Chris Eaton
It was the fifth edition of the Just Chilly Flight Club 7-on-7 passing tournament and Big Man competition out at Copper Sky Regional Park in Maricopa on Saturday night, June 28. Once again, it featured a mini play-in tournament five days before the big event for the last of the coveted spots.
With the late June date, this event finished off the month-long period of 7×7 passing competition and corresponding events for the linemen. Once again, this was one of the biggest fields with 32 teams representing 26 different schools from the Valley down to Tucson.
The competitions with other schools are welcomed as teams practiced just among themselves during Spring Ball, even if they attended one of the many showcase events in May. It’s always exciting to go against someone wearing a different color jersey than yours. While scores were kept, and teams were seeded and advanced throughout the bracket, it was a chance for coaches to evaluate how their players performed when asked to compete.
This tournament was created by Chilly during the pandemic year of 2020, when it was a quiet summer and teams didn’t have a normal offseason. There were eight fields for 7-on-7 games and two more fields on the far east end for the big man challenge. Needless to say, there was a lot going on for the seven-hour event. While the location may be a little remote, it worked out and there were plenty of food trucks to feed hungry players, coaches, and spectators.
The Big Man competition featured an agility obstacle course, tug of war, and one-on-one battles. Points were awarded for the first three events with the top four teams moving on to a new event for Flight Club – the Hummer pull. In the one-on-one phase, each school got 20 reps against one another with 10 on offense and 10 on defense. Defenders had to tag the “quarterback” while offensive linemen had to hold their ground for a few seconds and prevent them from getting there. Helping out with the linemen all night were some Arizona HS football alums who are current college students. Grayson Stovall (Hamilton/Arizona), Alexander Doost (Mountain Ridge/Arizona), AJ Dutchover (Highland/Southern Utah), Christian Madoski (Mountain Ridge/Arizona), Chance Roberts (Hamilton/Arizona), and Matthew Lado (Apollo/Arizona) kept things running smoothly and lent their expertise to the next group of future college players.
The top four schools that moved on to the Big Man final event were ALA-Queen Creek, Basha, Chandler, and Desert Edge. What exactly is a Hummer pull? Each school chose two linemen to pull a tow rope that was attached to a Hummer electric vehicle. They then had to move the vehicle 40 yards in the parking lot.
Eaven Rojas and Emmanuel Roland-Umasabor on the hummer pull for Desert Edge. pic.twitter.com/OjIXo4dfit
— Gridiron Arizona (@gridironarizona) June 29, 2025
With eight games happening at once plus the big man area, it’s impossible to see everything. I did manage to see nine different games featuring 15 different teams (almost half of the field), plus a 90-minute stop at the lineman competition (and a meal at a food truck). Here’s a look at nine of the schools that I saw:
SAGUARO
Last Year: It was a rough 2024 season for the program as several top players from the 2023 6A Conference championship team transferred out. Couple that with a head coaching change, and it led to a 1-9 season for the Sabercats. Darius Kelly was promoted to head coach (the third for the program in three years) and he had to bring in an almost entire new staff. Saguaro’s lone win came in the seventh game at rival-Chaparral. Five of the team’s losses came by at least 28 points. It snapped a 20-year playoff streak and was the Sabercats’ worst record since 1998.
Returning Offensive Skill Players: QB Marcel Jones (1,072 passing yards, 8 TDs, 441 rushing yards, 6 TDs), WR Tristan Armstrong (157 receiving yards and 2 TDs in five games).
Something Different in 2025: Key players that will be eligible to play from the get go. Saguaro had six players that all had to sit the first half of the season due to transferring in 2024. All of them return and will be able to play all 10 for the Sabercats. That list consists of QB Marcel Jones, WR Tristan Armstrong, LB/TE Nikolai Procopio, LB Braeden Egger, DT Tyler King, and DT Clayburne Watkins. Because of this, there were several younger players that got reps in the first part of the season. They will also be back and as a result, the Sabercats should be a more experienced bunch.
Talking to the Coach: While these games and tournaments are merely exhibitions, head coach Darius Kelly said there is an element of importance to them when it comes to improvement. “We just want to get better,” Kelly said. “This is our fifth, and last tournament of the summer. We just want to execute and just be better going into July when we get into the team phase and work on stopping the run and get ready for Game 1 of the season.”
When asked about the work the team has been putting in during the offseason, Kelly was encouraged and noted that the offseason comes in phases. “Spring ball was really great,” Kelly said. “It was a lot of real football. Our linemen were able to get force against force. June has been a lot of 7-on-7 stuff and making sure we understand pass game. Looking forward to July. We want to get out of June as fast as we can to get to our team phase.”
In the Tournament: I saw Saguaro play in its first game of pool play at 4 p.m. Jones played well, staking the Sabercats out to a two-touchdown lead. With the temperature at 107 degrees, Kelly had Jake Pilarcek finish the game. Pilarcek, a transfer QB from Desert Mountain, had three TD passes and the Saguaro defense grabbed two interceptions in a 41-0 win over Corona del Sol’s rising stars (Classes of ’28 & ’29). Unfortunately, that was the only win for SHS on the night as they finished 1-3. However, each of their games were against quality opposition (Cactus, ALA-Queen Creek, and Notre Dame) and each defeat was by one score. Despite the record, Saguaro outscored its opponents by a 100-76 count.
NORTH
Last Year: North recovered from an 0-5 start to go 3-2 in its 5A Metro Region games. The win total was down two from 2023 and the last time the Mustangs were in the playoffs was in 2008. In region play, NHS defeated Fairfax, Trevor Browne, and South Mountain, and lost by just one point to Central. Senior RB Marco Minzt earned Region Player of the Year honors.
Returning Offensive Skill Players: TE Jerome Buckner, QB Eli Manzanares (no stats listed on MaxPreps).
Something Different in 2025: It’s a young Mustang team, but they’re grasping everything the coaches tell them. The players are all-in, but have a long ways to go with a young group. In addition to Buckner and Manzanares, North players to watch this year include DE Johnny Kalonji, WR/S Xavier Gracia, WR/S Gaibriel Bouie, WR/CB Malik Fedayeen, and CB Landon Harris.
Talking to the Coach: Head coach Mark Mejia is in his sixth year for North and works to combine a businesslike approach while still letting the players enjoy themselves. “We had a lot of commotion coming up here, but it’s about having fun and a great time,” Mejia said. “We try to balance that and make sure they understand the importance of coming here. It wasn’t free to come here, so we want to make sure we get the balance of both.”
The Mustangs have been busy as this was their seventh tournament of the summer. “They’ve been working their asses off,” Mejia said. “I’m proud of them. We’ve been working 12-3 from Monday through Thursday.”
In the Tournament: I saw North open pool play against fellow PXU foe Betty Fairfax. It was a battle with the Mustangs having to hold off BFHS in the final few minutes during a 21-21 game. That’s the way it finished, so it was a tie that felt like a win for NHS. Unfortunately, that was the high point as the Mustangs ended up going 0-3-1. The offense was limited to just three total touchdowns over the last three contests.
HIGLEY
Last Year: Coming off back-to-back 5A titles, the Knights made the Open Division bracket for the first time. Higley went on a road trip to Orange County (CA) and defeated San Juan Capistrano, 25-20. The Knights were 7-4 with victories over Desert Edge and Desert Mountain. In the Open, the #5 seed Higley lost on the road to defending champion Liberty.
Returning Offensive Skill Players: QB Gunner Fagrell (1,286 yards, 11 TDs in five starts), WR John Asaro (17 catches, 236 yards), RB Jaxon Watkins (228 yards, 3 TDs).
Something Different in 2025: A new conference. Higley returns to the 6A, where they competed in 2020 & 2021. Unlike the past two seasons, Fagrell is the clear No. 1 at quarterback. There will be new skill position players as the Knights’ starting running back and top four receivers have all graduated.
Talking to the Coach: I missed the Knights’ varsity team in the tournament, but caught the Rising Stars team. The group of ’28s and ’29s won their spot into Flight Club through the Monday night qualifier. That team was led by Brandon Anger, the school’s head JV coach.
“Just getting out here and getting to compete against other teams really gets the energy up,” Anger said. “They have friends on other teams, so just battling and competing really gets them going. They’ve been working hard in practice.
In the Tournament: I watched the Rising Stars team fall behind Cesar Chavez 17-7 before battling back for a 21-17 victory. The Knights won it on the final play of the game with a pass from sophomore Cayden Schlueter to fellow sophomore Zay Hicks. Anger was pleased with the group’s resilience in facing adversity. “We were down and we had some tough games earlier,” Anger said. “They didn’t let it get to them and they just kept battling.”
The Rising Stars team finished 1-2 and had the #23 seed. That matched them up with the #10 in the bracket, who was – the Higley varsity team (2-1)! In what must have seemed like a practice scrimmage, the varsity guys held it down in the first round of bracket play for a 31-14 win. The Knights followed that up with a 41-21 victory over Mountain Pointe before falling to Chandler in a high-scoring game (36-30) in the quarterfinals to finish at 4-2.
PEORIA
Last Year: Peoria rebounded from a 1-4 start to go a perfect 5-0 in the second half to win the 4A Skyline Region. Unfortunately, the 24-team playoff system came a year too late for the ’24 Panthers as they finished with a No. 20 ranking in the conference. The offense hit its stride as Peoria scored at least 30 points in each of those final five wins.
Returning Offensive Skill Players: QB Dominic Kramer (1,195 yards, 12 TDs), RB Cristian Carrillo (838 yards, 6 TDs), RB Javon Bell (668 yards, 11 TDs), WR Dontay Tyson Jr. (45 catches, 647 yards, 7 TDs).
Something Different in 2025: A wealth of experience. The Panthers will have eight returners on each side of the ball. The team will be counting on these guys to be leaders as well. Tyson (a junior who holds 21 college offers) has grown 1.5 inches and put on 15 pounds courtesy of the weight room. He’ll have to learn to play with that extra strength and handle the physicality that comes with double teams.
Talking to the Coach: In pool play, Peoria faced a pair of 5A playoff teams before taking on Mountain Pointe’s Rising Stars. Like other teams, this was the final tournament for the Panthers. “We’re trying to finish competitively and try to compete no matter who we’re playing,” head coach Jason Golden said. “We started with Higley. They’re the real deal and we had a chance and they capitalized at the end. Today, we’re trying to eliminate all the mistakes we made a month ago.”
Last season, 74 of the 98 completed passes for Peoria went to Tyson or Ricardo Vasquez (who was a senior). This year, the team has more targets, which should lead to a more balanced offense. “We’ve increased our depth at the skill positions,” Golden said. “Last year, we had maybe 2.5 receivers. This year, we have six or seven that can play on a Friday night. Having that depth is going to help. I think the 7-on-7’s will help develop their skills.”
In the Tournament: I watched Peoria finish off pool play with a 31-0 shutout win over Mountain Pointe’s 2028 & 2029 classes. That was the Panthers’ only win as they fell to Higley and Cactus Shadows. The bracket brought them another 5A playoff team in McClintock, and the Chargers prevailed 30-20. However, facing those bigger schools should sharpen them up and I expect PHS to be a team to not only make the 4A tournament, but to win a couple games there.
EASTMARK
Last Year: Eastmark finished with a pair of wins, but it wasn’t enough to crack the top 16. Much like Peoria, the 24-team playoff arrives a year too late for the Firebirds. EHS ended up 5-5 and missed the playoffs for the second time in its five varsity seasons. The offense struggled at times as Eastmark was held to less than 13 points on six occasions. It was the first season for head coach Jason Lyons.
Returning Offensive Skill Players: QB Dylan Gesner (965 yards, 9 TDs), WR Maximo Cano (33 catches, 569 yards, 3 TDs).
Something Different in 2025: The return of sophomore QB Dayne Silver. He played in just the first game (on varsity) last season before missing time with an injury. Silver is now up to 6-5, 215 pounds, and attracting college attention. A move from the 4A East Sky to the 4A Desert Sky into a region expected to be one of the strongest in the conference.
Talking to the Coach: I popped in on the Big Man competition to see Eastmark. The Firebirds advanced into the finals of their one-on-ones bracket (I’m not sure how the separate brackets were broken down) and defeated Casa Grande by the narrowest of margins (11-9). It came down to OL Jaxson Bethel needing to hold off a charge from the CGUHS defensive lineman.
It was a strong finish for EHS after struggling a little earlier. I talked to offensive lineman coach Bill Critchfield, who just moved to Eastmark after coaching previously at Highland with Lyons when he was there.
“We’re a little weak in the tug of war, but thankfully, we don’t need the tug of war in football,” Critchfield said. “I thought our guys had good techniques. They’re quick and they’ve got great attitudes. I think that makes a huge difference in 4A football.”
It will be a mix of new and older players on the line. Players to watch for the Firebirds include senior left tackle Anthony Milheiro, Bethel (a junior right guard), and junior center Easton Bauer. Critchfield was also excited about an incoming freshman to the program, who was not at the event. Eastmark finished second in the Big Man competition at ASU earlier in June.
“We’ve been doing workouts at 6 a.m.,” Critchfield said. “We had a really productive camp (at Camp Tontozona in Payson). It’s about creating a team unity.”
In the Tournament: Eastmark went 1-1-1 in pool play for sevens. The Firebirds tied 6A Corona del Sol and split against the Rising Stars teams from both Chandler and Basha. In the first round, EHS defeated Tucson before falling to Basha.
TEMPE
Last Year: Tempe finished 5-5 for the second straight year, repeating all of the results against the same opponents as it did in 2023. However, the upside is it was a non-losing season for the second consecutive season. That’s saying something, because from 2020-22, the Buffaloes went 1-24. Head Coach Sean Freeman was hired prior to the ’22 season and the rallying cry has been Tempe Turnaround.
Returning Offensive Skill Players: QB Saul Mendez (2,210 yards, 26 TD passes). No other returning running back or wide receiver had more than 200 yards for the Buffaloes in ’24.
Something Different in 2025: A new conference. Tempe petitioned to move back up into 4A and will be in the 4A Black Canyon Region. The last time the Buffs were in the 4A was in 2021. There is a confidence about this team from the summer that could carry into the season, which begins with games against Alhambra and Carl Hayden.
Talking to the Coach: The 2022 Tempe varsity roster from Freeman’s first season had 11 freshmen on it. Those players are now seniors, including key players like Mendez, linebacker Adrian Hackett, and defensive end Zihyon Walters. It’s the group that has reintroduced winning to the tradition-rich program that opened over 100 years ago. “It’s resilience,” Freeman said. “We’ve been telling people Tempe Turnaround all year. These are the guys that want to do it. These are my guys that when they were freshmen, they were leading the program. We told them when we were walking into our last tournament to come with it.”
Participation in practices and workouts has been good this spring and summer. “We want the elite guys out,” Freeman said. “The guys that show up every day and want to compete. We know our potential and we’re not letting nothing stop it.”
In the Tournament: Tempe High caught my attention when I was looking at the pool play standings during the break. The Buffaloes were 3-0 with wins over Mountain Ridge, Arizona Compass Prep, and Tucson. After defeating Chandler’s Rising Stars and ALA-Queen Creek (by two touchdowns), the quarterfinal matchup with Basha’s Rising Stars became appointment viewing. THS kept the surprising run alive with a 28-21 win over the young Bears. However, waiting for them in the semis was Basha’s varsity team, which did what no other team could in Tempe’s seven-game run as the Buffaloes were finally knocked off. But, what a memorable run it was!
Tempe has become the story of the night. The Buffaloes are 6-0 and have moved on to the semifinals after scoring late and then holding off Basha’s 28/29s, 28-21. pic.twitter.com/1fopkL5wK5
— Gridiron Arizona (@gridironarizona) June 29, 2025
McCLINTOCK
Last Year: McClintock had its best season since 1992 (32 years) with a 9-2 record. The Chargers were in the playoffs for the first time in five years and were the No. 9 seed in the 5A bracket. It was a pass-happy offense that excelled, putting up 3,800 yards through the air and 48 TD passes. McClintock hit the 40-point mark nine times and nearly did it in the first round of the playoffs. The Chargers lost to Campo Verde (for the second time), in a 42-39 back-and-forth game.
Returning Offensive Skill Players: No major contributors from McClintock are on the roster for this season. They have either graduated or transferred out.
Something Different in 2025: A complete overhaul. Nick Offenberger was hired as head coach in February. He was at Heritage Academy Laveen for one season, and was on Saguaro’s staff prior to that when the Sabercats won the Open Division in 2021. New players – Aidan Whitaker, a two-way player (WR/CB) has transferred from Saguaro, a passing duo from Las Vegas with QB Kaiden Ikaika Agbunag and WR Tanoah Kauhi. Both of those players are incoming freshmen and already hold college offers. Another ’29 is offensive lineman Michael Rivera (6-0, 260).
Talking to the Coach: Like Tempe, McClintock went on an unexpected run. “Tonight was awesome,” Offenberger said. “We were down a couple kids and we didn’t know what to expect. It’s been a long June and the kids have been working their butts off. I was very proud. In each game, we got better. I’m very excited about where this thing is going.”
Offenberger said practices have been good. “We’ve been indulging them with four days a week. Lifting all four days, speed training two of the days, and practice the other two days. I’ve got to give a shoutout to our strength coach, Yimin Bauman. The increases since spring ball have been awesome.
McClintock will be going to Camp Tontozona in Payson from July 7-10.
In the Tournament: McClintock opened the afternoon with a loss to Chandler. After that, the Chargers responded with comfortable wins over Fairfax and North. That gave MHS a No. 11 seed. From there, McClintock defeated Peoria and followed that up with a pair of high-scoring wins against Marana (38-35) and Casa Grande (45-38). That placed the Chargers into the semifinals and a rematch with Chandler. It was a competitive game, but the Wolves prevailed, 35-27. Senior Isaiah Venegas played quarterback (Ikaiaka Agbunag was not there) and junior receiver Jesus Otero made a lot of plays as McClintock got back to putting up points like it did a year ago.
Great run from 5A McClintock tonight. Chargers made it all the way to the semis. Here’s Isaiah Venegas to Jesus Otero and into your living room. pic.twitter.com/NjOW1QmN8T
— Gridiron Arizona (@gridironarizona) June 29, 2025
CHANDLER
Last Year: It was a rare down year for the Wolves as they dropped their last four games to finish 5-6. The Open Division, which began in 2019, was without Chandler for the first time. The playoff loss to Perry also meant it was the first losing season for CHS since 2005. After the season, Rick Garretson, who won Open Division titles in 2019 & 2020, retired after six years as the head coach.
Returning Offensive Skill Players: QB Will Mencl (1,070 yards, 11 TDs), WR Jai Jones (29 catches, 308 yards, 1 TD in six games).
Something Different in 2025: A new head coach. Ty Wisdom, who formerly was the head coach at Horizon and Desert Vista, is returning to the state after leading Millard South in Nebraska to a state championship in 2024. Wisdom last coached in Arizona in 2021.
Talking to the Coach: When asked to name a player that excites him this season, Wisdom simply said that Chandler has a lot of them. “All around, we’ve become a lot closer from when I got there in December until now,” Wisdom said. “We talk about stacking days and coming together. It’s a team that plays with a lot of energy. This group has worked their butts off all summer.”
It’s been a successful month for Chandler with a Big Man championship at Northern Arizona and making the championship at the huge field at San Diego State. “At the end of the day, this is 7-on-7,” Wisdom said. “We want to compete and we did. We played in four finals. I’m proud of them in how they’re competing.”
The team is looking to put last year behind it and get back to what the Wolves have done over the last decade. “We’re at Chandler, so our expectation is to compete in the Open championship,” Wisdom said. “That’s not going to change. Our kids believe in that. Our motto is ‘It’s not about me’. If we can continue to do that, we can be a dangerous team in November and December.”
In the Tournament: Chandler won its pool at 3-0. The Wolves dominated, winning those pool play games by a 99-24 count. In the bracket, CHS won two more games (by a 73-21 total) before being tested. The Wolves edged defending Flight Club champ Higley (36-30) and then outlasted McClintock, 35-27. Mencl was at the controls and found receiver Skyler Orminta often. Defensively, Arizona-commit Hamisi Juma played in coverage. Chandler led Basha, 22-21 before the Bears scored the game-winning touchdown with just 15 seconds remaining.
BASHA
Last Year: Basha made it back to the Open Division championship game for the second time in three years. However, unlike 2022, the Bears did not lift the trophy as they fell to Liberty, 35-17. The offense had to replace four-year starter Demond Williams Jr., and they were still successful. Basha scored more than 30 points in all 11 of its wins during an 11-2 campaign. And Liberty was the only Arizona team to beat the Bears (other loss was at Mission Viejo (CA).
Returning Offensive Skill Players: QB Brodie Vehrs (2,915 yards, 27 TDs), RB Noah Roberts (1,067 yards, 19 TDs), RB Joshua Gaines (547 yards, 7 TDs), WR Jaden Baldwin (30 catches, 416 yards, 1 TD), WR Kash Brock (30 catches, 401 yards, 5 TDs).
Rising Stars: I got to catch the ’28 and ’29 players against Chandler’s group of freshmen and sophomores during pool play. 6-2 sophomore Jordan Alsup had a good game at receiver. He can also play defensive back. Basha won that matchup with the Wolves (24-17) and finished 2-1 in pool play. In the bracket, the Bears defeated varsity teams from Cesar Chavez and Cactus before falling to Tempe in the quarterfinals.
The offensive coordinator from the JV team, Chuck Greer, was leading the team during the 7-on-7. He praised the defensive play of the team. “They’re fast, physical, and hungry,” Greer said. “They’re ball hawks.”. Basha broke from the tradition of going to camp after the 7’s season and went to Camp Shadow Pines in Heber from May 25-28. That helped build leadership in the group early. “A lot of the guys have stepped up,” Greer said. “That helped build the camaraderie. They go up against the cream of the crop in varsity every day and they don’t hang their heads or back down from anybody.”
Varsity Pool Play: I watched the Bears in their game against Maryvale. It was a dominating 38-7 win for Basha en route to a 3-0 record and the No. 1 seed. BHS had an interception in each game and only allowed one TD in the afternoon session.
Head Coach Chris McDonald was helping run some of the events during the tournament and wasn’t able to watch all of the games. I talked to Mike Denney, the special teams coordinator and wide out coach following the Maryvale game.
“These aren’t live reps, but they’re pretty dang close,” Denney said. “Fortunately, we’ve been able to get a bunch of guys in. There’s no substitute for activity. The more they can play, the better off they’ll be.
Big Man Champs: Basha tallied the most points through the four events and brought home the first of the two belts awarded on the evening. Tim Kelly, the offensive line coach had to replace four players from last season’s team. “They’ve been working hard all year,” Kelly said. “The new players have stepped up. The toughness aspect of the weight room helps with the tug of war.
The O-Line, of course, works against the defensive line every day in practice. That group is headed up by former NFL player Derek Kennard. “We do a lot of 1-on-1’s in practice,” Kelly said. “It’s an iron sharpens iron mentality.”
Talking to the MVP: Tevita Kale was named the MVP of the event. He is 6-3, 280 and can play anywhere on the line. An improvement on quickness has helped his game. “I’m way faster on my feet this year,” Kale said. “I used to be slow and couldn’t catch that second move with fast defensive tackles. I really improved on that and Coach Kelly helped me.”
It was Kale and linebacker Dante Bruley on the Hummer pull. Kale said that event was the toughest of the night.
@BruleyDante @kale_tevita winning the Big Man Truck pull for Basha!! @CoachTKelly1 @bashagridiron @PrepRedzoneAZ @BJMedia1 @ChenelleJones @JUSTCHILLY @azc_obert @gridironarizona pic.twitter.com/u8PB5oIchC
— John Bruley (@Bruley94) June 29, 2025
In the Tournament: Basha’s defense posted back-to-back shutouts in wins over Mountain Pointe’s rising stars and Eastmark. An exciting 45-34 win over Perry propelled the Bears into the semis. There, they ended Tempe’s incredible run (28-6) and then scored late to defeat district-rival Chandler by a 27-22 score. For the night, Basha outscored its opposition, 259-69 and blanked them four times (in eight games).
Talking to the MVP: Quarterback Brodie Vehrs was named the MVP in the passing competition. This was the third tournament that the Bears won (ASU & U of A were other two). Being the starter last year has him used to the game and ready for another big year. “I think a lot of confidence in my game,” Vehrs said of improvements this year. “Getting a year under my belt. We return a lot of guys on this offense. I know where they’re at, they know where I’m going to put the ball.”
Vehrs never played club ball and said 7-on-7 is a totally different game than the true football fans see in the fall. With the season beginning in about eight weeks, there are still things to work on.
“Getting bigger, stronger, and well-conditioned,” Vehrs said. “I want to be more of a dual threat.”
Talking to the Coach: I caught up with Chris McDonald at the end of the event. While the stakes may not be as high during a summer competition, calming the nerves can be the same. “It’s always about learning how to win,” McDonald said. “Especially in high-pressure situations and learning how to come through.”
With most of the defense returning, this year’s team looks as stout on that side of the ball as the offense did last season. “If we play together and do our job,” McDonald said. “I think it’s one of the top defenses in the state.”
Reach Chris Eaton at gridironarizona@yahoo.com or DM at @gridironarizona with story ideas.
