Chandler repeats, denies Perry first title

December 2, 2017 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


(MaxPreps photo)

It was the best No. 4 seed Perry has played against No. 3 Chandler in the seven times the teams have met since 2013. But it still wasn't quite good enough.

Chandler battled from behind twice in the first half, took the lead just before halftime and ultimately pulled off a high-octane 49-42 victory over Perry ion Saturday to claim the 6A title at Arizona Stadium.

Chandler racked up 649 yards and Perry 464 in the highest-scoring, big-school title game (6A or its equivalent) in AIA sanctioned title game history.

Chandler finished 12-2 and won its final 10 games of the season. Once it regained health to key players to begin October the Wolves were the Wolves that have now won back-to-back titles. Perry finished 12-2 and for the second year in a row. Its losses both seasons (four) were all to Chandler.

It's the first repeat for Chandler in football and its third title in four years as the Wolves have become the top program in 6A/D-I this decade. All the Chandler-Perry games have been played in the last five years when Perry moved up a class.  And just two months ago Chandler built a 28-0 lead at halftime and went on to an easy 55-27 win over Perry. This one was different - a game up for grabs throughout.

Chandler junior quarterback Jacob Conover completed a huge postseason throwing four more TD passes giving him 19 in four games. He passed for 446 yards in this one -- twice what he did in the earlier meeting between the teams.

Conover went to receivers in blocks as it was Brayden Liebrock early, Jarick Caldwelll mid-game and and down the stretch Gunner Romney. Romney caught both his TD passes in the second half. Each time they extended one score leads to two.

All three receivers caught 100 yards or more worth of passes. Caldwell 6 for 150 yards, Romney 8 for 140 and Liebrock five for 113.

"This was not for me, I'm a junior,"Conover said. "This is for the seniors. I think we showed we wanted it more.We have so much depth it's not hard to make plays. We're a team. Not an offense or a defense. A team."

Running back Drake Anderson carried the load on the ground with a total not quite as good as the first meeting - 191 yards and three TDs. He carried the ball 37 times and went out his senior year with a title after two tough years battling injury.

"It was a game of big plays," Chandler coach Shaun Aguano said. "We concentrated on taking what they gave us, and we executed very well for the most part."

Perry senior quarterback Brock Purdy wasn't as sharp in the first half as he normally is, but finished passing for 322 yards and 5 TDs. The senior QB also rushed for 131 yards and one TD. He finished up th season with nearly 5,400 yards of offense.Purdy also threw 19 TD passes in his four postseason games this year.

"Our defense did a really good job the first half," Perry coach Preston Jones said. "We just couldn't get stops in the second half like we got in the first half."

Jones thought his team was too hyper early, contibuting to some missed plays. He couldn't fault Purdy.

"He missed a couple and we're not used to it," Jones said. "The best ones miss some. But as he goes, we go. He settled down and made a bunch of plays in the second half."

Chandler racked up 649 yards and Perry 464 in the highest-scoring, big-school title game (6A or its equivalent) ever.

Chandler quarterback  Jacob Conover is enjoying attention and 6A title trophy. (AzPreps365 photo)