Paradise Honors. (Andy Morales/AZPreps365)

 

Records fell like confetti shot through the air and when it was all over, there was plenty for all who were there. No. 4 Sabino beat No. 3 Paradise Honors 68-46 Saturday night at Mountain Pointe High School to win the 3A state championship and, as you might be able to guess, the falling records began with the final score.

The 68 points scored by Sabino set an 11-man record in Arizona, passing the 67 scored by Blue Ridge over Parker (67-19) in 2000, the 65 scored by Chandler over Perry (65-28) in 2018, the 63 scored by Mountain View Marana over Sahuaro (63-32) in 1993, the 63 scored by Yuma Catholic over Round Valley (63-35) in 2013 and the 60 scored by Centennial over Notre Dame (60-7) in 2018.

The 8-man level has several champions above that with Pima scoring 78 in 1974, Fredonia scoring 71 in 1967, Superior scoring 70 in 2018 and Williams scoring 68 in 1993 but even the 1A level can’t touch the combined total of 114 points scored Saturday night. Williams and Mayer combined for 108 points in 1993 and Mogollon and Pima combined for 100 in 2008.

As one might imagine, 114 points comes with a lot of yardage and a lot of big plays and we had all that Saturday night. On the Sabino side, Mason Cade rushed for 371 yards on 23 carries (16.13) with five touchdowns coming from 72 yards, 70, 43, 3 and 1. One would have to research a lot of games to see if that number is an 11-man record but it is surely up there.

Sabino senior quarterback Cam Hackworth threw for 118 yards, with a couple of touchdowns, to help him set a Southern Arizona career passing record of 8,799 yards to put him past the 8,694 mark set by Rhett Rodriguez of Catalina Foothills from 2013-16. Southern Arizona is known for its superior running attack with former Salpointe standout Bijan Robinson leading the way but the Phoenix area is known for its passing game with at least 21 standouts throwing for more than 8,000 career yards, seven throwing for more than 10,000 yards and three for more than 11,000 yards with former Pinnacle standout Spencer Rattler throwing for 11,083, Paradise Honors senior Gage Baker for 11,797 and former Yuma Catholic standout Richard Stallworth going for 12,590.

Baker finished the night throwing 46-67 for 517 yards with seven touchdown passes and two interceptions. He shattered the single season Arizona record with 6,040 yards, he broke his own record with 46 completions in a state playoff game, he has the state record of 173 career touchdown passes and he tied the national record of 91 TD passes in a single season. All he needed was to get the ball back one more time but the Sabercats ran out the final three minutes or so, preventing both squads to score again, which was a strong possibility.

 

THE SCORING

FIRST QUARTER

SABERCATS: 6-0 (8:28) An Amonte Edwards interception led to a 15-yard scoring run from Hackworth. 2-point failed.

PANTHERS: 8-6 (3:35) Baker to Isaiah Thomas from 20. 2-point to Josh Morales.

SABERCATS (12-8) Cade 72 yards. 2-point failed.

PANTHERS: 14-12 (22.9) Baker to Morales 35 yards. 2-point failed.

 

SECOND QUARTER

SABERCATS: 20-14 (10:08) Hackworth to Shamar Berryhill from 47. Hackworth runs for 2.

SABERCATS: 28-14 (4:23) Jack Skaggs fumble recovery leads to Cade 1-yard score plus 2.

PANTHERS: 28-20 (2:52) Baker to Thomas 34 yards on 4-10. 2-point failed.

SABERCATS: 36-20 (1:39) Cade stiff arm for 43 yards plus 2 from Savaughn Berryhill.

 

THIRD QUARTER

SABERCATS: 44-20 (8:23) Cade from 3. Hackworth adds 2.

SABERCATS: 52-20 (8:12) Shamar Berryhill 27 yard interception TD. 2 from Devon Waxwood.

PANTHERS: 52-26 (3:39) Gage to Couger Holt from 15. 2-point failed.

SABERCATS: 60-26 (2:40) Cade 70 yards. Plus 2 from Zachary Binford-Wiggins.

 

FOURTH QUARTER

PANTHERS: 60-34 (10:14) Baker to Coleman Burkhart from 4. Plus 2.

PANTHERS: 60-40 (5:33) Baker to Anthony Paredes from 6. 2-point no good.

SABERCATS: 68-40 (4:31) Hackworth to Savaughn Berryhill from 20 plus 2 to Shamar.

PANTHERS: 68-46 (3:04) Baker to Garrison Ast 27 yards. 2-point failed.

 

NOTES

Sabino finished 11-3 and this is the fourth championship (1990, 1992, 1998, 2023) and the tenth final appearance (1990, 1992, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2016, 2023) for the program.

Paradise Honors finished 11-3 and this was the first semifinal and final appearance for the program.