Morgan Tremmel is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Chandler Prep  for AZPreps365.com

CHANDLER - Friday, October 4, Chandler Prep High School football hosted rival Scottsdale Prep in a game that was important to both teams in different ways. Scottsdale looked to ensure its top 10 spot in the 2A Arizona rankings while Chandler looked to get back in the win column following a loss to San Tan Charter. 

The game kicked off at 7 p.m. with Scottsdale receiving the ball once Chandler deferred after winning the coin toss. After a quick 3-and-out, Scottsdale punted the ball away. Chandler reciprocated with its own punt. Scottsdale started its next drive and followed a QB draw and a pair of jet sweeps to Alex Dobbs to find the endzone with 4:14 left in the first for the first of many touchdowns.

The next drive for Chandler was similarly unsuccessful as QB Avery Halmer fumbled the ball and Scottsdale recovered it. This led to a touchdown on another jet sweep to put Scottsdale up 12-0. 

Chandler Head Coach Chris Ator said, “Football especially when you run it to the edge is all about angles, and we talked about it all season needing to take better angles.” 

Scottsdale capitalized on another Chandler 3-and-out with a touchdown on a 40-yard run to start the second quarter and made it 19-0 with a 2-point conversion. Following this, Chandler Prep moved its left guard Jackson Irwin to QB. This still led to a punt with 10:14 left in the second quarter. After a 15-yard pass to WR Will Ryken, Scottsdale scored again on a jet sweep to go up 24. 

Ator said they came in with a gameplan of wanting to run the ball but got stalled out there so they decided to go to a guy who could throw it more downfield.  

After what seemed to be another 4-play punt for Chandler, punter Mason Froelhe faked it and threw a dart to Elliot Garone for a first down. Unfortunately for Chandler, this led to a turnover on downs, which Scottsdale capitalized on with another touchdown. 

Chandler responded with a return to its own 30 by James Heisler and a jumping catch in double coverage by star wide receiver Aaron Crawford who had previously been targeted but had no catches. 

“I was running good routes and he (Irwin) was throwing good balls, but I was always double covered, which made it hard,” Crawford said. 

Still, Chandler could not score, and Scottsdale marched the ball downfield and scored in under two minutes to make it 40-0 at the end of the first half. 

The second half started much like the first with both teams punting away the ball to start. Chandler strung a few passes together as Irwin seemed to settle in, however after back-to-back sacks and with pressure coming, he threw an interception. Despite a penalty for a block in the back, Scottsdale ran a screen and a 15-yard QB run by Judah Mizysak for a touchdown. 

WIth Irwin at QB and multiple injuries to the offensive line, more and more blitzes got to Irwin. He said he knew it was going to happen but he just had to be prepared to take those hits and be ready for the next play.

“I just want to make plays for my brothers on the field," he said. "I don't want to let them down, even though I may not be the greatest. I just want to play for my brothers."

Scottsdale finished it off with another touchdown to put them up 54-0 and another defensive hold. Scottsdale moved up to 6-1 while Chandler falls to 2-5.