Jared Cohen
My Extra Points column is made up of little notes or tie bits I see or hear around the high school football scene in Arizona.
Best Commitment to Date for Yantis, ACU: After the first full season at the NAIA level, Head Coach Donnie Yantis and the Arizona Christian Firestorm have proven what they are and what they are striving to be. Last season, recruiting their first ever class had to have been a very difficult task but now having a year of football to fall back on, it has to make the process a little easier. This week, Coach Yantis landed, in my opinion, their best player yet in Highland running back Josh Chadwick. This young man was one of the most impressive looking back’s you saw on this field this past season rushing for 2,141 yards and ten rushing touchdowns tallying seven yards per carry on 306 carries. ACU has landed some very good players out of the state in a short period of time to this point but none have been as much of a high school star as Chadwick was at the highest level of competition. This could really be a great star for things to come for Coach Yantis and the Firestorm program. ACU offered two more very talented AZ preps in tight end Brady Cook from Arizona Lutheran and safety Garrett Weissinger of Sunrise Mountain this week as well. Add those two to Chadwick and the Firestorm are on their way to a spectacular 2015 class.
Tough News for Walker: Four players from the state of Arizona participated in the Under Armor All-American game last week. Those four consisted of Saguaro star athlete Christian Kirk and long snapper Jordan Butler and Mountain Pointe running back Paul Lucas. The third was Chaparral offensive tackle and Arizona Wildcat commit Keenan Walker. Unfortunately for Walker, his experience ended before it really was able to get momentum as he tore his ACL at the beginning of the week. Tough break for Walker and for the Wildcats as he is one of the top players in their 2015 class. My colleague and friend Jason Jewell of Scout.com calls Walker “the nastiest offensive lineman” he has aver seen at the high school level in Arizona. He was definitely one of the most dominant I have seen at this level as well.
What a Difference a Year Can Make: Speaking of ACL tears. at this time last year, Brophy safety Jack Haddon had just missed his entire junior because of a torn ACL. But he was back for his senior season with the Broncos where he finished second on the team in tackles with 96 to go with seven pass breakups, an interception and three forced fumbles. With just under a month before National Signing Day 2015, Haddon received his first scholarship offer from a Mountain West program, Air Force. For someone who got off to a late start in the recruiting world without having varsity film until his senior year, Haddon sure made the most of every snap and his hard work has paid off. This week, Air Force got a commitment from one of the most underrated players in the 2015 class in my opinion, in Pinnacle offensive lineman Cole Delgado.
Two Sport Star: If there was an award for top all-around seasons for multi-sport athletes, Chandler junior K’Keal Harry would be making a great push to achieve that award for the class of 2016 this year. After a phenomenal year on the football field being on of Bryce Perkins’ main targets and helping lead the Wolves to a state championship, Harry is now making his presence felt on the basketball court as well. He is leading Chandler hoops in both scoring (23.5) and rebounds (10.5) through the first half of the season as the Wolves are 11-4 through their first 15 games. Harry since Thanksgiving, has won a division I state championship in football, received two scholarship offers from Arizona State and Washington and is now putting up numbers like these on the hardwood. He is without question one of the best athletes this state has to offer.
