Chandler completes five-peat behind ‘greatest’ senior class in school history
CHANDLER, Ariz. (BVM) – It’s never as easy as it looks.
Sure, four consecutive state championships and a 35-game winning streak can make one numb to success, but nothing can be taken for granted during a year such as 2020.
“You don’t really know what we all went through unless you were living it,” Rick Garretson, Chandler High School’s head football coach, said. “It’s been extremely difficult for not only us, but all the kids and coaches in Arizona and in the country; it’s definitely a different world.”
Garretson is, of course, referring to the challenges of navigating a high school football season in the midst of a pandemic. Those challenges were amplified for the Wolves as they played a gauntlet of a schedule in defense of an Arizona Open Division Championship, and in pursuit of their sixth state title in seven years.
Because a student-athlete could easily come in contact with COVID-19 during the school day or something as simple as a walk-thru, Garrettson said he and his staff never knew when someone would be out. The motto “next man up” became Chandler’s truth, and its experience helped it end the 2020 season as it began: as the best team in Arizona.
The Wolves nearly had their perfect season snatched away in Saturday night’s Arizona Open Division Championship. Up 23-21 late in the final quarter, Chandler watched Hamilton, ranked No. 28 in the country, march down the field and line up for a game-winning kick with 13 seconds left.
When the 27-yard field goal attempt missed wide left, the Wolves celebrated their fifth consecutive Arizona high school football championship and extended their winning streak to 36 games.
Chandler senior quarterback Mikey Keene, who is committed to the University of Central Florida, finished his high school career with a perfect 23-0 record as a starter.
“Especially with this year in 2020, just to be able to play football is a blessing right now,” Keene said after the game. “We wanted to go out with a bang and leave our legacy. We talked about being legendary before the game and that’s exactly what we wanted to do.”
“That’s six” –@GarretsonRick pic.twitter.com/kQG3cbCoE0
— Ralph Amsden (@ralphamsden) December 13, 2020
Keene, who threw for 2,069 yards and 22 touchdowns in 2020, anchored a special senior class that may go down as the best in school history. Fellow seniors Eli Sanders (1,240 rushing yards and 21 rushing touchdowns) and Jalen Richmond (634 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns) led an explosive offense that averaged 41.2 points.
Oregon commit Brandon Buckner, Hank Pepper, Kyler Orr and Jeremiah Tyler were cornerstones of a defense that came up with 32.5 sacks, 68 tackles for loss and forced 23 turnovers.
All in all, 14 players in the Wolves’ 2021 class have committed to a four-year college. Outside of Chandler’s 2019 class led by Jacob Conover, who led the Wolves to three consecutive 6A championships, Garretson believes this senior class is the best to ever do it.
“Their four years here, they’ve won four rings; that’s incredible,” Garretson said. “They are probably the greatest senior class that’s come through this school. Just to be able to endure the physicality and the mental discipline that you need to end up winning the whole thing is hats off to our boys and that senior class that led it.”
Chandler football has a very particular recipe to success, and it includes some time apart after such a grueling season that began back in June. Although it will be difficult to say goodbye to and replace such a legendary group, the process will begin soon enough.
The Wolves return junior wideout Kyion Grayes (556 receiving yards and 10 receiving touchdowns) who just recently decommitted from the University of Arizona. Garretson and company will also welcome back tight end Nason Coleman who suffered a season-ending injury in camp and holds offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Iowa State, Utah and others.
Garretson hopes Chandler and schools across the country will be afforded a typical spring and summer session in 2021, but the goal and approach remains the same.
“It’s the beauty of coaching high school football,” Garretson said. “We’re looking to see who wants to be the next man up.”
