WHAT HAPPENED LOCALLY WEEK 2
6A: After two weeks it's no mystery Chandler and Hamilton are shoo-ins to qualify for the Open Division. It's also clear they'll play for the Open Division title if and when it rolls around the second week of December. When quality and perennial playoff programs like Centennial and Pinnacle are obliterated by the Huskies and Wolves, respectively, it sounds a death knell for the rest of any possible Open contenders. Casteel - the Cardiac Colts -  notched another one-point win rallying past Higley to go 2-0. Dane Christensen to Isaiah Newcombe for the game-winner late. Queen Creek and Highland were impressive in advancing to 2-0 as well with the Bulldogs humbling Williams Field and the Hawks topping Desert Vista. Devin Brown tossed three TD passes in Queen Creek's win. The Bulldogs have talented and speedy backs in Payton Barlow and Larry Royal Jr and a good corps of receivers. Royal registered a 99-yard kickoff return for a TD in the win over Williams Field. Also 2-0 in the East Valley are Corona del Sol and Mountain View. Corona took down Basha with a late TD and Mountain View blanked Dobson. There may be angst brewing for Red Mountain after its 30-0 loss to Liberty. The Mountain Lions are playing in a much tougher region in 2020 after regions were shuffled in the offseason so matchups are upcoming against the likes of Casteel, Desert Ridge, Queen Creek and Williams Field. Everyone else in the new region is used to competitive region contests in recent years. Collecting first wins of the season last week to even records at 1-1 were Desert Ridge (over Mountain Ridge) and Mesa (Gilbert). 

5A: Desert Mountain moved to 2-0 with a North Region win over McClintock. That reversed a loss to the Chargers last season. A good step going forward for the Wolves. Saguaro opened its season after a COVID-19 cancellation Week 1 and turned in a shutout over Brophy.  Notre Dame Prep is 2-0 after beating Valley Vista. Breaking into the win column Week 2 were Campo Verde and Horizon. That means every team in the East Region is .500 or better. The shocking loss was Gilbert bowing to Mesa High. The Tigers were short-handed without Week 1 leading rusher Cooper Zellner, who should be good to go this week.  

4A: Poston Butte and American Leadership Queen Creek are the only area teams 2-0 after dominating wins over Arcadia and Buckeye, respectively. Apache Junction, Combs and Marcos de Niza secured first victories of the season. In the cases of Apache Junction and Marcos de Niza its was the first wins for their new head coaches -- Bruce Binkley (AJ) and Anthony Figueroa (MDN). AJ won on the road at Prescott and MDN topped Benjamin Franklin at home. Defending 4A champ Mesquite lost in a shootout with 5A Sunrise Mountain, 46-40. Arcadia, Seton Catholic and Tempe each dropped to 0-2 in definitive defeats. 

3A: Arizona College Prep, Fountain HIlls and Valley Christian are the local 3As with 2-0 marks. ACP had to scramble to find an opponent after Gilbert Christian was forced to cancel with a positive COVID-19 test. ACP pummeled ALA Ironwood. Fountain HIlls second-half rally edged Florence, 48-47. Valley Christian renewed a rivalry with Phoenix Christian from their 2A days together and prevailed, 21-7. Fountain HIlls second-half rally edged Florence, 48-47. PC is now 0-2 after moving up from 2A. ALA Gilbert North won its first game while Eastmark, San Tan Foothills and Florence stayed winless. Florence's losses are by a combined five points.

2A: Scottsdale Prep and Scottsdale Christian improved to 2-0 with wins over Trivium Prep and Heritage Academy Laveen, respectively. They compete in the 2A Verde Region. Their region matchup is the final night of the regular season - Nov. 13. Also moving to 2-0 Sequoia Pathway after its blanking of Tombstone and Chandler Prep with a win oer NOrth Pointe Prep. Arete Prep jumped from 1A 8-man football to 11-man this season. Its opener, delayed after a COVID cancellation last week, was a 1A-type game in 2A clothing. The Chargers fell to Glendale Prep, 58-57. Quarterback Matthew McClelland rushed and passed for a combined  554 yards. He scored four TDs and passed for three. He also had an interception.

1A: Tempe Prep is 2-0 after routing Fort Thomas, 56-6. Tempe Prep dropped from 2A to 1A this year and was 4-17 the past two seasons playing 11-man. Life is looking up with the switch. 

Clutch player of the week:  Fountain Hills QB Shane Davenport passed for 393 yards, rushed for another 65 yards and threw for 5 TDs helping rally the Falcons past Florence, 48-47.

STAT CHECK (stats are from those who have posted as of Oct. 11)

Top rushers: Arete Prep QB Matthew McClelland, 288 yards, 4 TDs; Chandler RB Eli Sanders, 213 yards, 4 TDs; Corona del Sol RB Anyale Velazquez, 212 yards, 2 TDs; Combs RB Joey Jensen, 172 yards, 4 TDs; Scottsdale Christian QB Ben Tobin, 136 yards, 3 TDs; Sequoia Pathay RB Izaiah Stewart, 132 yards, 3 TDs; Poston Butte RB Zion Burns, 127 yards, 3 TDs; Scottsdale Prep RB Carson Boyll, 126 yards, 1 TD; AZ College Prep RB Richard Williams, 123 yards, 2 TDs; Chandler RB Nicolas Nesbitt, 123 yards; Campo Verde RB Caden Calloway, 119 yards, 3 TDs; Benjamin Franklin RB Marquise Byrd, 112 yards, 1 TD; Hamilton RB Deshaun Buchanon, 109 yards; Saguaro RB Xander Werner, 107 yards, 2 TDs. 

Top passers: Fountain Hills QB Shane Davenport, 393 yards, 5 TDs, 1 INT; Mesquite QB Ty Thompson, 347 yards, 3 TDs; Casteel QB Dane Christensen, 285 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INT; Tempe Prep QB Diego Foster, 270 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT; Arete Prep QB Matthew McClelland, 266 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT; ALA Gilbert-North QB Jack Riceforff, 263 yards, 1 TD; Sequoia Pathway QB Alex Montano, 226 yards, 3 TDs; San Tan Foothills QB Brett Lincoln, 217 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; Desert Mountain QB Aiden Cerullo, 215 yards, 1 TD; Chandler QB Mikey Keene, 212 yards, 2 TDs; Mountain View QB Will Roberts, 206 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT; Highland QB Gage Dayley, 193 yards, 2 TDs; Coolidge QB Jacob Gunter, 189 yards, 2 TDs; Corona del Sol QB Quade Swearingen, 183 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT;  AZ College Prep QB Mark Chavez, 172 yards, 2 TDs; Perry QB Dane White, 166 yards, 2 TDs; Basha QB Demond Williams,164 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; Scottsdale Prep QB Oscar Frias, 161 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT; Mesa QB John (Gabby) Mendoza, 159 yards, 2 TDs; Valley Christian QB Jadon Hanzal, 154 yards, 2 INT; Desert Ridge QB Austin Kolb, 152 yards. 

Top receivers: Fountain HIlls WR Savion Boone, 275 yards, 5 TDs; Casteel WR Isaiah Newcombe, 206 yards, 2 TDs; Arete Prep WR Owen Kremer, 182 yards, 2 TDs; Desert Mountain WR Jack Schrieber, 134 yards, 1 TD; Sequoia Pathway TE Yufiel Jones, 115 yards, 2 TDs; San Tan Foothills WR Cutter Kuhl, 113 yards, 1 TD; Mountain View WR Tanner Johnson, 107 yards; Perry WR Cade Berger, 105 yards, 1 TD. 

WEEK 3 SCHEDULE - ALL GAMES FRIDAY OCT. 16 UNLESS NOTED

6A

Desert Vista (0-2) at Basha (0-2)

Boulder Creek (1-1) at Brophy Prep (0-2)

Queen Creek (2-0) at Casteel  (2-0)

Perry (0-2) at Chandler (2-0)

Chaparral (0-0) at Hamillton (2-0) - cancelled due to COVID-19

Skyline (0-2) at Corona del Sol (2-0)

Mesa (1-1) at Dobson (1-1)

Sandra Day O'Connor (1-1) at Highland (2-0)

Desert Ridge (1-1) at Higley (1-1)

Notre Dame Prep (2-0) at Mountain Ridge (1-1)

Red Mountain (1-1) at Mountain View (2-0) 

Salpointe (1-0) at Pinnacle (1-1) - cancelled due to COVID-19

Mountain Pointe (0-2) at Shadow Ridge (2-0)

Westwood (0-2) at Valley Vista (1-1)

Centennial (1-1) at Williams Field (1-1)

5A

Desert Mountain (2-0) at Goldwater (0-2) - Oct. 15

Horizon (1-1) at Apollo (0-2)

Campo Verde (1-1) at Gilbert (1-1)

Saguaro (1-0) at Maricopa (1-1)

Sunnyslope (2-0) at Paradise Valley (0-2)

Cactus Shadow (0-0) at McClintock (1-1)

4A

Estrella Foothills (1-1) at Apache Junction (1-1)

Glendale (2-0) at Arcadia (0-2)

Poston Butte (2-0) at Benjamin Franklin (1-1)

ALA-Queen Creek (2-0) at Mesquite (1-1) - Last year's 3A champ visits last year's 4A champ. Region foes now.

Combs (1-1) at Mingus (1-1)

Seton Catholic (0-2) at St. Mary's (1-1)

Marcos de Niza (1-1) at Tempe (0-2)

3A

ALA-Ironwood (0-2) at Coolidge (1-1)

ALA-Gilbert North (1-1) at Eastmark (0-2)

Gilbert Christian (1-0) at Florence (0-2)

Arizona College Prep (2-0) at Payson (0-1)

Safford (1-0) vs. Fountain Hills (2-0) at ALA Gilbert North  - Oct. 15, 7:30 kickoff

Winslow (1-1) at Valley Christian (2-0)

2A

Arete Prep (0-1) at Miami (1-1)

Scottsdale Christian (2-0) at North Pointe Prep (0-2)

Globe (1-0) at San Tan Charter (0-2)

Veritas Prep (0-1) at Scottsdale Prep (2-0)

Chandler Prep (2-0) at Sequoia Pathway (2-0)

1A

Tempe Prep (2-0) at Lincoln Prep (0-2)