Chaparral entered the title game as the favorites with the experience of winning the previous two championships. Cienega on the other hand was looking for their first state crown, and would end the season with an unblemished record if they could pull off the upset a la Desert Vista. For the majority of the first half, it looked like Cienega had a legitimate shot to do just that. However, Chaparral's stars, quarterback Connor Brewer and "line him up anywhere" Davonte' Neal, took over.
It was a rocky start for Neal, who fumbled a punt that Cienega recovered on the 3-yard line and eventually punched in for a 7-0 lead. Neal bounced back quickly, on the very next offensive play, taking the direct snap 80-yards to tie the game and shift momentum. Then, late in the second quarter, Brewer found Neal for a 24-yard touchdown reception and a 14-7 lead at halftime.
In the third, Neal was still feeling it, busting a 42-yard run for his third score and a 14 point lead, which turned out to be more than enough. Brewer topped off the victory with a his second touchdown pass to Jake Roh and Chaparral could celebrate yet another title with a 37-14 win. Brewer is the first quarterback in Arizona's history to win three consecutive state championships, and will look to continue his success next year at the University of Texas. Neal, who played a major role in also shutting down Cienega's biggest receiving threat in Edgar Poe, finished with 220 yards on the ground and another 107 receiving to go along with his three touchdowns.
Cienega should be commended for a fantastic season and playoff run, but they just couldn't match up with the speed or size that Chaparral boasts in multiple positions. This Division II title game played out as Examiner.com predicted in the finals preview, after being blindsided by the Hamilton upset in Division I. Check back soon to see if the Division III championship between Saguaro and Sabino went as expected.
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