WEEKLY BLOG: 7/13/24

It was the fourth edition of the Just Chilly Flight Club 7-on-7 passing tournament and Big Man competition out at Copper Sky Regional Park in Maricopa on Saturday night, June 22. Once again, it featured a mini play-in tournament five days before the big event for the last of the coveted spots.

Other competitions during the month of June were held in the West Valley, Arizona State University (Tempe), University of Arizona (Tucson), Northern Arizona University (Flagstaff), and several other points in the state. Flight Club was the largest field with 40 teams (37 schools) in the passing tournament with most of them also fielding squads in the big man challenge.

The competitions with other schools are welcomed as teams practiced just amongst themselves during Spring Ball, even if they attended one of the many showcase events in May. It's always exciting to go against someone wearing a different color jersey than yours. While scores were kept, and teams were seeded and advanced throughout the bracket, it was a chance for coaches to evaluate how their players performed when asked to compete.

This tournament was put on by Arizona Varsity's own, Chilly, who invited the schools and began preparations for the event shortly after the season concluded in December. With 10 fields for 7-on-7 games and an area adjacent to that for the big man challenge, there was a lot going on. The site worked for the amount of teams there and there were plenty of food trucks to feed the masses.

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 (seven defenders). Games were played with a 20-minute running clock with no timeouts (25 minutes during bracket play) 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 seven with no conversion attempts. The defense could pick up three points (and possession of the ball) with an interception. Runs, reverses, and double passes are not part of the play calling.

In a Monday, five-team play-in tournament, Trevor Browne won the group and the coveted 40th spot in the field.

Helmets and pads are still disallowed by the AIA until the first week of August when schools begin their last stretch of training before the season. Because of this, tackling is not allowed. It's simply one-hand touch. Some 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. Teams had 30 seconds to get each play off once the ball was spotted. 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 a couple reserve offensive players behind the line of scrimmage to make quick substitutions.

The Big Man competition featured a tire flip, a sled push, an obstacle course, tug of war, and one-on-one battles. Points were awarded for the first four events with the teams then seeded bracket style for the one-on-one event. In that phase, each school got 20 reps against one another with 10 on offense and 10 on defense. Defenders had to tag the tackling dummy while offensive linemen had to hold their ground for a few seconds and prevent them from getting there. Basha offensive line coach Tim Kelly ran the big man event. Helping out with the both the linemen and the skill players all night were some Arizona HS football alums who are current college students. Myles Amey (Higley/Arizona State), Coben Bourguet (Salpointe/Arizona State), Trenton Bourguet (Marana/Arizona State), Christian Madoski (Mountain Ridge/Arizona), Grayson Stovall (Hamilton/Arizona), AJ Dutchover (Highland/Southern Utah), Treyson Bourguet (Salpointe/BYU), Navi Bruzon (Liberty/Arizona State), and Cole Martin (Basha/Arizona State) kept things running smoothly and lent their expertise to the next group of future college players.

New this year was a girls' flag football event. The sport officially became recognized by the AIA last season and eight schools were at Dobson HS on a hot Friday night (June 21) to face off in 7-on-7 competition. Marana took home the first girls' championship belt after defeating Tolleson in the title game. Expect this event to take off next year with more advance notice, more girls' teams playing the sport, and interest in the event building!

There were 37 different schools in the boys' passing competition on Saturday as three schools fielded a second team consisting of freshmen and sophomores. With 10 fields in use simultaneously plus the big man area, a lot was happening and it's impossible to see everything. In seven-plus hours of being out there (the champion was crowned at around 11:15), I saw nine games involving 14 different teams (just over a third of the field), plus a 90-minute stop at the lineman competition (and a meal at a food truck). Here's a look at 10 of the schools that I saw:

LAST YEAR: It was a rough 2023 season for the program starting in July when the Champions were at their team camp in Lakeside. A 15-year old player, Christopher Hampton, went missing and was found dead a day later at Show Low Lake in an accidental drowning. Head Coach William Chipley and the team's athletic director were both suspended in late July and resigned their positions in September. There was uncertainty whether the season could go on, but Cesar Chavez soldiered through under interim head coach William Burwell. The Champions began the year at 3-1, but lost each of their last six games by 24 or more points and finished at 3-7. It was the school's first losing regular season since 2014.

RETURNING OFFENSIVE SKILL PLAYERS: WR Peyton Stokes (404 receiving yards, 5 TDs); WR Nevin Reed (386 receiving yards, 1 TD)

SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN 2024: A new head coach. Chandler Hovik, who played at Cesar Chavez, was named to the position last December. After being at a smaller school with 5A Central, Hovik likes the depth that he has at CCHS. There is also a new quarterback with transfer Mason Penrod (a '27) from Camelback.

TALKING TO THE COACH: While these games and tournaments are merely exhibitions, Hovik said there is an element of importance to them. "We've got a serious cut of kid," Hovik said. "We want to have fun when we compete, but at the same time, we take it extremely serious."

When asked about the work the team has been putting in this offseason, it has come with the intent to reveal improvement when going against top-flight competition. "These guys have been champing at the bit to get out here," Hovik said. "They want to prove that they can play with everybody."

IN THE TOURNAMENT: I saw Cesar Chavez play in its first game of pool play at 4:30 p.m. Penrod played well, staking the Champions out to an early lead and they held off Eastmark, 28-14. CCHS went on finish 1-1-1 and then defeated Higley's freshmen/sophomores in its first bracket game. The Champions advanced to the quarterfinals with a wild 46-44 victory over Mountain Pointe. That brought a second meeting with Desert Edge. It was a hard-fought battle and Cesar Chavez was in a position to win the game in the final seconds, but was stopped about two yards short of the goal line in a 14-10 setback.

LAST YEAR: Centennial finished 9-1 in the regular season and shut four opponents out. The Coyotes made the Open Division playoffs for the fourth time in five years and advanced (in the Open) for the first time in the team's history. After a home win over Desert Mountain, Centennial knocked off defending state champion Basha in the semifinals. It set up an All-West Valley showdown for the Open title, but the Coyotes came up short against rival Liberty, 33-21. The Lions were the only team to defeat CeHS in 2023.

RETURNING OFFENSIVE SKILL PLAYERS: QB Kainan Manna (2,180 passing yards, 21 TD passes); RB Levi Johnson (400 rushing yards, 2 TDs)

SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN 2024: A pair of receiver transfers have come in with Nikko Boncore (1,214 yards and 15 TDs at Cactus) and Shamar Berryhill (1,392 yards, 19 TDs). The Coyotes also welcome incoming freshman Torrin Hill (TE/WR). He's 6-2, 195 and could make an early impact.

TALKING TO THE COACH: Centennial was without its seniors at the Flight Club event. They were on a senior retreat with head coach Richard Taylor. Offensive coordinator Kris Lee was coaching the team at Maricopa and said Manna, a junior, is doing a great job of leading the team in the offseason.

"This is a great group," Lee said. "The leadership is a lot better this year. They are very hard working. They're together and they don't argue with the coaches. The kids are coaching each other up."

IN THE TOURNAMENT: I saw Centennial in pool play against Dobson. The Coyotes got a battle from DHS before pulling out a 28-21 win. This was after beginning the evening with an impressive 28-25 victory against Red Mountain. Centennial ended up winning its group with a 3-0 record. In the bracket play, the Coyotes defeated Paradise Honors (38-17) before falling to Brophy in the second round, 31-19.

LAST YEAR: Basha returned to the Open Division playoffs for a third straight season. The Bears, who wore the target of defending state champs, went 10-2 overall, falling to Centennial in the semifinals. Basha lit up the scoreboard scoring at least 30 points in each of its 10 victories (40.3 ppg).

RETURNING OFFENSIVE SKILL PLAYERS: WR Gio Richardson (893 receiving yards, 10 TDs); WR Noah Roberts (276 receiving yards, 2 TDs)

SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN 2024: A new starting quarterback. Demond Williams Jr., who started from Game 1 as a freshman in 2020, is now at the University of Washington. In the tournament, the Bears mostly played Brodie Vehrs, a junior dual threat. Hayden Rodriguez played in the game I saw them in during pool play.

TALKING TO THE COACH: Head coach Chris McDonald was making the rounds overseeing the action and helping ensure things ran smoothly during Flight Club. I talked to new defensive coordinator Chenelle Jones, who has 27 years of college coaching experience, most recently at Garden City Community College.

Basha is still running a 4-2-5 on defense, but has made wholesale changes. "The expectations are to get through the day healthy and get back into camp learning our concepts," Jones said. "Vehrs has leadership. He's got control of the offense and a lot of respect from his teammates. They understand that they were passed the torch to continue success in the program and they are taking the challenge."

IN THE TOURNAMENT: Basha began the night with a 24-7 win over Desert Ridge and followed that up with a convincing 38-21 victory against ALA-Queen Creek. The Bears tied their final pool play game (vs. Notre Dame). BHS made a run in the bracket advancing to the semifinals, but was defeated late by Desert Edge, 24-17.

LAST YEAR: It was a turnaround season for Brophy in 2023 as the Broncos flipped around a 3-7 campaign in '22 into a 10-3 year and a trip to the 6A semifinals. After a midseason loss to Basha, Brophy College Prep ran the table in region play (4-0) and was the top seed in the 6A bracket. The Broncos scored at least 30 points in each of their three playoff games, but couldn't withstand a second-half rally from Red Mountain in a 36-35 overtime loss.

RETURNING OFFENSIVE SKILL PLAYERS: RB Harrison Chambers (822 rushing yards, 7 TDs); RB Carlos Estrada (617 rushing yards, 7 TDs); WR Christian Camarata (541 receiving yards, 4 TDs); WR Daylen Sharper (478 receiving yards, 4 TDs)

SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN 2024: More size on both sides of the line. Brophy has Division I commitments from Logan Powell (Wisconsin) and Anderson Kopp (Kansas). The Broncos also have D-I commits in the secondary with Cree Thomas (Notre Dame) and Dominic Mitchell (Kansas State).

TALKING TO THE COACH: Brophy's players attended summer school every day during the month of June and were hitting the end of a long month. "We're getting to the end of June," head coach Jason Jewell said. "Our kids are pretty gassed." Brophy attends a camp up north in Sedona with seniors and their fathers making the trip the first night with the rest of the team on the second day. "There's nothing football related," Jewell said. "Team building, hiking, volleyball, basketball, etc."

A former offensive lineman at Washington HS, Jewell likes the way this team is built from the line and then going outward. "If you look at us now, we look different in the trenches," Jewell said. "We look the part of a 6A football team this year."

IN THE TOURNAMENT: Brophy bounced back from a surprising loss to Camelback with a resounding 48-0 win over Verrado to finish out pool play. The Broncos then knocked Centennial out to reach the quarterfinals, but couldn't stop Higley in a 38-21 game.

LAST YEAR: Coconino returned to the playoffs after posting a losing record in 2022. The Panthers went 7-4 and gave undefeated Arcadia all it could handle in a 23-20 first-round defeat in the 4A bracket. It was all the more impressive in that head coach Gary Cook wasn't hired until mid-March of 2023.

RETURNING OFFENSIVE SKILL PLAYERS: QB Colton Buckingham (1,468 passing yards, 16 TDs; 366 rushing yards, 5 TDs); WR Noble Young-Blackgoat (585 receiving yards, 7 TDs).

SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN 2024: Staff and players are familiar with one another after getting a full offseason. A new running back will need to be found to make up for the loss of Bridger French, who rushed for 1,600 yards and 26 touchdowns in his senior year.

TALKING TO THE COACH: Coconino threw the ball more last season than it had in recent years and the Panthers return starter Buckingham. "He's reading better and the ball placement is much better," Cook said. "He shared time last year. This year, it will be just one (QB), hopefully."

The Panthers clicked midway through the season and reeled off four straight wins to make the postseason for the fourth time in five years. Much of the coaching staff remains, which isn't always a guarantee in high school football. "I only lost a couple guys," Cook said. "We were able to get our guys to know our system better."

IN THE TOURNAMENT: I watched Coconino finish off pool play with its second win of the evening to go 2-1. The wins over Peoria and Tolleson were significant. CHS made the trip south to Flight Club in 2021 and 2022, but went a combined 0-9. The first bracket win at the event will have to wait though, as Notre Dame turned back the Panthers, 24-14.

LAST YEAR: Mountain Pointe started the season off at 4-1, but then hit a tough stretch and lost three out of four. The Pride rebounded with a win over rival Desert Vista and battled Perry to the end in a 30-27 defeat in the first round of the 6A playoffs to end up at 6-5.

RETURNING OFFENSIVE SKILL PLAYERS: QB Robert Knorr (1,075 passing yards, 9 TDs); RB/WR Zeke Rodriguez (492 rushing yards, 321 receiving yards, 11 total TDs).

SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN 2024: The plethora (at least 25) of players that transferred to MPHS last season will be eligible for a full year in '24. More than 30 seniors in the program. A new running back transfer from Louisiana in Jamarlon Otis (1,769 yards, 18 TDs).

TALKING TO THE COACH: I popped in on the Big Man competition to see Mountain Pointe. They completed the tug of war and then I followed the Pride round by round in the one-on-ones. "I'm loving the intensity from our guys," offensive line coach Kenny Lacy said. "Looking to build off of what we did at ASU and U of A and continuing to build off of every rep."

It was an impressive run Mountain Pointe went on. The Pride defeated Desert Ridge (14-6) and proceeded to top Higley (13-7). The matchup with Queen Creek ended up going to an overtime as the teams were tied at 10. In a single rep, Jayden Berrios earned the clinching point. The string ended in the semifinals against Desert Edge, which had a lot of speed on the D-Line.

Among the linemen to watch at Mountain Pointe are senior Kaleb Jones (an Arizona commit), junior Charles Lott, junior Aaron Thomas, senior George Longoria, junior Tyrique Washington (a transfer from Saguaro), and senior Devin Johnson.

Lacy played both sides of the line for Mountain Pointe before moving on to start at UCLA. He's in his sixth year back coaching the Pride. "We're trying to be the toughest group on the field when we show up every day," he said. "I think my boys are stepping up. This team has been more player led. They're holding each other accountable."

IN THE TOURNAMENT: The 7-on-7 team for Mountain Pointe went 3-0 in pool play while allowing just five total touchdowns. The Pride advanced against Eastmark (35-14), but lost a high-scoring shootout with Cesar Chavez (46-44).

LAST YEAR: ALA-Queen Creek was moved up for the second straight year, this time from 5A to 6A, but returned to the Open Division playoffs for a third consecutive time after an 8-2 regular season. ALAQC rallied against Basha in the Open and the game was tied with two minutes remaining before the Bears ended the Patriots' season (38-31). All eight of the Patriots' victories came against teams that made the playoffs. The offense averaged 33 points per game and passed for 29 touchdowns.

RETURNING OFFENSIVE SKILL PLAYERS: RB Brandon Brown (336 rushing yards, 2 TDs); WR Boe Sparks (364 receiving yards, 3 TDs).

SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN 2024: A new head coach. Ty Detmer is now at ALA-Gilbert North and Rich Edwards, who coached the Patriots from 2012-2020, is back at the helm. The Patriots will also have a new starting quarterback as Enoch Watson headed out to a church mission and then will go to BYU.

TALKING TO THE COACH: ALA-Queen Creek won the big man competition, so I spoke with defensive line coach Travis Scott. "We've been getting after it," he said. "It started January 1. We started working on the little things."

With an enrollment of 1,126, ALA-Queen Creek is the smallest 6A school. As for what they worked on in practice to prepare, Scott said, "Hand placement, kick steps, pass sets. We also work on speed and agility." Of the events that are the most meaningful in a football game, Scott said the 1-on-1's are the closest, but it's teeter-tottered because the linemen all know it's a pass rush. "I love doing athletic drills because you're going to get knocked down and you have to get back up and fly to the ball."

TALKING TO A PLAYER: Offensive lineman Braden Chick was named the MVP in the Big Man competition. The 6-2, 285-pounder is heading into his junior season. When asked what he does in practice that helps him in these competitions, Chick said "Everything I've learned from my coaches. My moves and techniques. Not setting too far, not setting too wide." His favorite event was the tire flip as he loves the physicality and the strength that goes into it.

ALA-Queen Creek won't be taking anyone by surprise this time around. There's now an expectation that the Open is the place for the Patriots to go.

"We're dogs," Chick said. "We're going to come out and go hard again."

IN THE TOURNAMENT: ALA-Queen Creek went 1-1-1 in pool play and eked out a one-point win against Desert Ridge. The Patriots faced Saguaro in the first round of the bracket and lost 21-14. On Thursday, Aug. 29, ALAQC will meet Saguaro again - this time with pads on and linemen present as its season kicks off.

LAST YEAR: Notre Dame Prep started off 3-1, including a road win over St. Augustine in San Diego. But a difficult schedule proved to be too much to overcome. The Saints went 1-5 the rest of the way facing high-powered offenses on a weekly basis. Despite the 4-6 record (NDP's first losing season since 2014), enough power points were earned to give the Saints the No. 7 seed in the 5A bracket and a home game at Bemis Field. Notre Dame won that one against Sunnyslope before falling to Desert Edge in the quarterfinals.

RETURNING OFFENSIVE SKILL PLAYERS: WR Cooper Perry (1,190 receiving yards, 18 TDs); WR Dawson Dorward (243 receiving yards).

SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN 2024: A new starting quarterback. Noah Trigueros is heading to Dartmouth. His replacement is senior Dylan Rarden. Learning from what happened last year to change the win total.

TALKING TO THE COACH: Notre Dame head coach George Prelock liked what he saw out of Rarden. "Dylan did a great job," Prelock said. "He made some great reads and was distributing the ball. He's gotten progressively better every tournament."

There are 26 seniors on this year's team, a high number for the program. Prelock has been pleased with the turnout throughout the summer. "It's been great," he said. "I think this team is special. They've been close so many times that they know what it takes."

Bouncing back will be the mantra for the Saints, who will face the same six teams that defeated them last year - Desert Edge, Brophy, Horizon, Higley, ALA-Gilbert North, and Desert Mountain. "They're really bought in," Prelock said. "Last year was a difficult year. A lot of kids had their first losing season ever. Sometimes when things don't go your way, you learn more than when they do. They've taken that to heart in this offseason."

IN THE TOURNAMENT: Notre Dame had an odd 1-0-2 record in pool play, drawing with ALA-Queen Creek and Basha. The Saints then knocked out Coconino, edged Cactus by 3, and defeated a Salpointe team that hadn't lost a game all night. That gave Notre Dame a matchup with Higley in the semifinals. It was an exciting back and forth scorefest with the Knights prevailing 42-35. Facing high-caliber teams, it was a result NDP had to be optimistic with heading into a summer break.

LAST YEAR: After an opening loss to Centennial, Desert Edge rolled out seven straight wins, including one over Higley. The Scorpions were in contention for the Open until a loss to Cactus (33-27) and then entered the 5A bracket as the No. 2 seed. DEHS "edged" Horizon (18-15) to play in its first championship game since 2019. Following an epic comeback (and a controversial penalty), Desert Edge had a two-point attempt fall incomplete in a 42-41 defeat to Higley.

RETURNING OFFENSIVE SKILL PLAYERS: RB Aryon Thomas (599 rushing yards, 4 TDs); WR Julian Moncivaiz (290 receiving yards, 2 TDs).

SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN 2024: A new head coach as the Carter twins stepped down after the team was initially placed on probation from a social media post in regards to transferring. The probation was lifted and Henri MacArthur, who was the defensive backs coach, is the new head coach. There will also be a new quarterback as Hezekiah Millender has moved out of state.

TALKING TO THE COACH: MacArthur said the summer has gone injury free so far. Also, with all of the changeover, the returning players have been there consistently and been willing to work to sustain success. "It's been amazing," MacArthur said. "Anybody who we anticipated being a part of this program has been there every single day Monday through Thursday in the weight room."

With the departure of a two-year starting quarterback, a 1,000-yard rusher, and the team's top three receivers, there will be new players to step into those roles. Elijah Sherbin-Fox, a transfer from Saguaro, played quarterback during much of the tournament. "We don't have as many big names," MacArthur said. "But I think we're going to wake some people up. By the end of the year, you'll know their names."

One name that is known is cornerback Jamar Beal-Goines, a Texas A&M commit. He's an explosive athlete that has run a 10.43 in the 100 meters.

IN THE TOURNAMENT: Desert Edge won its pool at 3-0. The Scorpions had a knack for pulling out the close games taking two of those by a touchdown. In the bracket, DEHS won four more games - all by 4-7 points. Unfortunately for the Scorpions, in the "rematch" with Higley, a couple early interceptions opened up a 13-3 lead. Desert Edge rallied to get within three, but ultimately fell 37-10.

LAST YEAR: Higley claimed its second state championship in school history (and went back-to-back) by winning the 5A Conference title. The Knights started the season going 3-0, including a victory in Northern California against Clayton Valley. There were setbacks against Desert Edge (by 6 in overtime) and Horizon during an 8-2 season. The regular season was capped by a one-point win over rival Williams Field. HHS was the top seed in the 5A bracket and scored convincing wins over Ironwood Ridge, Millennium, and Apollo by a 193-40 count. In the championship game against Desert Edge, the Knights held a 42-13 lead in the third quarter and had to survive a furious comeback by the Scorpions. A broken up pass on a two-point conversion with no time left secured a 42-41 win.

RETURNING OFFENSIVE SKILL PLAYERS: QB Luke Haugo (527 passing yards, 10 TDs in two games played); QB Gunner Fagrell (3,084 passing yards, 33 TDs); WR Jaden Taylor (1,045 receiving yards, 16 TDs).

SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN 2024: The Knights will have a new starting running back. Daxen Hall, a two-year starter with 3,700 total rushing yards, has graduated. Head Coach Eddy Zubey said he's got three guys he thinks they'll be able to run through there. Jonathan Shively, a defensive lineman who had 37 tackles last season, will be playing some offensive line.

Having two healthy quarterbacks will also present a unique situation. During the tournament, Haugo and Fagrell went through pool play going two consecutive series each. Due to the team's success, they continued doing that during the knockout tournament. But can that work during a regular season? Haugo (an Arizona commit) had to sit the first five last year after transferring from North. He played in just two games due to injury and Fagrell flourished during his sophomore year and into the playoffs.

For the second straight year, Higley not only won Flight Club, but had a defensive player claim the MVP honors. Junior cornerback Justice Brathwaite, who had an interception in the final, won the MVP chain.

TALKING TO THE MVP: After a sophomore season that saw Brathwaite make 46 tackles and intercept four passes, his recruiting picked up with seven Division I offers between January and May.

"I felt like I've been getting stronger and bigger," Brathwaite said.

By playing a year of varsity football, he said the experience of that definitely helped this 7's season, one in which Higley also brought home trophies from Arizona State and Northern Arizona.

There is always the talk about 7-on-7 not being "real football". With the corner position that Brathwaite plays, the summer game replicates Friday nights in the fall pretty well.

"The competitive aspect is definitely there," he said.

The Knights will again enter the season with a confidence factor. Not just from what happened in Maricopa on a Saturday night, but from what the team accomplished over the summer and in the last two years.

"We're dangerous," Brathwaite said. "Every year, they have an excuse. They're gonna learn."

TALKING TO THE COACH: I watched Higley in its first game of pool play at 4 p.m. (a 35-7 win over Cactus Shadows). When asked after that game what the team's goal was, by night's end it had proven prophetic. "To win it," Zubey said. "To go back-to-back and win it."

He said there has been a great vibe during practices this spring and summer. "They've been really good," Zubey said. "We have a lot of returning guys, so the intensity has been there. We've been able to focus on details and technique."

Higley is already one of the faster teams in the state when it comes to tempo. With the number of games played, particularly in the knockout rounds with no breaks in between games, the Knights did have to slow some things down. Defensively, Zubey said the team's goal this year is "to be stout and hold teams under 17 points".

7's isn't just a gimmick where things will look radically different with linemen and pads for the Higley defense. "This is more of our third down defensive stuff," Zubey said. "We play defenses we actually play in 11-on-11."

IN THE TOURNAMENT: After the opening win, Higley scored pool play wins over Queen Creek (by 4) and Basha's freshmen/sophomores. Two opponents hung tough with the Knights in the brackets with Perry and Notre Dame each losing by just a touchdown. But in the end, HHS posted 30 or more points six times, including the championship game (37-10) over Desert Edge. In addition to Brathwaite, Ezy Brown had an interception and Drake Walton made a sensational catch for a score as Higley left no doubt. The history has shown that winners of Flight Club go on to win a trophy in December with Saguaro (2021) and Basha (2022) later claiming Open titles followed by Higley's 2023 5A championship. Will the trend continue in '24? We'll have to wait and find out, but the pieces are there for the Knights to put together another sensational season.

Reach Chris Eaton at gridironarizona@yahoo.com or DM at @gridironarizona with story ideas.