Big first half keys Hawks' return to 6A title game
WEEKLY BLOG: 12/3/21
Many felt the Highland Hawks deserved to play in the Open Division playoffs. Their only losses came to schools that reached the elite tournament. Instead, HHS was named the top seed in the 6A.
They could have got down about it and let it affect their play. But this team is on a mission.
Highland took care of business Friday, playing a solid all-around game in disposing of visiting Red Mountain, 28-14 in Gilbert to earn a trip to next weekend's 6A Conference Championship game.
The Hawks will be making their second appearance - in as many years - on Saturday at noon. They will travel to Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe to play Chaparral. It's the same school that defeated Highland in last year's 6A final, 24-14.
The culture began back at camp over the summer when the team worked on relationships with one another.
"Our whole athletics program has a whole thing about being an elite person," Highland head coach Brock Farrel said. "We want to be enthusiastic, have integrity, and play with toughness every day. The kids buy into it."
The Hawks (10-3) were led by dynamic senior quarterback Gage Dayley. He threw a pair of touchdown passes on 8-of-14 passing for 201 yards. Dayley also became Highland's all-time single-season passing leader with 2,260 yards this year surpassing Kaleb Herbert (2,257 yards in 2018).
Dayley did most of that damage in the first half and only attempted three passes in the second half. That's because the Hawks are balanced and got a strong performance from backup running back Carson Mullenaux. With usual starter Steven Trujillo banged up, Mullenaux was called upon, and delivered with 152 yards on 23 carries. Prior to Friday, his high game was 58 yards in the quarterfinals against Casteel.
Highland did all of its scoring - and all of the scoring - in the first half. Mullenaux got started early with 35 yards on the Hawks' opening drive (which went 85). The junior scored on an eight-yard run up the middle. Dayley followed that up with a laser of a pass, after a scramble, to Hunter Stewart for a 73-yard touchdown play.
"I dropped back," Dayley said of the long TD pass. "I felt the pocket start to collapse. I got out to a giant hole. I was going to run, but I saw a crease with Hunter. I put it on a rope, and he made a great play."
One thing that was noticeable in the first quarter was the ultra-quick tempo the Hawks were playing at. It turns out, they don't normally do that and there was a reason for it.
"We upped our tempo," Farrel said. "Tried to get plays off in eight or nine seconds. We thought with the way they call plays on defense, it lended more of an advantage to them if we were methodical."
In a couple games earlier this season, Red Mountain did just that and made adjustments based on formations with teams that played slower.
"These guys know that we're going to work our tails off and know the formation and get the best call in," Red Mountain head coach Mike Peterson said. "If they go fast, we've got to play base defense."
In the first quarter alone, Highland outgained the visitors, 205-64. The Hawks continued that theme in the second quarter.
Red Mountain forced the Hawks to a fourth-and-three from the Lions' 28-yard line. Highland went for it and Dayley found Matt Martinez for his 24th touchdown pass of the season.
Mullenaux went over the 100-yard mark in the first half and added another touchdown run before halftime.
He attributed his big night to preparation both in the film room and on the field during the week.
"Hard work in practice," Mullenaux said. "A lot of film. We saw a weakness in the defensive line and we used it to our advantage."
His head coach also believed he could get the job done as Next Man Up.
"Carson was ready," Farrel said. "He's like a bull in a china shop. He gets yards after contact."
Red Mountain (11-3) received the second half kickoff and put together a 10-play, 80-yard drive. Carter Crispin hit Jakobi Lane with a quick slant for the score. Crispin had 27 touchdown passes this season and at least one in all 14 games for the Lions.
An interception by Tanner Demassa off of a double-pass play set Red Mountain up at the Highland 28-yard line. On the final play of the third quarter, the Lions cut the halftime deficit in half with a run from Lenox Lawson, who took a direct snap for his 15th touchdown of the year.
The Mountain Lions got the ball back and went on a long drive that took over five minutes off the clock. Crispin converted fourth-down plays both with a run and a pass. But, on fourth-and-15 from the Highland 32-yard line, Red Mountain completed the pass, but after a measurement, was less than a yard short.
Highland was able to run the rest of the time out from there.
The two touchdowns for Red Mountain were the first two scored against Highland's defense in these playoffs. In the first half, all five of the Lions' drives ended with punts.
"If they're not the best defense in the state, they're close," Farrel said. "We do it with kids that play physical and hard. It hurts the next day after you play Highland."
Red Mountain reached at least the semifinals for the third time in Peterson's five years. Lawson was mainly used as a running back in this one and had 82 yards on 16 carries.
"Lenox is a great player," Peterson said. "We've got a lot of great players who are juniors and sophomores that are coming back. The future is bright."
In addition to Lawson, Crispin, and Lane are juniors. Tight end Preston Heap is a sophomore. On defense, both players that intercepted passes (Xavier Sanchez and Demassa) are juniors.
In 2020, the Lions missed the postseason finishing 3-4 in a COVID-reduced year. In addition to a few games, offseason activities were reduced.
"You give us time to work with kids," Peterson said. "This coaching staff will get the best out of them."
Highland finished 7-1 at home this season. While Dayley has played his final game on his home field, the three-year starter has a chance to go out on top.
"It means the world," Dayley said. "Last time was our first time getting to State. We've just got to do our part on offense."
For Mullenaux, this will be his first chance to play in a title game. He was hurt last year with a knee injury.
Farrel and Dayley both mentioned that this team was on a mission, both from last year's loss to Chaparral and in not being selected (by the computers) for the Open Division.
"We were snubbed from the Open," Dayley said. "We wanted to make a statement to say we were one of the top eight teams in the state. We've just got to go out and prove it to them one last time."
First Quarter:
High - Carson Mullenaux 8 yard run (Crew Crockett kick), 9:09
High - Hunter Stewart 73 yard pass from Gage Dayley (Crockett kick), 4:52
Second Quarter:
High - Matt Martinez 28 yard pass from Dayley (Crockett kick), 7:44
High - Mullenaux 15 yard run (Crockett kick), 1:02
Third Quarter:
RM - Jakobi Lane 1 yard pass from Carter Crispin (Shekaina Rigrish kick), 7:27
RM - Lenox Lawson 5 yard run (Rigrish kick), 0:00
Fourth Quarter:
No Scoring
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