Evan Barcanic is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover North Canyon High School for AZPreps365.com

Paradise Valley outlasted North Canyon in a grit-and-grind battle November 3, ending the Rattlers’ 2023 campaign with a 50-34 win.

North Canyon came into the last game of the season with a 1-8 record, but was hoping to go out with a bang on senior night. The Paradise Valley Trojans came in with a 4-5 record – a huge turnaround from their 0-4 start to the season.

The emotions were running high on both sides, especially from the seniors, knowing it was the last high school football game they would ever play.

North Canyon opened up the scoring with a 31-yard pass from senior quarterback Ashton Brown to sophomore wide receiver Dom Dampier to put the Rattlers up 8-0 with 7 minutes to go in the quarter. The Trojans answered back only three minutes later, however, with a touchdown pass of their own, as junior wide receiver Elantae Fleming tied it 8-8.

Fleming struck again only 29 seconds into the second quarter on a touchdown run, putting Paradise Valley on top 16-8. The Trojans were able to stop North Canyon’s rushing attack, getting the ball back and taking it downfield for their third touchdown of the first half: a short rushing touchdown by running back Jayden James to put them ahead, 23-8.

The Rattlers came back with a 51-yard bomb from their interim quarterback, Damien Atchue, to senior wide receiver Alex Serrano to bring the Rattlers back within nine, 23-14. They scored again before halftime – this time, a 21-yard pass from Brown to Serrano to bring them within three, 23-20.

However, the Trojans heaved a Hail Mary as time expired. Senior wide receiver Petar Milosavljvich caught it around the 5-yard line and ran in. The North Canyon sideline was adamant that Milosavljvich did not make it into the end zone, but the referees called it as such. Paradise Valley led North Canyon at halftime, 29-20.

“We’re a run team,” said head coach Jeremy Dieck at halftime. “So, we’re gonna try to grind it out a little bit, get a stop here on defense, come back, get a score, and keep it close.”

Paradise Valley had other plans, though, as sophomore running back Kaleb Simmons powered in a 7-yard touchdown run to put the Trojans up 36-20.

Neither team was able to get much going on offense after that. Paradise Valley eventually scored a 47-yard touchdown, Fleming’s third of the game, to extend its lead to 43-20. North Canyon immediately fumbled and gave the ball right back to Paradise Valley, which drove down to the Rattlers’ 1-yard line and had a fumble of its own. It was picked up and returned 89 yards by the 350-pound sophomore defensive tackle, Langston Asante, to the Trojans’ 10-yard line as the third quarter ended.

Asante’s return put the Rattlers in prime position to score, which they did with a rushing touchdown from Atchue to make it 43-26. Paradise Valley retaliated with a 19-yard touchdown to make it 50-26 with six minutes left. The Rattlers would not go away, though, as junior running back Javon Hearod returned the ensuing kickoff 68 yards for a touchdown to make it a two-score game, 50-34. North Canyon’s defense forced a turnover on downs and a punt, but its offense threw two interceptions to seal their ninth loss of the season.

The Rattlers put up a season-high 34 points in the loss, finishing the season 1-9.