David Rodish is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Mesquite High School for AZPreps365.com

The 2019 4A state champion Mesquite Wildcats return to the gridiron Friday to defend their title against Apache Junction.

Led by coach Scott Hare, senior quarterback Ty Thompson and junior linebacker Andrew Morris, the Wildcats look forward to the challenge of repeating as state champions.

In an adapted seven-game schedule, the Wildcats open with Apache Junction, Sunrise Mountain, American Leadership Academy, Seton Catholic Prep, rival Gilbert and Marcos De Niza before finishing with Benjamin Franklin.

With three less regular-season games, the Wildcats know how important it is to play hard and win each contest.

“I don’t really have to (keep the team driven),” Hare said. “The team is doing it themselves.”

The team’s strength may be within the locker room. A strong brotherhood helped bring the team to victory, and it may be what does it again.

“Starting together all as freshmen, now being seniors, there’s definitely a strong bond between us,” Thompson said.

Thompson, the No. 2 dual-threat quarterback in the country according to Rivals.com, exemplifies the team’s resolve and determination.

“I just want to win,” Thompson said. “I still have stuff to prove. I want to go out with another ring.”

Thompson has accomplished about as much as a high school quarterback can. He is a five-star recruit who has committed to Oregon. Finding something he has to prove is a difficult task, yet the quarterback still has the edge that got him to where he is now.

With Thompson, success is expected on offense. On defense, Mesquite has questions. The team graduated its starting defensive line and will look to innovative coaching and young players to man the trenches.

“We have a good group of athletic guys that we can count on,” Hare said. “We’re doing some really unique things on defense that most teams don’t do.”

One of those athletic guys who will be relied upon is Morris. The junior linebacker emphasized the importance for the defense to play as a unit.

“I want to see us come together, I want to see us play together,” he said.

The defense could be the deciding factor in what could be a second consecutive state championship for the Wildcats. Thompson and the offense should be strong, putting the onus on the defense to round out the team.

The 4A division is in their hands. Runner-up Desert Edge moved up to the 5A division, which leaves Mesquite as the favorite. All that is left is to see if the Wildcats can pull it off.