In Goodyear Friday Night, Desert Mountain met Desert Edge for the first time in program history. A game that had hype surrounding it since the matchup was confirmed last week. The hosting Scorpions walked on to their own turf with aspirations to compete for their 2nd-straight 5A Championship. But by the end of the night, it was Desert Mountain, the cross-town No.9 Seed Ranked team, who exited the field victorious.

Desert Mountain fans made the 55+ minute drive to Goodyear and to watch their Wolves take on the Scorpions. Despite both team’s dominance in 5A over the last 5+ years, the two programs had not met in the regular season or post season up until this point.

Desert Mountain, who was fresh off an upset victory against another west-valley squad in Cactus, was looking to do the same last night vs Desert Edge. In that win over Cactus however, RB/LB Easton Conner, one of DM’s best players all season, suffered a concussion, and was not able to go for the Wolves.

Desert Edge got to the Quarterfinals with a big win over Vail Cienega, who they had played earlier in the season with similar success in Week 2. However, the big story from that game was not the big victory on the field. It was the status of star-Quarterback Blake Roskopf. Roskopf, who had started all 11 games for Desert Edge up until last night, was injured in the 2nd Quarter of their game vs Cienega. Desert Edge, who was already up 35-7 at this point in the game, was on their own side of the field when Roskopf was sacked and brought down hard from behind, and injured what appeared to be his shoulder on his throwing arm. His status was in question up until kickoff it appeared, and ultimately, it proved he would not be able to go, at least as a starter.

Desert Edge came out from the opening kickoff in the Wildcat formation, with Soph. RB Byron Brandon and Sr. DB/LB Camren Hamiel operating as the offense’s focal points throughout the opening drive (and eventually the rest of the night).

DE and DM traded possessions for the majority of the 1Q, but it was Camren Hamiel who slipped through the cracks in Desert Mountain’s defense and broke off a 50-yard rushing TD to break the deadlock and put Desert Edge up.

After more back and forth possessions, Desert Mountain finally got a break when Sr. DB Kaika Solomon picked up a botched snap from Desert Edge and turned it into a short scoop-and-score touchdown for the Wolves to tie the game at 7-7.

Roskopf, who was suited up for the game but did not start, eventually came into the game during the 2nd Quarter after a lifeless Desert Edge offense was unable to get anything going. In good field position following a DM turnover, Roskopf attempted and completed his only pass of the night, a 10-yd Pass to get DE within the Wolves’ 30-yard line. However, it was clear this was not the same Roskopf who the Scorpions had relied on all season, and that his injury lingered. His only pass of the night set up a Jackson Rogers field-goal to put DE up 10-7.

Out of halftime, Desert Mountain was at the 31-yard line of Desert Edge following a big play from QB Grant Carduno to WR Ryan Cratty. However, as their drive stalled, their game-tying field goal was blocked by Soph. Nehki Lambeth to keep the game 10-7 in favor of Desert Edge.

As much as their defense tried to keep them in the game, Desert Edge’s fortunes ran out when another botched snap went over the head of Punter Jayden Boschetti and was subsequently returned for another Desert Mountain touchdown. With a missed extra point, the Wolves took the lead 13-10.

But it was that fumble-return that proved to be all Desert Mountain needed to hold on for victory. Despite efforts from DE Freshman QB Maddox Boyd, who attempted three passes and ran for 4 yards, Desert Mountain ran down the clock to pull off the biggest upset of the year in 5A, and one of the most shocking upsets in recent AZHSFB history, defeating Desert Edge 13-10.

For Desert Mountain, it means they’ve punched their ticket to a highly intriguing matchup next week versus Horizon, who will look to prevent the Wolves from advancing to the 5A State Championship.

For Desert Edge, it’s heartbreak. The Scorpions, who many expected to run the table in 5A all season, were silenced on their home turf. Their defense’s heroic efforts were simply not enough to overcome the challenges of missing their starting quarterback.