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Browse by City/ StateDesert Vista tops No. 19 Hamilton for Arizona state title
GLENDALE, Ariz. - A sign in the mass of white shirts read "Believe."
Phoenix Desert Vista believed after moving 51 yards for a touchdown on the opening kickoff, after Matt Young returned an interception for another score, and Michael Arredondo capped an 84-yard drive with a 1-yard run for a touchdown.
Leading 21-0 with 7:46 still to play in the first half, Desert Vista never let up and cruised to a 45-19 victory over Hamilton that gave the Ahwatukee school its first state championship since 1998 and ended the nation's longest active winning streak at 53 games Saturday at University of Phoenix Stadium in the Division I state championship.
"This is just unbelievable," said coach Dan Hinds, who called the feeling greater than when he played on a state championship team at Tempe McClintock in 1980. "We talked to them all week, 'Let's not think about the streak.' They were 13-0 and we were 12-1."
Desert Vista (13-1) won by controlling the line of scrimmage, dominating time of possession (more than 30 minutes to 17:39 for Hamilton), never punting, making only one penalty to Hamilton's nine, and slowing down Kendyl Taylor until it was too late.
Taylor ended up with 11 catches for 123 yards, but most of that came after Desert Vista took a 31-7 lead early in the final quarter.
"Once we got the pick six, I totally felt the shift in momentum," Desert Vista quarterback Hunter Rodriguez said. "We had the momentum the rest of the whole game. Since playing them last time, we just had that confidence we could play with them. And we did."
Desert Vista was much more efficient, poised and stronger than in the 35-10 loss to Hamilton in mid-October.
"The last time we played them, we gave up a lot of long balls," Hinds said. "Our plan was to make them drive the field, and it worked."
Young stepped in to intercept Blake Kemp's second pass attempt of the game and returned it 44 yards to give Desert Vista a 14-0 lead midway through the first quarter.
Desert Vista had 184 rushing yards distributed mostly among Arredondo (70 yards, 13 carries), Dominic Kereluk (55 yards), Kaleb Germinaro (30) and Jarek Hilgers (28). Rodriguez was 13-of-23 for 177 yards.
The 45 points are the most Hamilton (13-1) has allowed in school history. It was the worst beating since Hamilton lost to Peoria Centennial 35-16 in September 2008. That was the last time Hamilton had lost a game.
"They outplayed us for four quarters," said Hamilton coach Steve Belles, who was trying to lead Hamilton to a fourth consecutive state title. "It seemed like we got outcoached and outplayed all over the field."
