Connor Morman is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Chandler High School for AZPreps365.com

 

Playoff games are usually filled with intense, exhilarating, edge-of-your-seat action.

This was not the case Friday night. From the opening kickoff at Austin Field, it was clear Chandler was the better team.

The Wolves (11-0) dominated Chaparral in the opening round of the Open playoff, thanks in part to a defense that shutdown a high-powered Firebirds offense in a 56-14 victory.

“Our defense is amazing, they played their hearts out,” junior running back Eli Sanders said. “We just played as a team and a unit. When we play like that, no one can stop us.”

The Wolves, who averaged 53.1 points per game during the regular season, ended any hope of an upset before halftime.

A week off had no ill-effect on the Wolves offense, which marched down the field twice in just under four minutes to jump out to an early 13-0 lead.

Coach Rick Garretson appreciated his team’s fast start.

“That’s what we needed to do,” Garretson said. “We talked about it all week. We talked about it for two weeks. The defense played the way they know how to play and set things back in order.”

On defense, the Wolves were tasked with slowing down the Firebirds high-octane offense, which averaged 40.1 points led by senior quarterback Jack Miller.

Miller, an Ohio State commit, terrorized opposing defenses in 2019 with his arm and his legs, although he was limited to only six games.

“He can cause a lot of problems for defenses, so we had to worry about our individual job and rely on the other 10 guys,” senior safety Gunner Maldanado, who had a pick-six against Miller. “It worked out for us.”

To combat Miller and his weapons, the Wolves brought pressure early and often to make him uncomfortable all game long.

“Coach Knoche and the defensive staff put together a great game plan,” Garretson said. “He had people coming at him from all angles and that makes it very difficult on a quarterback.”

Late in the second quarter, senior running back Dae Dae Hunter left the game after a tackle just short of the goal line. Hunter limped off the field grabbing his left knee and didn’t return.

Coach Garretson declined to comment on the reason for Hunter’s absence in the second half.

In his place, Sanders had a career game, scoring three touchdowns to pick up his injured teammate.

“We always have each other’s backs and we never let one fall,” Sanders said. “When one of them goes down, the other one picks it up and we carry the load.”

Hunter didn’t mind watching the second half from the sideline. In fact, he enjoyed watching his fellow running backs perform.

“It makes me as happy as when I score,” Hunter said. “As long as we win, that’s all that matters.”

The Wolves are now two wins away from winning a fourth consecutive state championship, and the focus turns to next Saturday’s semifinal matchup against Salpointe Catholic.

"We just need to stay focused and bring the physicality again and do what we do best,” said Sanders.