Highland High made good on a second chance on Saturday to win its first-ever football title and did so with a flourish.

The top-seeded Hawks outscored #2 Chaparral 17-0 in the second half and avenged last year's title loss to the Firebirds with a 31-10 trouncing in the 6A championship game at Sun Devil Stadium. Chaparral (9-5) won last year's 6A final, beating Highland 24-14. Highland opened in 1993 and was playing in only its second championship game.

Highland quarterback Gage Dayley put the finishing touches on a fine, three-year reign at quarterback. The 5-foot-10, 160-pound senior threw four touchdown passes in a near-perfect passing performance. Dayley completed 13 of 14 passes for 234 yards and was not intercepted. Three players caught TD tosses on Saturday -  running back Steven Trujillo (two) and tight end Jace Patton and wide receiver Hunter Stewart one apiece. Dayley threw for two TDs in each half.

"This was vintage Gage Dayley," Highland coach Brock Farrel said. "Last year it was bad. This year it was him at his best."

Highland (11-3) and Dayley went 1-1 in postseason in 2019 losing in the quarterfinals to Queen Creek. Dayley passed for 425 yards, a touchdown and two picks in the loss to Queen Creek. Last year Dayley threw for 139 yards and one interception in the title game defeat. His performance Saturday wasn't his most prolific in postseason, but mistake free in helping forge a W.

With a sunlit, yet cool noon kickoff, Highland scored first and never trailed. Dayley connected with Patton from 2 yards out on the first play of the second quarter for a 7-0 lead. That capped an 11-play, 75-yard drive. Chaparral answered with 3:26 left in the half as Chaparral quarterback Brayten Silbor found tight end Lukas Garvey over the middle for a 62-yard catch-and-run score.

Highland took two minutes to retake the lead for good. A nice kickoff return by Ezekiel Nautu set up the Hawks at their 47. Four plays later it was a 22-yard, Dayley-to-Trujillo pass to make it 14-7. 

The teams exchanged field goals (Chaparral late in the second quarter and Highland late in the third) so the game was still a one-score affair with Highland up 17-10 with 2:47 left in the third. The Hawks got another chance to score off the ensuing kickoff. A pooch kick landed between Chaparral players and was picked up on the run by Highland's Aiden Witthus at the Chaparral 38. Four plays later, Dayley connected with a wide-open Hunter Stewart for a 31-yard TD on a fourth-down call and a 24-10 advantage with 1:17 to go in the third.

The final score of the afternoon came from the Hawks - 62 yards in five plays and taking 2:41 off the clock. It was Trujillo again for 37 yards on a crossing route from Dayley with 9:19 to play. Trujillo caught three passes for 65 yards and added 24 yard rushing. Carson Mullenaux led the Hawks ground game (132 yards) with 73 yards on 17 carries.  

Highland's defense was championship caliber in the playoffs. The Hawks allowed just 31 points in their wins over Mountain Pointe, Casteel, Red Mountain and Chaparral.

Chaparral was limited to 36 yards of offense in the second half and just under eight minutes time of possession. For the afternoon Highland held a nearly two-to-one edge in time of possession. Chaparral was led by quarterback Brayten Silbor (19-of 30 passing for 209 yards). That was the Firebirds offense as they were held to -2 yards rushing.

"We looked at playing them last year and figured some things out that worked better," Farrel said. "We were able to get pressure this time without blitzing, and I think that made it tougher for them. Our defense played very well."

 

Highland's Jace Patton (dark jersey) hauls in a 2nd quarter TD pass in the 6A title game. (Azpreps365 photo)