies, the team was focused on itself and feels it can be competitive against any team. That would prove prescient as the day went on. "We want to play well," Barnes said. "If they're going to keep score, we're not going to shy away from it. No matter who we match up with, we feel we have a chance to compete and win a game."
IN THE TOURNAMENT: Chaparral went a perfect 3-0 in pool play and was the No. 3 seed. With the way the staggered-time bracket was laid out and based on the opponents of the Firebirds (who I had not previously seen) and teams playing opposite of them, I saw CHS play four times during the day. That was after the first game of pool play, and again in the quarters, semis, and finals. To get to the end, Chaparral defeated Liberty 23-14 in a game that featured an interception by Jacob Franze with the score tied. That was followed by a 28-14 win over Hamilton's A team. It set up a championship showdown with Chandler's A team.
Chandler
LAST YEAR: Chandler claimed its fifth consecutive state championship (and second straight Open title) with a perfect 10-0 season. In the first eight games, the Wolves defeated every team by 20 or more points (average margin: 41 points). What would happen if Chandler had to play a close game? We found out in the last two as the Wolves made a stop on defense on a two-point conversion in overtime for a 35-34 win over Liberty in the semifinals. Then, in the finals, Chandler kept rival Hamilton out of the end zone on its final drive and forced a field goal attempt into a stiff wind. The kick sailed wide and the celebration ensued on the Chandler side of the field with a 23-21 win.
RETURNING OFFENSIVE SKILL PLAYERS: RB Jeremiah Moore (361 rushing yards, 3 TDs), WR Kyion Grayes (556 receiving yards, 10 TDs), WR Quaron Adams (361 receiving yards)
SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN 2021: New people. Finding a new quarterback. The opportunity to play football in the summer again.
TALKING TO THE COACH: Grayes is an Ohio State commit and head coach Rick Garretson said he continues to stand out.
Much of the attention is focused on who will be getting the ball to Grayes and the other playmakers. It started with a battle of six players for the position. On Saturday, three of them played QB for the Wolves. Blaine Hipa, a senior that moved to Arizona from Honolulu, Ethan Moore, a senior from San Diego, who did not have a fall season last year, and KJ Cooper, a senior that played a limited season in El Paso, all played during a bracket game against Westwood. Hipa, a left hander, has offers from Hawaii and Tennessee and played the entire way in the championship game.
While some teams get an extra boost by playing in a tournament with many other schools, the intensity doesn't change for the Wolves. "We have energy every day," Garretson said. "We compete with ourselves and it's a high energy level.
When asked what the team's goal was in making the journey west on a Saturday morning, Garretson was focused on the big picture. "State Championship," he said. As I started to walk away, he quickly got my attention and amended it. "Open Division Championship."
IN THE TOURNAMENT: Chandler went 3-0 in pool play and was the top seed in the bracket. I took in the Wolves' first game of the bracket portion, which was a 29-2 win over Westwood. Chandler failed to score on its first two drives and trailed 2-0 with the Warriors threatening to go up by 9. After that, it was all Wolves. Wins over Verrado, Basha, and Saguaro followed to set up the championship meeting with Chaparral. Hipa hit Destin Johnson with a touchdown pass to take a 21-14 lead. The Firebirds battled back and scored a TD of their own very late in the timed contest. With so little time left (and a running clock), Chaparral opted to go for two and the win. The Firebirds initially scored, but the play was flagged due to an illegal block. Chaparral backed it up and tried again, but the pass was intercepted by Franky Morales to preserve the 21-20 tournament victory.
