You read it here first last Tuesday: Don’t be shocked if Phoenix Brophy beats Chandler Hamilton.
OK, that sounds more like shameless self-promotion than some real insight. Plus I picked Hamilton in our Tackle the Trib (Can’t imagine why I’m in last place this fall).
So It’s Brophy-Desert Vista in the 5A-I championship. Centennial and Westview in 5A-II, Saguaro and Canyon del Oro in 4A-I and Notre Dame and Mingus in 4A-II.
Given the monsoon these schools had to play in Friday night, you can’t say they didn’t earn this.
Speaking of Friday, here are few leftover observations from the Hamilton-Brophy tilt:
Perhaps it’s as simple as hand size and strength, but how Brophy quarterback Bryan Berens (14 of 21 passing, one touchdown, no turnovers) was as sharp as he was in that climate, I will never know.
On second thought, how seemingly well-prepared all of Brophy was for the weather I’ll never know. Coach Scooter Molander and Co. knew it was coming, but even soaking the balls in water in practice couldn’t replicate those game conditions.
Hamilton’s defense had 63 sacks this season. Berens was sacked once, and that was at the end of the game when he ran around and went down on his own to run clock.
Hamilton’s offense had two plays of 60+ yards (both by Nathan Jeffrey). There were only three other Huskies plays which went for 20 yards or more.
I didn’t see it at the time, but Hamilton had two players booted from the game in the final minute following a personal foul penalty. I’m not positive who they were (I was shielded on the sideline), but if any are returning next year, an ejection means the possibility they’d have to sit out the first game next fall.
More to come in the next week, but enjoy championship weekend. Should be better weather inside Glendale’s spaceship.
