The History
The Battle for Arizona Ave has been one of the nation’s top rivalries, and for good reasons. Just down the street from Chandler High School, Hamilton High School lies with a legacy of good football, resulting in a clash between two good programs that stay dominant for years and years to come. Both schools are known for producing exceptional post–high school athletes in both college and the pro leagues. With that being said, Hamilton and Chandler tend to stay close in power rankings every year, which results in a rivalry worth the country’s attention. Within the last five years, Hamilton holds a record of 4-1 against Chandler, with two of those games being decided by one touchdown or less. With a rich area of good football legacies (including Basha High School down the street), the rivalry game brings in a crowd eager to see great talent in a fun and cultured environment.

Huskies Turn the Tides
The Hamilton Huskies, led by star sophomore wide receiver Roye Oliver III (averaging 156 yards per game) and sophomore quarterback Jax Sculley (leading the team with 41 passing touchdowns), enter the game with a 9-0 record. The Chandler Wolves enter the game with an 8-1 record, led by star players Jai Jones (junior, wide receiver) and Will Mencl (junior, quarterback). Upon kickoff, both teams were showing loads of energy, with all sides of the stands loaded with fans. Two quarters into the game, Chandler was up with an advantage in points and momentum over Hamilton. Towards the end of quarter two, Hamilton quarterback Jax Sculley left the game with a lower-body injury, giving the Chandler Wolves a chance to dominate on Hamilton’s offense. What most of the Chandler sideline believed to be an advantage over an unfortunate result ended up turning everyone’s heads. Hamilton entered the 3rd quarter fourteen points behind, with backup quarterback Daniel Vaita leading the team onto the field. Hamilton went on to surpass Chandler in points, turning the momentum over and winning the game with a final score of 55-41. This 2nd-half comeback was highlighted by a crazy performance by Roye Oliver, including an unbelievable catch on the side of the end zone. Hamilton running back Jacob Brown put up an amazing performance against Chandler in the 2nd half alongside other playmakers to allow Hamilton the chance to take over the game.

Hamilton Remains on the Throne
After this comeback win against Chandler, Hamilton will remain #1 in the official AIA power rankings and end their regular season with a flawless 10-0 record, including wins against notable teams such as Basha High School, Brophy College Prep, and American Leadership Academy Queen Creek. With Jax Sculley likely to be out for the rest of the season, Daniel Vaita must step up into the spotlight and lead this Huskies team into the highly competitive Open Division playoff bracket.