Fiesta Bowl High School Football Showdown Archive
Season 3 (2025)
August 28, 2025:
Final Score: Basha 42, Brophy 7
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In a matchup between two of the state’s top teams, Basha and Brophy opened the 2025 season on Fiesta Bowl High School Showdown. Basha cruised to a 42-7 victory behind the dominant effort of the Bears’ offense on the Broncos’ home turf.
Basha scored first with two minutes remaining in the first quarter on a rushing touchdown by quarterback Brodie Vehrs and a rushing touchdown by Noah Roberts to give the Bears a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter.
The Bears came out in the second half with a statement off a 58-yard run to the endzone by Basha’s Josh Gaines.
Trey Knox, the Fiesta Bowl Player of the Game, had a huge stop with his second of two blocked punts on the evening that resulted in a 40-yard touchdown return by Caleb Jordan to give the Bears a 35-0 lead with 6:53 remaining in the third quarter.
Brophy quarterback Case Vander Bosch passed for 16 yards to Devin Fitzgerald to put the Broncos on the board with eight minutes left in the game.
Season 2 (2024)
November 8, 2024:
Final Score: Mountain View 43, Red Mountain 38
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Mountain View ultimately missed out on qualifying for the Arizona Open Division State Championship, but it surely was not because of its performance in the regular season finale. Closing out the second season of Fiesta Bowl Friday Night Showdown, Mountain View exploded in the third quarter and then held on for an emotional 43-38 victory over rival Red Mountain.
Separated by only six miles, the two Mesa rivals competed until the end for the Battle of Brown Road trophy. After Mountain View opened up a 19-point lead early in the fourth quarter, Red Mountain climbed within a single possession with three minutes remaining. However, Red Mountain failed to recover the onside kick and never possessed the ball again.
Behind the play of Fiesta Bowl Player of the Game Brady Goodman, Mountain View stated its case for the eight-team Open Division bracket, but will be the No. 4 seed in the 6A tournament. Red Mountain enters the postseason seeded third in the 6A bracket.
Goodman found Mikey Sumko for a three-yard touchdown on fourth down for the game's first touchdown just under the midway point of the first quarter. Red Mountain scored the next two touchdowns before Goodman kept it himself for an eight-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 14-14 with 2:39 left in the first half.
That was only the beginning of a wild final stretch before halftime. Red Mountain quarterback Simon Lopez connected on a short touchdown to Andrew Schmier with 27.4 seconds left, but Red Mountain's 21-14 lead was short-lived. As the first half clock expired, Goodman heaved a 52-yard Hail Mary into the end zone and landed it in the hands of Talan Arnett. Mountain View added a two-point conversion to take a 22-21 lead into halftime.
The Hail Mary proved to be a huge momentum swing. Although Red Mountain took a brief 24-22 advantage with a field goal following an interception by its defense, Mountain View scored 21 unanswered points. Goodman threw the final two of his four touchdown passes to Porter Wilhelm and a second to Arnett. Reese Bodily, who totaled 130 rushing yards, added a 40-yard touchdown run at the end of the third quarter.
Despite trailing 43-24, Red Mountain clawed its way back. Lopez scored on a quarterback sneak and after a defensive stop, Lopez hit Karendus Poe for a 76-yard strike.
Goodman claimed the season's final Player of the Game belt, throwing for 182 yards and four touchdowns and rushing for 50 yards and another score. Not to be outdone, Lopez threw for 262 yards and rushed for 46 while matching Goodman's five total touchdowns (four passing, one rushing).
November 1, 2024:
Final Score: Notre Dame Prep 51, ALA - Gilbert North 48
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With more than 800 combined passing yards on display, points were sure to light up the scoreboard in Scottsdale. In the end, Notre Dame Prep scored with 20 seconds left to outlast ALA - Gilbert North, 51-48, in the second-to-final Fiesta Bowl Friday Night Showdown of the season.
Kanon Kayyem came down with a 50/50 ball for Notre Dame Prep's game-winner, marking the fifth and final touchdown pass of the night for Luke Jacobs. Jacobs completed 19-for-38 passes for 395 yards with Cooper Perry being the primary target. Perry, an Oregon commit and member of the Fiesta Sports Foundation's Preseason All-State Team, totaled 12 receptions for 302 yards and three touchdowns. Perry also scored on a 53-yard rush as the Fiesta Bowl Player of the Game finished with 367 all-purpose yards.
Despite falling short in the end, ALA - Gilbert North's Bryson Landon also filled the box score. Landon was 26-for-37 for 372 yards and four touchdowns.
ALA - Gilbert North scored the first two touchdowns of the game, the first coming on a 1-yard touchdown plunge from Kody Thorley. Landon then hit Cam Shepard for a touchdown as part of a 13-3 opening quarter for ALA - Gilbert North. Notre Dame Prep responded with a 23-point second quarter though, with Perry registering two of his three receiving touchdowns.
Notre Dame Prep's big second quarter led to a 26-20 halftime advantage. Perry was left wide open for a second half opening touchdown, pushing his team's lead to 33-20, but Thorley came back with his second touchdown on the next drive. Jason Samis closed the third quarter with a rushing touchdown for Notre Dame Prep, providing the home team with a two-score lead going into the final 12 minutes.
Although Notre Dame Prep outscored ALA - Gilbert North 36-14 in the middle quarters, the final period was a rollercoaster ride with four lead changes. ALA - Gilbert North scored consecutive touchdowns to open the quarter, including one on a double pass from Landon to Isaac Massey to Colten Beardall, and moved in front, 40-39. Notre Dame Prep immediately retook the lead less than a minute later, only for Landon to connect with Massey for a go-ahead ALA - Gilbert North touchdown with two minutes remaining. The two-point conversion gave ALA - Gilbert North a 48-45 lead, but on Senior Night, Notre Dame Prep refused to be deterred.
Kayyem's touchdown accounted for the final lead change before Notre Dame Prep's defense came up with a stop in the end. ALA - Gilbert North crossed midfield on its final drive, but could not extend the game.
October 25, 2024:
Final Score: Marana 51, Buena 38
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It did not come easy at times, but Marana - the No. 1 ranked team in the state according to the AIA - showed it is a team to be reckoned with in the first Fiesta Bowl Friday Night Showdown in Tucson. Marana put together a strong fourth quarter to prevail in a 51-38 shootout over Buena, while remaining undefeated at 9-0.
Although Marana scored touchdowns on its first two possessions on a pair of rushing touchdowns by Fiesta Bowl Player of the Game, Jeffrey Smith III, Marana went into the fourth quarter trailing 35-28. Marana quickly tied the game on a 14-yard touchdown pass from Colten Meyer to Dezmen Roebuck before Buena moved ahead for the final time, 38-35, on a field goal with six and a half minutes remaining.
Smith III capped a Marana scoring drive with his fourth touchdown of the evening to push his team in front, 42-38, with 5:21 left. Marana closed a 23-point fourth quarter with a field goal and a Moses Miller 35-yard pick-6.
With Marana leading 21-7 midway through the second quarter, the final three minutes of the first half saw four touchdowns scored. Buena tied the game at 21-21 with consecutive touchdowns, only for Marana to immediately retake the lead on a 65-yard touchdown pass from Meyer to Chris Acuna. But Buena went right down the field and sent both teams into the half knotted up at 28 on a 10-yard touchdown from Nash Moore to Andres Bonilla.
Buena kept its momentum to start the second half, scoring on the first possession of the third quarter to take a 35-28 lead. Moore connected with Anthony Rivera for a 27-yard score, but Buena only managed a field goal the rest of the game. The touchdown pass was the final of three for Moore on the night.
Meyer, Moore's quarterback counterpart on Marana, completed 27-of-43 passes for 363 yards and two touchdowns. Smith III finished the night with 117 yards on 23 carries and also added six receptions for 85 yards. Roebuck, a member of the Fiesta Sports Foundation Preseason All-State Team, led Marana with 10 receptions for 103 yards in the process of moving him into second in state history in career receiving yards.
October 18, 2024:
Final Score: Horizon 21, Desert Mountain 10
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Separated by only 11 miles, Horizon and Desert Mountain had more than just Scottsdale bragging rights on the line when the two teams met in Week 9 of Fiesta Bowl Friday Night Showdown. Desert Mountain, No. 2 in both the AIA 5A and Open rankings, entered undefeated, while Horizon found itself one spot back in the 5A rankings and clinging to the eighth and final spot in the Open rankings.
Behind the play of Fiesta Bowl Player of the Game Jase Ashley and a stifling defense, Horizon knocked Desert Mountain off the unbeaten ranks with a 21-10 win.
Ashley was an efficient 13-for-19 for 135 passing yards and two touchdowns through the air, while adding 43 rushing yards and another score on the ground. For good measure, the Horizon quarterback also caught a key 20-yard pass. Meanwhile, Horizon's defense recorded three interceptions and kept a Desert Mountain offense that averaged 36.5 points per game out of the end zone.
The game was a defensive battle until Horizon punched in the first touchdown on a 22-yard scoring run by Ashley with three and a half minutes before halftime. In a matter of minutes, Horizon punctuated the first half with 5.5 seconds on the clock with a 19-yard touchdown connection from Ashley to Jax Markovich.
Desert Mountain got on the scoreboard with a field goal in the third quarter, trimming its deficit to 14-3, before a pivotal moment late in the period. Facing a long third down, Horizon converted on a double pass that ended up in a reception by Ashley. Later in the drive, Ashley hit Jake Giraud for an eight-yard touchdown, putting Horizon up 21-3 with 11 minutes left in the game.
Desert Mountain's lone touchdown came with 5:54 remaining on a blocked punt returned for a score.
October 11, 2024:
Final Score: Basha 35, Hamilton 20
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Basha, ranked No. 1 in the Arizona Republic's Super 10 and No. 4 in the AIA's initial rankings of the season, showed why it is one of the top contenders for the Arizona Open State Championship this season in a 35-20 victory over Hamilton in Week 8 of Fiesta Bowl Friday Night Showdown.
On Basha's third offensive play of the game, Brodie Vehrs threw deep and connected with Gio Richardson, the Fiesta Bowl Player of the Game, for a 32-yard touchdown. The score set the tone for the night as Basha led by as much as 28-6 in the third quarter. Basha improved to 6-1 overall while it handed Hamilton, who entered the evening undefeated at 5-0, its first loss of the season.
Richardson, a member of the Fiesta Sports Foundation Preseason All-State Team, torched the Hamilton defense with a pair of touchdowns and 172 receiving yards on five receptions in the victory.
Early in the second quarter, Vehrs tacked on to Basha's lead with a 31-yard touchdown scramble, before Basha's defense came up big. Twice, Hamilton moved the ball inside the Basha 10-yard line, but both times Hamilton was forced to settle on field goals, making it a 14-6 Basha halftime lead.
The game may have been in the balance at halftime, but Richardson provided the game-changing play on Basha's first drive of the third quarter. Hauling in a quick pass from Vehrs, Richardson turned on the jets for an 89-yard touchdown to extend Basha's advantage to 21-6. Fellow Fiesta Sports Foundation Preseason All-State honoree Noah Roberts scored on a 4-yard rushing touchdown later in the quarter.
Hamilton closed to 28-13 with a touchdown from Rich Lucero Jr. to Roye Oliver before the end of the quarter, but Joshua Gaines answered for Basha with a 9-yard score on the ground. Lucero Jr. closed out the scoring with his own rushing touchdown.
Vehrs completed 17-of-22 passes for 266 yards while orchestrating a Basha offense that outpaced Hamilton's, 401-290, in total yards. Vehrs also led Basha with 50 rushing yards.
October 4, 2024:
Final Score: Centennial 30, Saguaro 20
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After falling in last season's Arizona Open State Championship, Centennial opened this fall with four losses. But after knocking off Saguaro, last season's 6A State Champion, 30-20 on Fiesta Bowl Friday Night Showdown, Centennial is trending up with a second straight victory.
Saguaro quarterback Marcel Jones threw for 158 yards and a touchdown, and ran for 161 more and two touchdowns, for the majority of the game, Centennial's defense kept Saguaro's offense under wraps as it built out a 30-7 lead. The Centennial defense recorded three sacks and recovered three fumbles overall.
The defense came up big later in the first quarter, keeping Saguaro off the scoreboard when Julian Brown recovered a loose ball inside the 5-yard line. The first of three Centennial takeaways led to the game's first points with Jeremiah Harvey splitting the uprights with a 41-yard field goal. Saguaro immediately fumbled the ensuing kickoff, which Centennial returned deep into Saguaro territory. Derrion Bartholomew, the Fiesta Bowl Player of the Game, powered in from six yards out to increase Centennial's lead to 10-0 early in the second quarter.
Saguaro cut the deficit to 10-7 with 44 seconds left before the half on a scoring strike from Jones to Ty Strozier.
Centennial padded its lead with three second half touchdowns, first on a 10-yard run by Owen Reynoso following the second half kickoff. Ethan Beltran found Nikko Boncore-Montoya for a 13-yard touchdown connection on the first play of the fourth quarter and Bartholomew's second touchdown of the night gave Centennial a 30-7 lead with 6:17 to play.
Jones did his best to rally Saguaro, first with a 5-yard touchdown run and then a 40-yard scamper. The latter brought Saguaro with 30-20 with just under three minutes remaining, however Centennial ran out the clock behind Bartholomew's efforts.
Bartholomew led a 1-2 punch out of the Centennial backfield with 73 yards on 17 carries, while Reynoso added 70 rushing yards himself. Beltran completed 9-of-12 passes for 102 yards.
September 27, 2024:
Final Score: Highland 20, Chandler 14
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The Fiesta Bowl Friday Night Showdown matchup between Chandler and Highland had all the hype around it. Two 4-0 teams, both ranked in the top 10 in the state. A rematch of last season's Arizona Open State Quarterfinal and the top game in the state across the week's slate. At the end of 48 minutes of game action, the showdown did nothing to disappoint.
With the game tied at 14-14 early in the fourth quarter, Highland defensive lineman Logan Bonham read Chandler quarterback Will Mencl's screen pass perfectly and returned a pick-6 15 yards for the game-winning touchdown. Bonham's play lifted Highland to a 20-14 victory to remain 5-0, while handing Chandler its first loss of the season.
Bonham provided Highland with all of the points it needed after the home team rushed out to a 14-0 lead. Highland got on the board first midway through the first quarter on a 1-yard keeper by Grady Crandall, who entered the game as a wildcat quarterback. On Highland's next possession, Kruz Cullimore pounded the score in from a yard out to extend the advantage out to 14-0.
Highland appeared to be on the move for another scoring drive in the second quarter, marching into Chandler territory, before Hamisi Juma scopped up a fumble and raced 68 yards for a Chandler touchdown, which cut its deficit to 14-7. Highland then missed a 37-yard field goal right before the half, squandering another scoring opportunity.
Chandler tied the game at 14-14 in the third quarter on a 13-yard touchdown run from Tristan Halsana, leaving the score knotted up going into the final period.
Chandler appeared to have the momentum, stopping Highland at Chandler's 17-yard line on a 4th-and-2 with 9:30 left in the game. However, Bonham's game-winning pick-6 immediately followed. After Mencl was tackled short of a first down on a 4th-and-12 on the ensuing possession, turning the ball over on downs to Highland with just under six minutes remaining, Highland ran the clock out by converting on a pair of short fourth downs.
Cullimore, starting at running back in place of an injured starter, rushed for 180 yards and a touchdown to earn the night's Fiesta Bowl Player of the Game belt. He was a major part of a Highland offense that totaled 370 yards, including 157 through the air from Kalen Fisher.
September 20, 2024:
Final Score: Higley 39, Desert Edge 14
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Last year's 5A State Championship game between Higley and Desert Edge came down to a failed two-point conversion, resulting in a narrow 42-41 Higley state championship win. Fast forward nearly 10 months later and the teams' regular season rematch was anything but narrow.
Forcing five Desert Edge turnovers in the second half, Higley posted a decisive 39-14 Fiesta Bowl Friday Night Showdown victory. Trailing 14-7 at halftime, Higley's defense shut out Desert Edge in the second half as its offense rolled up 32 unanswered points.
Despite the final margin though, the game was very much in the balance going into the fourth quarter with Higley only leading 22-14. However, Desert Edge fumbled once and threw two interceptions - the last returned by Dylan Hostallero for a pick-6 - during a 17-point Higley fourth quarter.
Higley began the evening strong marching down the field on its opening drive to take a 7-0 advantage on a 1-yard touchdown by Justin Bender, who was voted the Fiesta Bowl Player of the Game. Desert Edge tied the game at 7-7 on a 2-yard toss from Elijah Sherbin-Fox to Zerek Sidney and then took a touchdown lead into the half following a touchdown rush by David Cabrera.
Desert Edge could not take advantage of receiving the second half kickoff and committed its first of five turnovers in the half. After a fumble, Bender put Higley on top with a 60-yard touchdown run. A two-point conversion gave Higley a 15-14 lead it would not relinquish. Higley quarterback Luke Haugo threw a 49-yard touchdown to Jaden Taylor to extend the lead out to 22-14 going into the fourth quarter.
Haugo, a two-time Fiesta Bowl Player of the Game, enjoyed an efficient night completing 18-of-26 passes for 173 yards and a score, but it was Bender who claimed the Player of the Game belt. Bender, a former offensive lineman, rumbled for 133 yards on 22 carries as part of a Higley rushing attack that totaled 209 yards.
Meanwhile, Higley's defense swarmed Desert Edge recording four sacks to go along with five turnovers forced. The defense also got into the scoring column on Kooper Woolf's fourth quarter fumble recovery in the end zone. Woolf led Higley with 10 total tackles and two tackles-for-loss.
September 13, 2024:
Final Score: Perry 21, Queen Creek 12
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Fiesta Bowl Friday Night Showdown's Week 4 matchup was a defensive struggle before it was not. In the Arizona Republic's third-best game of the week, offensive fireworks - particularly from Perry's Kael Snyder to LJ Walker - flipped the script in the second half as Perry snagged a 21-12 Homecoming victory over Queen Creek to improve to 3-0 this season.
Both teams entered the evening winners of their first two games and promised an intriguing quarterback matchup between Snyder and Queen Creek's Tait Reynolds. However, Perry and Queen Creek traded defensive stops and missed opportunities in a scoreless first half.
Perry missed a field goal in the first quarter and then failed to capitalize on a golden opportunity to open the second quarter. Although a Queen Creek misplay on a punt gave Perry good field position, the Queen Creek defense held strong and turned Perry over on downs. That set the stage for Queen Creek's first scoring opportunity, but Perry's Simba Mahaso recovered a fumble inside of the 10-yard line. In turn, Perry drove down the field and held the ball at the 5-yard line, Snyder to thrown an interception to Darien Kattner in the back of the end zone with 40 seconds left before halftime.
The scoreless tie was broken early in the third quarter as Snyder found a streaking Walker down the sideline for a 60-yard touchdown. Perry increased its lead to 14-0 when Snyder found Talen Frazier for the signal caller's second touchdown pass of the night.
Queen Creek got on the scoreboard early in the fourth quarter as Crew Leavitt broke through Perry's defense, turning a short gain into a 40 yard catch and run touchdown, but Queen Creek missed the extra point. With momentum shifting to the visitors, Perry quickly reclaimed it when Snyder and Walker hooked up for the second time on a 61-yard scoring play.
Queen Creek had one final opportunity after pulling within 21-12 on a second touchdown from Reynolds to Leavitt. Queen Creek recovered the ensuing onside kick with three minutes remaining, but could not convert on a long fourth down with just over a minute left.
Snyder completed 15-of-26 passes for 294 yards and three touchdowns, two of which went to Walker, who was named the Fiesta Bowl Player of teh Game. Walker turned six receptions to 214 yards and finished the night with 252 all-purpose yards.
September 6, 2024:
Final Score: Liberty 46, Sandra Day O'Connor 0
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A week after opening the 2024 season with a 22-0 shutout victory, Liberty posted its second-consecutive shutout in Week 3 of Fiesta Bowl Friday Night Showdown. The defending Arizona Open State Champion turned early Sandra Day O'Connor turnovers into points en route to a 46-0 victory - its 10th consecutive victory dating back to last season. During its current 10-game winning streak, Liberty's average margin of victory is 32.8 points.
Arizona's top-ranked team received the opening kickoff and immediately went down the field for a game-opening scoring drive capped by a two-yard keeper by quarterback Hayden Fletcher. On the ensuing drive, Darius Stephens recovered a Sandra Day O'Connor fumble and Liberty parlayed that into a second touchdown run by Fletcher.
Liberty's defense was just getting started as it forced two more fumbles and turned both into touchdowns. Fletcher found Braxton Hunyh for a 16-yard touchdown pass and connected with Gehrig Nuttall for a 61-yard score, giving Liberty a commanding 29-0 lead less than a minute into the second quarter. In all, Sandra Day O'Connor fumbled each of its three first quarter possessions.
Leading 32-0 at halftime, Liberty blocked a punt, which led to an 11-yard rushing touchdown by Esteban Demby-Lamas. Liberty's final score of the game came courtesy of a 32-yard Brayden Stevens to Marley Chancey connection as Liberty's 46-0 third quarter lead ultimately was the final margin.
Fletcher was voted the Fiesta Bowl Player of the Game after totaling all four of his touchdowns (two passing, two rushing) in the first half. Fletcher completed 12-of-20 passes for 212 yards and added 19 rushing yards. Liberty averaged 18.5 yards per completion.
August 30, 2024:
Final Score: Higley 42, Campo Verde 0
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Higley, the defending Arizona 5A State Champion, began its title defense with a dominating performance on the road at Campo Verde. In the Week 2 matchup of Fiesta Bowl Friday Night Showdown, Higley shut out Campo Verde, 42-0, after piling up nearly 500 yards of offense and forcing four turnovers.
After a tight first quarter in which Higley led 7-0, Higley opened up the game with two touchdowns apiece in the second and third quarters to take a 35-0 lead into the final period.
Luke Haugo, the quarterback on the Fiesta Sports Foundation's inaugural Preseason All-State team, became the first two-time Friday Night Showdown Player of the Game. Haugo tossed three touchdowns and ran for another score to power Higley to victory. He completed 17-of-22 passes for 253 yards and added 35 yards on the ground as the state's No. 6 team rolled up 474 yards of offense.
On the receiving end, JD DeCausmaker recorded a team-high six receptions for 140 yards and a touchdown. Jaden Taylor caught two scores as part of a five-catch, 102 yard performance and Justin Bender accounted for the fourth touchdown through the air. In addition to Haugo's rushing touchdown, Higley also received a rushing score from Beau Belanger.
While Campo Verde totaled 151 rushing yards at 4.7 yards per carry, the home team struggled to gain traction through the air. Higley locked down Campo Verde's passing attack, only allowing three completions on 15 attempts for 12 yards. Higley picked Campo Verde off four times and recorded 4.0 tackles for loss.
August 22, 2024:
Final Score: San Carlos 24, ALA - Anthem South 12
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To open up the second season of Fiesta Bowl Friday Night Showdown, the spotlight shined on San Carlos High School, the "heartbeat of the Apache Indian Community." The trip to Peridot, 100 miles east of the Valley of the Sun, was the first for the Fiesta Bowl Friday Night Showdown. Behind two touchdowns from San Carlos running back Jayson Kenton, San Carlos claimed a season-opening 24-12 victory over ALA - Anthem South in a matchup between Arizona 2A rivals.
Kenton scored the game's first touchdown and coupled with a two-point conversion, the home team took an 8-0 lead into the second quarter. ALA - Anthem South scored midway through the second quarter, but could not convert the two-point conversion, leaving the visitors behind, 8-6. ALA - Anthem South then recovered a fumble before the half, but San Carlos' defense held strong to main its narrow edge into halftime.
San Carlos extended its lead to 16-6 on a 1-yard touchdown run by Leshawn Browning, only for ALA - Anthem South to respond once again with a score. However, a second failed two-point conversion left ALA - Anthem South trailing 16-12. Kenton, who earned the season's first Fiesta Bowl Player of the Game award, closed the game's scoring with his second touchdown from 12 yards out to provide the final margin of 24-12. In addition to his two rushing touchdowns, Kenton also accounted for two of San Carlos' three two-point conversions.
After Kenton's second score, ALA - Anthem South drove down the field into the red zone before its possession ended on downs. From there, San Carlos ran out out the final six minutes to defeat ALA - Anthem South for the second consecutive season.
Season 1 (2023)
November 4, 2023:
Final Score: Mountain Pointe 21, Desert Vista 16
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A lot was on the line in the final Fiesta Bowl Friday Night Showdown presented by Super Star Car Wash. Mountain Pointe and Desert Vista were locked in a 13-13 all-time deadlock for the Ahwatukee Bowl rivalry trophy, while Mountain Pointe also looked to cement its spot in the Arizona 6A State Playoff bracket. Ultimately, Mountain Pointe, behind a dominant run game, claimed the rivalry trophy for the second consecutive year and locked up a spot in the playoffs with a 21-16 road win.
Zeke Rodriguez and Christian Clark powered Mountain Pointe with 298 of the team's 304 rushing yards and accounted for all three touchdowns. Rodriguez ran for 193 yards at 8.4 yards per carry, while Clark added 105 yards as Mountain Pointe more than doubled Desert Vista's total offense with its rushing attack alone.
Playing on Senior Night, Desert Vista capitalized on a blocked punt and scored the game's first points with Caden Leonard booting a 29-yard field goal. Before the first quarter came to an end though, Rodriguez plunged forward for four yards, on his first of two touchdowns, to give Mountain Pointe a 7-3 advantage. Rodriguez then broke free for a 30-yard touchdown early in the second quarter to extend Mountain Pointe's lead to 14-3.
After Desert Vista cut its deficit to 14-10 at halftime with an 8-yard touchdown run by Kyler Drunasky, who led his team with 58 rushing yards, the home team pulled within 14-13 immediately in the third quarter. Mountain Pointe fumbled on the second half's opening play, which Desert Vista parlayed into another field goal. However, Clark landed the decisive blow with five minutes remaining in the quarter.
Clark, the Fiesta Bowl Super Star of the Game, ran down the right sideline for a 27-yard score to push Mountain Pointe's lead back out to 21-13 and it proved to be enough. Desert Vista had one final shot down 21-16 in the game's final minutes following a fourth down stop, but Mountain Pointe's Rylon Dillard-Allen broke up Zach Brown's last heave.
With the win, Mountain Pointe secured the No. 11 seed in the 6A Conference playoff and will play No. 6 Perry - another Fiesta Bowl Friday Night Showdown presented by Super Star Car Wash participant - in the first round.
October 27, 2023:
Final Score: Chandler 49, Perry 7
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Week 9 of the Fiesta Bowl Friday Night Showdown presented by Super Star Car Wash had the makings of a huge matchup between 6A heavyweights Chandler and Perry. However, by the end of the night, Chandler proved to be too much to handle and more.
Ca'Lil Valentine ran rampant, rushing for 208 yards on 24 attempts at an average of 8.7 yards per carry. The Fiesta Bowl Super Star of the Game scored a pair of touchdowns and was part of an overall Chandler rushing attack that strung together 368 yards on the ground and four total touchdowns.
Quarterback Blake Heffron and receiver Jaxon Branch teamed up for a pair of passing touchdowns, with the first score giving Chandler a 7-0 lead. With Chandler holding a 14-0 lead into the second quarter, Valentine erupted for a 65-yard touchdown marking his longest run of the game. The Heffron to Branch connection struck for the second time before the half, pushing Chandler's advantage out to 28-7 at the intermission.
In the second half, Heffron, Valentine and Anthony Lejander each scored rushing touchdowns to complete the scoring.
Defensively, Chandler intercepted Perry three times.
October 20, 2023:
Final Score: Queen Creek 45, Red Mountain 21
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Red Mountain opened its Homecoming Game with a bang, but visiting Queen Creek quickly stole the show and played spoiler. Queen Creek picked up its first road win of the season, while handing Red Mountain its first home loss, with a 45-21 victory.
After Red Mountain quarterback Simon Lopez put the first points on the scoreboard with a 6-yard touchdown run, his counterpart Tait Reynolds tied the game at 7-7 with a 27-yard scamper. Reynolds then found a wide-open Lucas George for a 14-yard touchdown pass to put Queen Creek ahead. Red Mountain briefly tied the game again at 14-14, but Reynolds punched in his second rushing touchdown from five yards out to put Queen Creek in front for good.
Queen Creek took a 28-14 lead into halftime off a Reynolds to Quintin Miles 48-yard flea flicker toss en route to a dominant win. Red Mountain closed to 28-21 early in the third quarter, but a 6-yard touchdown run by George started a game-ending stretch of 17 unanswered Queen Creek points.
Reynolds picked up Fiesta Bowl Super Star of the Game honors after accounting for five total touchdowns. Reynolds threw for 211 yards and two touchdowns and added 53 rushing yards and three scores.
October 13, 2023:
Final Score: Higley 60, Notre Dame Prep 42
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Even after Notre Dame Prep erased a 20-0 deficit in a blink of an eye, Higley stood poised and returned to its explosive ways. The defending Arizona 5A State Champions rolled up 567 yards of total offense and went up-and-down the field with ease in a 60-42 victory - marking the highest-scoring game this season in the Fiesta Bowl Friday Night Showdown presented by Super Star Car Wash.
Luke Haugo, the Fiesta Bowl Super Star of the Game, threw for six touchdowns and 269 yards on 23-of-35 passing. Meanwhile, Daxen Hall scored all three of his rushing touchdowns in the second half, running for 239 yards on 18 carries at an average of 13.3 yards per touch.
Higley was off and running early with Haugo connecting with Kaden Millner for the game's opening score. The touchdown was the first of three by Higley in the opening quarter with Haugo finding Jaden Taylor and John Decausmaker for a 20-0 Higley lead going into the second quarter. Notre Dame Prep responded in a hurry in the second quarter though, first recovering a blocked punt in the end zone for a touchdown, followed by a touchdown reception by Cooper Perry after the Notre Dame Prep defense forced a fumble. Notre Dame Prep quarterback Noah Trigueros, who finished the game himself with three passing touchdowns and 97 rushing yards, then put his team in front 21-20 with a rushing touchdown.
However, the lead was short-lived as Taylor toe-tapped in the back of the end zone for his second touchdown of the night to swing the score back in Higley's favor. By the end of a wild second quarter featuring five combined touchdowns, it was Higley who led 33-21 at halftime and the visitors never trailed again.
Hall stole the show after the intermission, immediately bolting 53 yards to extend Higley's lead to 40-21. Hall later added touchdowns from 1-yard out and another long of 65 yards. Haugo's six touchdown passes went to three players with Taylor, Millner and Decausmaker each on the receiving end of two scores. Not to be outdone, Perry caught three touchdowns for Notre Dame Prep.
October 6, 2023:
Final Score: Boulder Creek 17, Sandra Day O'Connor 14
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In a defensive battle, Boulder Creek ultimately emerged with a 17-14 Senior Night win over Sandra Day O'Connor. Trailing late in the game, Boulder Creek quarterback Everett Stano found Brennan Curtin for a 38-yard touchdown to push the home team ahead for the win.
Stano had an efficient evening, completing 10-of-16 passes for 133 yards while also adding 23 yards on the ground. Duke Milacek accounted for Boulder Creek's other touchdown on the night and finished with a team-high 38 rushing yards.
Two-way Boulder Creek star Jacob Owens was named the Fiesta Bowl Super Star of the Game for his efforts on both sides of the ball. Offensively, Owens paced Boulder Creek with 56 receiving yards including being on the other end of Stano's longest completion of the night (48 yards). At the safety position, Owens led his team with six solo tackles amongst his 10 total stops.
September 29, 2023:
Final Score: Valley Vista 41, Willow Canyon 14
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For the 13th consecutive meeting, the Battle of Surprise trophy will live with Valley Vista following a 41-14 victory over district rival Willow Canyon. Valley Vista overcame an 14-0 deficit and secured its first win of the season in the process, in addition to taking home the rivalry trophy.
Willow Canyon's special teams made a couple of plays to open the game, providing its offense with short fields. A blocked punt led to a 14-yard flea flicker touchdown pass from Roman Thuyns to Ethan Bocanegra for the night's first score. Valley Vista then fumbled the ensuing kickoff, which led to a second Thuyns passing touchdown and a 14-0 Willow Canyon lead. Unfortunately for Willow Canyon, that would be its final score of the game as Valley Vista rolled off 41 unanswered points.
Valley Vista got on the scoreboard before the end of the first quarter on an 8-yard rushing touchdown by Jaahad Parris-Worley, who paced Valley Vista on the ground with 76 rushing yards, to cut its deficit in half. The momentum completely flipped in favor of Valley Vista at the beginning of the second quarter when Jeramichael Hernandez tied the game at 14-14 with a 60-yard punt return touchdown.
Valley Vista would add two more touchdowns off the arm of Miles Pringle prior to the half to take a 27-14 intermission lead. Pringle first found Damian Zuniga on a 33-yard screen pass before hooking on a 1-yard score to Hernandez set up by a 34-yard play between the two players.
Pringle added two more touchdown passes in the second half to complete the scoring, including a second scoring connection with Hernandez. Pringle finished the game 12-of-22 passing for 199 yards and four touchdowns, while Hernandez was selected as the Fiesta Bowl Super Star of the Game with a team-leading five receptions and 84 receiving yards. Hernandez accounted for three touchdowns in all.
September 14, 2023:
Final Score: Pinnacle 27, Horizon 7
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Horizon entered the rare Thursday Night Showdown against rival Pinnacle having outscored its opponents 177-17 through three games. However, led by eventual Fiesta Bowl Super Star of the Game Wyatt Horton, Pinnacle led 17-0 by halftime and wound up cruising to a 27-7 road win over previously undefeated Horizon, while remaining unbeaten itself at 4-0.
Pinnacle finished off a game-opening drive with a field goal and on Horizon's first possession, Pinnacle forced a fumble. The visitors took advantage of the turnover when Horton delivered a 31-yard scoring toss to Josh Pinder, who got behind the Horizon secondary. The 10-0 first quarter lead turned into a 17-0 advantage on a Horton 4-yard touchdown run after recovering a fumbled handoff.
The lead grew to 20-0 heading into the fourth quarter before Horizon found the end zone on an Anthony Segura touchdown scamper around the right edge. Mason Hughes capped the game's scoring with a 3-yard rush up the middle.
Horton passed for 187 yards and accounted for two touchdowns, one through the air and one on the ground. The Pinnacle defense forced two Horizon turnovers, including an interception on Horizon's final possession. Pinnacle's victory was the first by a road team through the first four Fiesta Bowl Friday Night Showdown games presented by Super Star Car Wash.
September 8, 2023:
Final Score: Desert Mountain 24, Chaparral 21
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The Battle on Shea Boulevard lived up to the billing with Desert Mountain and Chaparral battling to the wire. In the end, a key interception by Desert Mountain's Elijah Banquil halted any comeback efforts by Chaparral with Desert Mountain ultimately defending its home turf for a 24-21 rivalry victory.
Banquil's interception with two minutes remaining in the game ended Chaparral's second-to-final drive. Desert Mountain then made one more defensive stop to seal the win. The victory gave Desert Mountain its first two consecutive wins over their intracity rivals for the first time in school history.
Defense dominated the first half with both teams locked up at 7-7 at halftime before the offenses found their footing in the second half. Chaparral opened the second half scoring with Marcel Jones connecting with Tristan Armstrong for a 50-yard touchdown to give the visitors a 14-7 edge. Desert Mountain quarterback Brady McDonough answered right back with a nine-yard strike to Jack Freeburg to knot the game at 14-14 going into the fourth quarter.
A McDonough to Dylan Tapley scoring connection provided Desert Mountain with its first lead of the night, 21-14, with nine minutes left. After Jones evened the scoreboard at 21-21 with a rushing touchdown, Desert Mountain converted a short field goal to push the home team ahead for the final time, 24-21, with three minutes remaining.
McDonough threw for 181 yards and two scores, while Tapley - the Fiesta Bowl Super Star of the Game - led Desert Mountain with 87 receiving yards on six receptions along with a touchdown.
September 1, 2023:
Final Score: Saguaro 44, Mountain View 20
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Saguaro and Mountain View matched score-for-score in through the opening quarter with only a blocked extra point standing between a tie. However, a 14-13 Mountain View first quarter lead quickly evaporated into a 30-14 halftime lead for Saguaro on the way to a 44-20 victory by Saguaro.
Saguaro quarterback Mason Bray, the eventual Fiesta Bowl Super Star of the Game, and Mountain View quarterback Jack Germaine combined for 287 passing yards in the first quarter before Saguaro took off. A field goal gave Saguaro the lead for good early in the second quarter, 16-14. Mountain View held a similar opportunity to retake the lead on the next series, but its field goal attempt was blocked and returned for a touchdown by Jaci Dickerson. A subsequent Mountain View fumble turned into a 16-yard Bray touchdown scamper to give the home team a 30-14 advantage at the half.
To start the second half, Saguaro's defense converted a pair of interceptions into touchdowns while keeping Mountain View off the scoreboard until the fourth quarter. In all, Saguaro scored on its first six possessions of the game while rolling up over 450 yards of total offense.
Bray, in his first year as starting quarterback at Saguaro, completed 17-of-22 passes for 249 yards and two touchdowns. He also added two rushing touchdowns, totaling 43 rushing yards on six attempts. Jaedon Matthews was Saguaro's leading rusher with 103 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries, while Kamdam Segall tallied a team-best 64 receiving yards and was on the receiving end of one of Bray's two passing scores.
August 25, 2023:
Final Score: Liberty 56, Hamilton 20
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In a matchup between No. 2 Liberty and No. 3 Hamilton to open the 2023 season, Liberty cruised to a 56-20 victory behind the play of Fiesta Bowl Super Star of the Game Navi Bruzon and tailback Jon Wilson.
Bruzon, the reigning Gatorade Arizona Football Player of the Year, picked up right where he left off as a junior, completing 17-of-27 passes for 221 yards and three touchdowns, while also adding 59 yards on nine carries and a score on the ground. Bruzon did the majority of his damage in the first half, tossing all three of his touchdowns in guiding Liberty to a 49-14 halftime advantage.
With Bruzon leading the air attack, Wilson, who rushed for 209 yards and three touchdowns on just 16 carries, was a force in the rushing game. The first-year Liberty transfer from Las Vegas scored the game's first touchdown from 13 yards out to put Liberty up 7-0, a score that held at the end of the first quarter. Hamilton's Avery Knight cut the Liberty advantage to 13-7 with a 66-yard catch-and-run, but Wilson squashed any Hamilton momentum with an 80-yard scamper. The game remained in the balance at 20-14 until Bruzon threw a pair of touhdowns to open up the home team's lead to 35-14.
Liberty was aided by a pair of Hamilton turnovers to score a pair of touchdowns on short fields to close the first half. With a running clock in the second half, the third quarter was scoreless before the teams each scored a touchdown each in the final period.
