It’s been 65 years since Chandler has won a state championship, and that was before the Arizona Interscholastic Associations had formed. Now the Wolves are back in the state championship game, coming off a huge 44-23 win over Mountain Pointe.
The two teams went into the game fairly evenly matched. Chandler, at 11-1, ranked 15th in the DigitalSports National Football Rankings and 1st in Arizona. Not far behind, Mountain Pointe ranked 39th in the country and 3rd in the state with a 10-2 record.
Chandler got going early with two touchdowns in the first quarter. Pointe gained some ground back in the second, scoring 15 points compared to Chandlers’ seven, leading to a 21-15 halftime score. After a 7-7 third quarter, Chandler put up 15 in the fourth while shutting out the Pride, giving the Wolves a 21-point victory.
Senior Bryce Perkins controlled the game. The quarterback only needed to complete eight of 11 passes to gain 153 yards and throw three touchdowns. Perkins’ favorite target was Justin Jan, whom he hit three times for 68 yards and two scores. He also hit N’Keal Harry for a 55-yard touchdown.
On top of that, Perkins ran the ball nine times for a gain of 129 yards. Complementing Perkins’ game on the ground was Chase Lucas, with 116 yards and a score on 10 carries.
Now Chandler advances to the state finals, looking to claim its first ever AIA championship. The Wolves will be met by bitter rivals, Hamilton. Having smashed Hamilton 56-24 early in the season backed by a six passing touchdown performance by Perkins, Chandler is the favorite going into the game.
The Huskies will still be quite a challenge, ranking 19th in the nation and 2nd in the state. The two Arizona superpowers face off on November 28 at 7:00pm.
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