Friday Night Notebook: Upsets and thrillers galore

Jordan Spurgeon

6 days ago

What a week in the Arizona high school football scene full of upsets and thrillers.

Thursday night thriller

On Thursday, Horizon and Higley played a back-and-forth game with Open division implications.

The Huskies won 27-24, thanks to a 35 yard game winning field goal by Palmer Podwika as time expired.

GAME WINNER ‼️@HorizonFootball wins 27-24 on this FG by @PodwikaPalmer pic.twitter.com/hFVDbjM41z

— Jordan Spurgeon (@spurge_) October 25, 2024

Under first year head coach Tyson Ditmore, Horizon is 7-1. With wins over Higley and Desert Mountain, the Huskies will likely enter the top eight rankings for the open division next week as the second 5A team with No. 1 Marana.

The team motto is “keep swinging.” They live by that. Jase Ashley is a very good quarterback who makes plays when they need. The defense is ferocious at all three levels. Special teams excels. This team feels eerily similar to the 2021 team that won the 5A championship.

Higley has three losses to Marana, ALA Gilbert North, and now Horizon. The chances of the Knights making the open division are slim, so a chance to three-peat in 5A is real. It’ll be the toughest road yet in a loaded 5A conference, even if the top two teams are bumped into the Open.

6A East Valley Region is loaded

There are no more unbeaten teams in 6A after Queen Creek beat Red Mountain 28-23 Friday night. Both teams are 7-1, along with ALA Queen-Creek who Red Mountain beat last week. The Bulldogs are 2-0 in region play and sitting at the top.

This seems to be the toughest region in 2024. No game is easy, and the best teams are beating up on each other.

It’ll be interesting to see if all three teams at the top will make the Open. Barring more losses to end the season, I expect Red Mountain and ALA Queen Creek to be in. But don’t sleep on Queen Creek. Travis Schureman’s team is loaded with talent, starting with Tait Reynolds at quarterback.

A top QB puts on a show

One of the best finishes Friday night happened in the Cactus Shadows – Notre Dame Prep game.

Cactus Shadows quarterback Donivan Dixon refused to lose, rushing for the go-ahead touchdown to make it 28-21. Then making the game sealing pick on defense.

Knotted at 21 in Q4…then @donivanndixonn happened…

Scored the eventual game-winning TD & made the game-sealing INT.

Cactus Shadows hits the road & beats Notre Dame Prep, 28-21 🔥@Sports360AZ @CSFalconsFB #AZHSFB https://t.co/y7RlztqCvg pic.twitter.com/FkZt2ah2el

— Eliav Gabay (@eliavgabay) October 26, 2024

The top offense in 5A belongs to Cactus Shadows, with over 45 points per game. Dixon has been lighting up the scoreboard. Now, they’re learning how to win close games after dropping three one-score games earlier in the season.

This could be a dangerous team in the 5A playoffs.