In a much-anticipated matchup in the Southwest Valley, the Cesar Chavez Champions kept their perfect season intact with a convincing 52-0 win over Betty Fairfax on Friday night in the "Battle on Baseline." It was just the second meeting between the two Laveen schools but with the three-mile distance between them, the rivalry has already built a ton of steam. It was the Champions that earned the bragging rights this year.

Arturo Macias continued his strong senior season, throwing for a touchdown, running for a pair of scores and kicking a field goal to help Chavez remain unbeaten at 8-and-0. The Champions are one of just two teams in Division II (8-0 Ironwood Ridge) with unblemished marks with two games left in the regular season. Chavez plays at Division III Sierra Linda (2-6) before hosting third-seeded Tempe Marcos de Niza (7-1) to end the year.

Macias found Rodrick Griffin on a 55-yard touchdown catch that gave Chavez a 10-0 lead in the first quarter. The defense would force back-to-back interceptions on the Stampede's next possessions that turned into 14 points and put the Champions up 24-0 early in the second quarter.

Macias would later find Jaylyn Shans on a 19-yard TD strike with a minute to go before halftime, increasing the lead to 31-0. Following another Deylan Jones interception, Macias ran in from nine yards out to give the Champions a 45-0 lead at the break. Shans led the Champions with three catches for 83 yards.

OJ Cunningham had two of the six picks on the night for the Chavez defense, which held Fairfax to a season-low 35 yards of total offense. A 45-yard interception return by Melvin Lewis midway through the third quarter capped off the scoring.

Jones finished just 5-of-18 for 32 yards and five picks for Fairfax (6-2), which had won six straight after a season opening loss at Millennium. The 10th-seeded Stampede still have a shot at the playoffs but will need a strong finish over the final two weeks. Fairfax hosts sixth-seeded Apollo (7-1) before wrapping up the regular season at Independence (0-8).

By Thomas Jenkins