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Who is the best HS football team in Arizona? We'll never know because...
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Who's the best high school football team in Arizona? Who knows? And we probably won't find out.
Hamilton plays Brophy this Friday at Phoenix College. This writer will be there. Might be a hell of a game. If Hamilton wins those people over at Centennial will say, so what? We beat Brophy, too.
If Brophy wins, again, Centennial will say, we already beat them - and we didn't even play anything near to our best game.
Centennial will win the 5A-II title. Not a lot of suspense there.
As for 5A-I, this writer is thinking Chandler wins it, that's right, the Chandler High School Wolves. They have the finest talent in the state. Number 17 and # 29 are the most dangerous tandem I've seen (and although I haven't seen him in person, I understand Walstad is pretty good, too). If there's a better QB/TB combo, please let me know where so I can cover that game. The problem with Chandler appears to be, with all due respect, coaching.
In their last game against Red Mountain, Chandler had a healthy lead, but with plenty of time left. And having endured two horrible, gut-wrenching losses to Brophy and Hamilton in succession, putting this one away quickly should have been the utter and absolute priority. Why, then, wasn't Chandler taking every opportunity to (1) run the ball and (2) keep the ball in-bounds at the end of the plays.
What's that? Had to keep the Lions' defense honest? They couldn't stop Hundley or Hatcher, and if they did, the clock would keep running - provided they stayed in bounds.
Instead, time after time 17 would non-chalantly step out of bounds rather than dive, slide, whatever it took, to stay inbounds and keep the clock running? The proverbial little things.
In the Red Mountain game, it didn't matter, not really. Seventeen and 29 hiked to the top of Red Mountain, planted the Chandler flag, camped overnight, then hiked back down again. That kind of coaching didn't cut it against Brophy or Hamilton and it won't in the play-offs.
The purpose of this opinion piece is not to criticize the Chandler coaching staff. On the contrary, this team is obviously well-coached in the big areas, unity, spirit, discipline, etc. But to be state champion more will be required.
Oshae Hatcher had two silly fumbles. His almost 200 yards rushing and punishing, slashing running more than made up for it.
So who is or will be the best football team in Arizona at the end? After Centennial wraps up the formality in their side of the slate (5A-II), Brophy, Hamilton, and Chandler will take care of the other 5A division. And not for a moment will Centennial concede that either of those three teams are better than they.
If Brophy or Chandler emerge champ, Centennial wins bragging rights having beaten them both soundly. But if Hamilton wins, let's remember two years ago Hamilton beat Centennial in Chandler. The next year Centennial beat Hamilton in Peoria. If Hamilton wins the 5A-I crown, we need to have a Super Championship, Hamilton vs. Centennial. Let the proceeds for the game go to Autism research and awareness. That would be a game that needs to be played.
But that's a ways off. For now, time to focus on Hamilton vs. Brophy at Phoenix College.
As for the maligned Red Mountain squad, it hosts Centennial this Friday. The Lions can put things straight relative to the 5A-I/II dichotomy by beating the visiting Coyotes. Not likely.
