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Scottsdale players showcase skills at Under Armour Camp

BY ZACH ALVIRA Progress Sports Editor

Nearly 200 of the best football players from across Arizona and six other states flocked to Williams Field High School in Gilbert Sunday morning to showcase their skills as part of invite-only camp.

The Under Armour All-America Camp Series made its first and only stop in the Valley on Feb. 23, inviting athletes from Arizona, Utah, California, New Mexico, Colorado, Texas and Nevada to partake in a day of position-specific drills being filmed to send off to college coaches across the country. It was also an evaluation period for those involved with the Under Armour All-America Game taking place every January.

The East Valley was represented by 79 athletes in total, all from different schools across Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa, Scottsdale and Ahwatukee.

Saguaro, which finished as the run

BRAM WALDEN

JARED WILLIAMS QUINTIN SOMERVILLE

ner-up to Open Division champion last season, was depleted of several senior starters following the end of the 2019 season. However, as they have every year of head coach Jason Mohns’ tenure, the Sabercats have once again reloaded with several key returning players and those looking to make a splash at the varsity level.

Several of those players were among those invited to the Under Armour AllAmerica Camp, including senior to be Bram Walden.

see CAMP page 39

Chaparral girls win 4th straight soccer title, boys fall to Brophy

BY ZACH ALVIRA Progress Sports Editor

Members of the Chaparral girls soccer program held up four fingers as cameras flashed around them. The girls, grouped near the home sideline on Campo Verde’s turf field, were in the midst of celebrating their fourth straight state championship, the second at the 6A level.

Fueled by senior forward Isabella Struckman’s three goals, the top-ranked Firebirds defeated No. 7 Hamilton 4-0 to win the championship. All four of Chaparral’s championship wins have come at Campo Verde, the Firebirds’ “home away from home.”

“All four of our titles have come on this field,” Struckman said. “The Campo Verde field, our home away from home.”

Chaparral pressured Hamilton’s back line throughout the first half, challenging Huskies goalkeeper Asia Hart.

Hart, however, remained poised in net. She racked up seven first half saves on nine total shots by Chaparral. Despite the Firebirds’ ability to dominate possession and numerous trips inside Hamilton’s box, the two teams remained scoreless through the first 40 minutes of play.

“The girls came out with an intensity and drive, I’m just so proud of them,” Chaparral coach Robyn Carlson said. “We went at it

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | MARCH 1, 2020 “I just wanted to play my best football,” Walden said. “I haven’t done one-on-ones in a while, so I came out a little rust, but I got back into it. I think I did pretty well.” Walden, a 6-foot-4, 270-pound offensive tackle, is rated by 247Sports as a four-star recruit in the 2021 class. He is being courted by major Division I and power five college football programs, including Oregon, Auburn, Florida State, Michigan, Arizona and Arizona State, among others.

He showcased his talents during the four-hour long camp at Williams Field, dominating opposing defensive linemen during one-on-one drills. At the end of the camp when all players were brought together, he was rewarded for his strong performance.

Walden was one of three players from the camp to earn an invitation to the Under Armour All-America Game next January in Orlando, Fla., one of the premier high school All-Star games designated for some of the top recruits in the country.

“I came here trying to play football here and have fun, I just wanted to compete against a great group of guys,” Walden said. “It’s a blessing to receive this. I’ve been dreaming about this for so long. It’s just crazy, man. I feel so blessed.”

Walden was joined at the camp by Saguaro teammate Quintin Somerville, a four-star defensive end with scholarship offers from programs across all of college football’s major conferences. He plans to announce his commitment on June 20, his mother’s birthday.

At 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, Somerville was instrumental in Saguaro’s success throughout the regular and postseason. Like Walden, he was dominant in position drills using both his speed and strength to overpower opposing offensive lineman. “At this point in my recruitment I know what I’ve got,” Somerville said. “This was kind of just a chance to get better and show CAMP ���� page 38

everyone what I can do.”

Saguaro athlete Xander Werner, wideouts Javen Jacobs and Shawn Miller and defensive tackle Alani Ma’afu also represented the Sabercats’ program at the camp, as well as several others.

Chaparral running back Jared Williams torched opposing linebackers during oneon-one drills with several of the camp’s quarterbacks, including teammate Brayten Silbor, throwing to him.

Williams showed his versatility as a pass-catcher out of the backfield, at one point diving for an underthrown ball and coming up with the catch despite contact from the defender.

“I had a lot of fun out there,” Williams said. “I stayed humble, did what my coaches told me to do. It was a really great experience and I’m thankful for it.”

Williams enters his senior season in 2020, as he will once again be the lead back in the Chaparral offense that made the first-ever Open Division playoffs behind

39 SPORTS & RECREATION the arm of Ohio State signee Jack Miller. He watched last season as his older brother, former Mountain Pointe offensive lineman Steven Williams, signed his National Letter of Intent to continue his football career at Minot State.

Already with an offer to Northern Arizona University, Williams expects to have a breakout season as a senior. He wants to catch the eye of college coaches all over the country, and the Under Armour All-America Camp was his first step in doing so.

“When I got the invite, I was shocked,” Williams said. “I ran downstairs and told my parents. I got the chance to show what I’m about. Now I just want to ball out and help (Chaparral) in any way I can. I want to make me memories with my brothers.” Along with Williams and Silbor, Chaparral offensive linemen Azeez Sardar, Mason Osborn and TJ Ritter, as well as wideout Max Minor and defensive lineman Anthony Lucas also received invitations to the Under Armour camp.

CHAPARRAL ���� page 38

first half, but we knew we had to keep up our intensity and the goals would come. Chaparral continued to pressure Hamilton’s defenders in the second half. Another shot on goal by Chaparral, its 10th of the game, was saved by Hart.

Finally, in the 42nd minute, the Firebirds broke the tie.

Struckman’s shot went across Hart’s face and into the far side of the net, sending the Chaparral faithful into a frenzy.

“First half we felt like we should have been scoring, we had a lot of chances we just weren’t finishing, which was frustrating,” Struckman said. “I think we knew once we got one, we could open the floodgates and get it going. It was nice to get that first one.”

The Firebirds continued their relentless pressure and Struckman scored again eight minutes later in the 50th minute, this time off an assist from fellow senior Chloe Steinhilber.

Just nine minutes later, freshman middle fielder Sami Fisher extended Chaparral’s lead to three goals.

Hamilton tried to answer Chaparral’s goals on several occasions late in the second half. Corner kicks were sent away by defenders, and clean looks at the net were corralled by Firebirds goalkeeper Avery Fletcher, who had five saves on the night. The meeting between Chaparral and

Chaparral goalkeeper Cole Johnson’s efforts in net against Brophy gave the Firebirds opportunities on the offensive end despite a 2-1 loss to the Broncos in the 6A state championship Tuesday night. (Chris Mortenson/Progress Staff)

Hamilton was the third during the 2019-20 season. On Dec. 17, the first meeting, the two teams tied 1-1. On Dec. 30 in the Arizona Soccer Showcase, Hamilton won 2-0. Chaparral’s redemption was also a family affair for Carlson, who’s two daughters, Lauren, a junior, and Mikaela, a freshman, are both on the varsity roster.

“When they were little, they shared these experiences with me but to have both of them on the same team now is pretty cool,” Carlson said. “It’s amazing to see the intensity and drive pay off.

“Just to see all of these girls start off as freshman and learn from the seniors to now, it’s an amazing feeling.”

Following the girls’ win, Chaparral’s boys soccer team took the field as the No. 2 seed to play top-ranked Brophy for the 6A state title.

Chaparral scored early on in the match but couldn’t contain the speed of Brophy’s midfielders, as two second-half goals helped the Broncos defeat the Firebirds 2-1 and win the 6A crown.

“Brophy gave us everything they had, they deserved it tonight,” Chaparral coach Jason Speirs said. “It’s hard for them right

now to think about it but they worked as hard as they possibly could. It just wasn’t in the books for us tonight.”

Chaparral’s lone goal came in the 7th minute of the match. A corner kick led to a deflection by Brophy’s keeper in the direction of Chaparral senior forward Aysa Hamid, who found the back of the net.

Strong defensive play by Chaparral throughout the rest of the first half helped the Firebirds maintain their one-goal lead. Goalkeeper Cole Johnson stood strong in the net for Chaparral, as he recorded 6 of his 11 total saves in the first 40 minutes of play. Brophy’s midfielders consistently gained possession on Chaparral’s side of the field, challenging the Firebirds back line.

In the 54th minute, Brophy senior forward Mathew Hartman scored to tie the game. Just 6 minutes later, Anthony Hidalgo gave the Broncos the lead.

As time was winding down, Chaparral’s forwards created opportunities to potentially send the game into overtime. However, the Firebirds were unable to capitalize. Brophy stormed the field as the buzzer sounded, signaling the Broncos successful title defense.

“(Cole Johnson) gets up for big games, that’s the kind of goalkeeper he is,” Speirs said. “We needed to do more than just depend on him tonight. We had a chance to tie it or even win it. We just didn’t take advantage of our opportunities.”

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