Higley coach Eddy Zubey was wondering if Skyline running back Amarii' Keyes was going to play Friday night after sitting out last week with a hip flexor injury. Zubey got his answer early and often.

Keyes rushed for 295 yards and five touchdowns to ignite a 500-yard rushing night for Skyline in a 56-38 score-a-thon in a Division II matchup at Higley High.

"Well, he played," Zubey deadpanned after the game.

Play he did. Keyes, who sat out Skyline's homecoming victory over Westwood last week, returned with zest. After opening the scoring with a 3-yard run midway through the first quarter, the powerful and speedy senior broke off an 80-yard TD run to overturn Higley's only lead of the game (8-7). From that point on it was Skyline in control, atlhough the Coyotes' defense forced coach Angelo Paffumi to keep the offense humming as it couldn't stop Higley from answering scores consistently after intermission.

The game was billed as Skyline's running attack against Higley's short, quick passing attack. Skyline's brand of offense prevailed thanks to Keyes and teammates Kaleb Hardin and Manny Ruiz. Higley's problem on defense came containing the outside as much of what Skyline produced was off the edge. Keyes had no problem breaking runs up the gut or outside.

Skyline remained the lone unbeaten team in D-II, improving to 7-0 and 2-0 in their section. Higley fell to 3-4, 0-2, but didn't roll over despite Skyline's success running the ball. Higley quarterback Mason Crossland, all 5-foot-7 of him, tossed four touchdown passes and threw for 204 yards. Two of this TD throws were to Draycen Hall and one each went to Bryce Gilbert and Cooper Jones.

After Keyes 80-yard run gave Skyline the lead for good, 15-8, late in the first period, Higley managed a field goal to pull within 15-11 with 6:48 left to halftime. Skyline's final possession of the first half was a 75-yard drive in seven plays with Keyes taking a pitch from Dimetres Moore on perfectly executed hook and lateral on fourth down at the Higley 25. Keyes scampered the final 15 yards for a 22-11 edge at halftime.

Skyline struck first in the second half with quarterback TJ Duarte flipping a 25-yard TD pass to Moore, who outwrestled a defender for the ball in corner of the end zone for a 29-11 lead. Two more Keyes TD runs of 21 and 84 yards were sandwiched around Crossland's second TD pass and Skyline held a 42-19 lead as the third period ended.

Crossland threw two fourth-quarter TD passes -- to Gilbert and Hall.  Ruiz, who hauled in a 45-yard reception in the third quarter to set up Keyes' fifth TD, got a score of his own with a 54-yard run in the first minute of the fourth quarter. Hardin added Skyline's final TD with a 3-yard run. Hardin rushed for 103 yards on 12 rushes to complement Keyes' production.

Paffumi was not happy with the defense, which surrendered four TDs in Higley's final five possessions of the second half. Another area of concern was penalties -- a little more than 300 yards worth total in the game. Skyline was called for 210 yards of of the infractions.