Sports360AZ
By Daniel Rios
Change can be scary, especially when it comes to the unforeseen. A feeling many are uncomfortable with, but the Desert Edge high school football program was hit with change when co-head coaches Mark and Marcus Carter were suspended due to an Arizona Interscholastic Association’s recruitment rule.
A new era started immediately. Enter head coach Henri MacArthur, a nine-year assistant on the staff. He’s familiar with the program’s operations, but seeing the day-to-day as a head coach is a more significant challenge. The transition didn’t seem like the program was fazed by it all.
A 1-3 start in 2024 may have been worrisome to many, but the bond and foundation sowed into the program got the Scorpions out of a hole. Closing out the regular season on a 5-1 run propelling the team to a 5A State Championship win over Cactus High School.
A mid-season turnaround and a program that didn’t seem to skip a beat. An impressive feat for a first-time head coach but something he can’t take for himself.
“We had a great group that was bought in,” MacArthur said. “I think that our older guys had been through enough battles to know that we could turn things around. I think our young guys were just hungry to play and make plays.”
Hunger – It fuels a young athlete when trying to venture to the top. While the Scorpions have seen a lot of success on the field, a potentially more impressive feat can be seen off the field. Arizona has fostered some serious football talent with guys like Brock Purdy, Bijan Robinson and Bryon Murphy in recent years.
College programs know talent resides in the state, and recently, at Desert Edge, In the 2024 and 2025 recruiting classes, featured one player in the top 3—No. 1 in 2025, No. 3 in 2024, and five in the top 50 in 2024. Talent wears orange and black when you seek it in the West Valley.
Ten players currently have a D-1 college offer in the program – four are in the 2028 class. Only 11 players have received offers at the D-1 level in the 2028 class within Arizona, and Desert Edge is cherishing 36% of them.
“From youth football and stuff, people have been saying that I’ve been a big kid, and they see me like going places and stuff,” freshman defensive lineman Jalanie George said. “When I came here, all the offers and stuff really started hitting, everything just came so fast. That’s when you realize everything is real. It’s not a game.”
George, Jaelyn Flores, Byron Brandon Jr. and Nekhi Lambeth all represent the Scorpions while having at least one offer from a D-1 school. George and Brandon Jr. are the only two who saw significant playing time this past season.
Playing time didn’t faze either Flores or Lambeth, as their sheer athleticism shined when they saw the field. Lambeth’s number was called in the 5A state championship game, and he delivered. He tallied three tackles and didn’t flinch when he went from the sideline to the field.
Just want to thank god for putting me in this position! I am the #1 ATH in Arizona for the class of 2028! Just want to thank my coaches and teammates. @AZcoachHenri @DEdgeFootball pic.twitter.com/TiKgsuIxHe
— Jaelyn Easterling-Flores (@JaelynFlores04) January 31, 2025
Flores was hurt the majority of the year, but possesses a lethal speed that is seen when he lines up out wide. A crafty receiver who recently was named the No. 1 athlete in the state of Arizona according to Prep Redzone.
Regardless of playing time, each player showcased the hunger that dwells in every one of them by showcasing their hard work. An attribute that is needed to succeed within a program like Desert Edge.
That attribute separates programs all over the country. Teams that put in more work usually see more success, and it’s evident at all levels of competition. A simple message but a hard one to execute. In his first season, MacArthur ensured that the message was getting across.
“The guys that are getting offers are the guys that set the standard,” MacArthur said. “As far as the expectation of being here, we do a lot of extra work here. It’s not easy to play here. It’s not easy to meet my expectations, as far as what I expect, as far as attendance and working now and stuff like that. So it’s a lot of work. These guys did the work. So they’re the ones that earn the offers.”
Athletes all over the country work hard every day, but in some cases, it can still take a village to achieve an offer. A family that believes in you and is actively seeking the best for you it’s rare to find. Not many athletes around the country can find that support system.
MacArthur instilled that support system belief in his players and put them in positions to succeed. Whether that be advice, making them play on the varsity level, or even position changes. Each player is different, and each one needs different things to succeed. They all had their moments to shine to prove to the coaching staff that they belonged.
Bradon Jr. wasn’t slotted to see the field much but after taking his first carry to the house in a scrimmage before the season against Desert Vista, MacArthur knew he needed serious touches. A couple of months later, Bradon Jr. finished second on the team in rushing with 425.
MacArthur didn’t feel George was ready to be on a varsity field yet at the start of the season, his reasoning that he hasn’t played enough football yet. George had the intangibles of a dominant edge player standing at 6-foot-6, 240 pounds. His defensive line coach responded with, “I’m gonna get him ready.” Just months later George started every game and made the MaxPreps 1st team Freshman All-American team.
Congratulations @JalanieGeorge15 for making the @MaxPreps 1st team Freshmen All American team ! pic.twitter.com/RcSrz5WIek
— Desert Edge Football (@DEdgeFootball) January 9, 2025
Lambeth was initially supposed to play receiver, but MacArthur thought he’d succeed more at the defensive back position. A season later, it turned out to be a good decision to trust the insight of their head coach.
“When I first got here I wanted to play receiver, and I was in the weight room,” Lambeth said. “Henri (MacArthur) came up to me like, we’re gonna put you at defensive back. I wasn’t putting in the work to be a defensive back. I’ve been working (to be a defensive back) ever since summer, getting better, working with Henri (MacArthur) and my coaches, doing my body, my technique, everything.”
While this group has seen success, it is rare for their age and class. Reality sets in as the offseason hits. A program can also rescind an offer, so even though they come in, they may not stay. Improvements are already being made for each of the athletes.
Having three years of high school football leaves much room to improve. MacArthur knows this will be the worst version of this group. An interesting aspect that many high school athletes don’t get the advantage to have, but can put everything into reality for them.
“This is the worst they’ll ever be at football for the rest of their life,” MacArthur said. “They’re gonna be better tomorrow than they were today, and we have a lot more tomorrows with these guys because they have a long time left, so to know how far ahead they are in the game, not only recruiting-wise, but just with their skill set and their athleticism, they’re going to continue to improve.”
