Higley Excessive Faculty (Gilbert, Ariz.) ran onto the sector in jubilation and celebration as they efficiently prevented a two-point conversion with none time on the clock to take down Desert Edge (Goodyear, Ariz.) 42-41 in a battle for the ages for the Arizona Interscholastic Affiliation 5A championship.
The sport featured 19 ejections, a near-30-point comeback, and a controversial name by the referees that performed a task within the last play of the sport.
The place to start out?
With about 1:21 remaining within the first half and Higley main 22-7, a battle broke out after a punt return by Higley. It isn’t totally clear what prompted it from the NFHS Community video, but it surely seems there was an enormous blindside block on the return. You possibly can see it across the three-second mark on this video:
Higley and Desert Edge Teaching staffs truly did an unbelievable job of breaking this up earlier than it received out of hand. pic.twitter.com/ILxOQHjuDW
— ArizonaVarsity.com 🔥PREPS🔥 (@AZHSFB) December 2, 2023
In keeping with Arizona Republic reporter Richard Obert, who was on the sport, a number of gamers from Desert Edge’s sideline ran throughout the sector towards the altercation. Zach Alvira on the East Valley Tribune reported that punches had been thrown, and a referee trying to tug gamers off one another fell to the bottom.
Within the video of the aftermath posted by Obert, there seems to be two dozen to 3 dozen Desert Edge gamers returning to their sideline:
That is ugly with 1:21 left in half. Combating in scuffle, a ref will get knocked down, desert edge gamers rush area from sidelines. Large mess pic.twitter.com/YIjz9EXu00
— Richard Obert (@azc_obert) December 2, 2023
The search goes on for video of what occurred in between, however a photograph from Patrick Breen revealed to the Arizona Republic reveals a snapshot of a Desert Edge participant going after a Higley participant whereas one other Higley participant is trying to calm the state of affairs and a 3rd is being held again by a teammate.
(Picture: Patrick Breen/Arizona Republic)
Head coaches met at midfield and got a listing of gamers who had been ejected. In complete, 16 Desert Edge gamers and three Higley gamers had been completed for the sport, with one other half of soccer but to be performed. The Higley Knights, who out-gained Desert Edge 391-137 over the primary two quarters, took a 28-13 lead into halftime after two touchdowns — a 59-yard reception by Higley junior John Decausmaker and an 89-yard kickoff return by Desert Edge senior Kezion Dia-Johnson — occurred within the last minute of the second quarter.
With the Desert Edge Scorpions down so many gamers, Higley escalated its result in 41-13 within the third quarter.
Then, the sport really started.
With 1:53 left within the third, Desert Edge junior quarterback Hezekiah Millender threw a 30-yard landing go to Jaqua Anderson. Dia-Johnson got here up huge once more with 10 minutes to go within the fourth, catching a 79-yard landing go, after which he arrange one other landing 5 minutes later with a 53-yard reception that put Desert Edge on the objective line.
Over simply over 10 minutes of play, the Scorpions had lower the deficit from 29 to a one-possession sport.
They received an opportunity to tie or win with the clock ticking down. Desert Edge drove the ball 90 yards downfield and rushed the ball in, establishing a two-point conversion try.
“We didn’t come right here to tie,” Scorpions co-head coach Mark Carter advised the Arizona Republic after the sport.
The primary one appeared good, with Deshawn Warner attending to his left and into the tip zone, however a holding flag introduced the ball again and shut down the Scorpions’ celebration.
Crazier than September merry go spherical. Warner 2 level attempt to win it with no time left referred to as again by holding. Will attempt tie pic.twitter.com/IBhL4zHTTy
— Richard Obert (@azc_obert) December 2, 2023
Peter Clark with 5 Star Sports activities Media posted a video he shot from behind the tip zone, exhibiting the lineman (No. 62 within the white jersey) who was referred to as for the maintain:
My view of the “maintain” on #62 for DE from tonight, appears to me as if #10 for Higley pushes #62 into #44.
Don’t see how that constitutes as a maintain when his momentum pushed him into him, no jersey seize simply into the bottom. That’s what i name a BLOCK. 🤷🏻♂️ pic.twitter.com/BSrfvwOiEf
— Peter Clark (@5StarPete) December 2, 2023
Breen tweeted a number of photographs he took from an angle behind the nook of the tip zone.
Right here is my view of the sport deciding maintain in Desert Edge v Higley 5A championship.
Let me know what you suppose? pic.twitter.com/TecLgR0eFF
— Patrick Breen 🌵 (@pjbreenphoto) December 2, 2023
Backed up 10 yards, Desert Edge went for the two-point conversion as soon as once more — as Carter mentioned, the Scorpions didn’t come to tie.
This time, it was a go try, which was damaged up.
They fight for two once more. Move damaged up. Higley wins 42-41 pic.twitter.com/9UT6kAG0Cn
— Richard Obert (@azc_obert) December 2, 2023
Higley stormed the sector with arms within the air, celebrating what stands out as the wildest championship sport we’ll see this weekend.
Knights quarterback Gunner Fagrell completed with a line of 28-for-42 with 365 passing yards and two touchdowns, in keeping with the East Valley Tribune. Working again Daxen Corridor had 332 complete yards — 219 dashing, 113 receiving on seven receptions — and punched in a pair of touchdowns.
On Desert Edge’s facet, Millender went 16-for-20 with 326 yards, whereas Dia-Johnson completed with six receptions for 211 yards. The Scorpions completed the season 11-3.
Higley completed 12-2, and one of many solely losses they skilled was to Desert Edge in one other thrilling contest, a 38-32 sport.
The Knights received revenge on Friday night time, aggressively attacking on offense by three quarters after which hanging on on the finish to win their second championship in a row.
After going 2-9 solely two seasons in the past, Higley received on prime in 2022 and has not relinquished the trophy since.