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Friday Night Notebook: Welcome back to the spotlight

It’s here, it’s finally here!

Arizona high school football week one is off and running.

The story lines are abundant this year, with over 60 head coach changes, transfer player developments, and so much more.

Thanks to the entire team we have here at Sports360AZ, we’re able to compile all the interesting nuggets of information, right here every week.

Thursday Night Lights don’t shine too bright

With the continual lack of AIA referee numbers, there are more Thursday night games at the varsity level than ever.

To open Week 1, there were plenty of thrillers.

Big time showdown

Hamilton high school, led by first year head coach and program alum Travis Dixon, outlasted the reigning Open Division runner-up Centennial 17-10.

 

I received numerous texts about Richard Lucero’s performance at quarterback. He has full command of that offense, and with one of the biggest offensive lines in the state, you can expect big time performances all year from the Huskies.

Centennial isn’t going anywhere either. Junior signal caller Kainan Manna is continuing to show that he’s elite in Arizona. Both the Coyotes and Huskies will have impact transfers later in the season. A rematch in the Open playoffs will be a must-watch.

Watch out for the team from Laveen

Right down the street, Cesar Chavez put on quite the show against Chandler, fighting until the end in a 27-18 loss.

Chandler Hovik, who is a Chavez alum and is in his first year leading the program, is excited for what this young team can do.

 

“We started seven sophomores yesterday,” Hovik said in a text. “We won’t back down to anybody.”

Expect them to get back to the playoffs this year.

And don’t worry about Chandler, coach Rick Garretson will have them ready for a deep Open playoff run.

 

QB play that lights up the stat sheet

Down in Tempe, McClintock quarterback Jaxon Knutson lit up the scoreboard.

His line: six passing touchdowns, 466 passing yards and a rushing touchdown.

The Chargers throttled Maricopa 54-33. A note from Cody Cameron who was on the broadcast of the game.

“McClintock is going to be a dangerous team in 5A this season. Their receiving core is one of the best in the state and their Senior QB Jaxon Knutson can throw it a mile. That talent was on full display in Thursday night’s win. Defensively they return some of their top tacklers from last season and they played very well vs Maricopa. Senior WR Kemon Jackson should be on college radars, he’s about as explosive of a player as they come.”

With QB play like that, expect them to be a fun watch all year and a dangerous team in the 5A bracket.

Turning to Friday Night

The most anticipated game of the night arguably was a match up between reigning Open champ Liberty, and 5A runner-up Desert Edge.

Both teams have lots of new players on the field.

Liberty won 22-0, in a game that was dominated by defense. Dominic Lombardo scored all three touchdowns for Liberty.

 

The Lions defense was ferocious, especially on first and second downs against the Scorpions.

Colin Thomas credits Desert Edge’s “best in-state” speed at all positions for keeping the game close.

Last year’s Liberty team rolled through everybody.

This year, the offense will work on some things, but the defense is on another level. They have it all. Size. Speed. Explosiveness. Grit. Everything. A repeat title won’t be a surprise.

As for Desert Edge, the speed this team plays with, including quarterback Elijah Sherbin-Fox, will be hard for any other team to face. They’ll be at the top of 5A and fighting for an Open spot.

NFL vision

Fitzgerald catches a game-winner.

Yes you heard that right.

Brophy junior wide receiver Devin Fitzgerald, son of Larry Fitzgerald, helps Brophy survive against Williams Field. 

This one-on-one catch is a MUST WATCH.

 

You can see the resemblance.

Brophy is loaded with NFL ties. You’ll hear the names all-year long, and on Arizona Family Sports. Our teammate Chris Peterson is producing a weekly “Hard Knocks” style documentary on the team. It airs every Friday night. Next week I’m sure they’ll be reliving that catch…

Arizona versus everybody

Arizona prep football is rising on the national radar every year.

Basha is at the forefront of that, with big wins over national powerhouses in recent years.

Tonight, the Bears welcomed powerhouse Millard South from Nebraska. Ty Wisdom, who coached at Horizon and Desert Vista, leads Millard South.

Basha enters the Brodie Vehrs at quarterback era, with a 39-25 win. 

 

Star receiver Gio Richardson made an early case for catch of the year.

 

Andy Litten is the new head coach at Mesa Mountain View. The toros went to Oceanside, California and beat El Camino 42-20 to secure Litten’s first win with the program.

 

Westwood also took an out-of-state win, beating Diamond Bar (California), 14-7.

 

Change of the guard in the South

Salpointe Catholic has been the cream of the crop in Tuscon and Southern Arizona for the better part of a decade.

Tonight, Marana handed the Lancers its first loss to a southern Arizona team since 2017. Dezmen Roebuck sealed it with a pick.

 

Roebuck is a name to keep paying attention to. He can break multiple state receptions record this year. He is the ultimate play maker. Marana can make a deep playoff run this year, it’s a talented team with many returners.

Other notable scores

Millenium 42 – Westview 13

Desert Mountain 41 – Verrado 14

Arcadia 31 – Glendale 0

Casteel 31 – Boulder Creek 21

Perry 40 – Desert Ridge 7

Mountain Ridge 28 – Tolleson 0

Cactus 52 – Sunnyslope 14

Horizon 48 – Canyon View 8

Apollo 27 – Sunnyside 20

Eastmark 12 – Canyon Del Oro 3

Vista Grande 12 – Coconino 7

Dobson 24 – Cibola 7

Peoria 27 – Apache Junction 13

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