One of these days, Chandler High will leave the field as jubilant as they arrive against Chandler Hamilton. It’s not for a lack of trying or ability, so what is it? (Julio Jimenez/Tribune)
In the wake of a 10th consecutive could-have-been, should-have-been showdown between Chandler High and Chandler Hamilton on Friday night, this much couldn’t be more clear:
The Wolves are exasperated.
Some games between these two city schools have been blowouts, a couple (such as Friday) have been nail-biters. Most have finished somewhere in between.
Immediately following Wolves coach Jim Ewan’s talk to his team Friday night, they trudged off the field to the locker room, and it felt like the team’s loss to Tempe Corona del Sol hit the players harder emotionally, at least in the immediate aftermath.
Hamilton coach Steve Belles was right when he praised Chandler’s comeback attempt and skill-position players.
Outside the interception by Anthony Jones which essentially won the game for Hamilton - and it’s hard to look past that - Wolves quarterback Kyle Yount was terrific. He threw with accuracy and stayed with plays knowing he was going to take a licking (which he did in the final quarter).
Taylor Walstad was a force in the second half running and receiving. Markus Wheaton made a couple tremendous catches (especially when he laid out and reeled in a 38-yarder in the second quarter to set up Chandler’s first touchdown). Bryce Lamb was a threat until he got nicked up late, and a shaky defense made a red-zone stand which led to a missed field goal and recovered a fumble to give the offense a chance.
Ewan’s right when he referenced this team as having the best chance to beat Hamilton as he’s had in a decade.
He’s also right that this will become a rousing rivalry once the Wolves live up to their end of the deal and win once or twice.
It’s always something new which has kept the Wolves as only contenders. This time, Hamilton went up the gut to block two extra points and force another one wide left.
That’s at least three otherwise-gimmee points off the board in a game where a field goal or touchdown/extra point could have made a big difference. The Huskies also started four of their drives in Chandler territory thanks to shoddy kick coverage (though Hamilton also had a couple long returns go against them).
So chalk this one up to special teams, a facet which hadn’t really proven decisive in these outcomes until now.
The current state of this rivalry, however, isn’t going away. It’ll be loud, crowded and emotional. They’ll stay together in this new, whacked-out region plan for the next two-year block.
But with the talent gap between the schools having shrunk a bit, there seems to be a psychological block at work here.
Words weren’t necessary to reveal a boiled-up aggravation Friday night, and it’s hard not to sympathize with the Wolves. As was the case against Phoenix Desert Vista and Tempe Corona del So, showcase they can be an elite team, but instead wind up disheartened.
