Preview – Desert Mountain @ Chaparral

By: Jake Novy

The Chaparral Firebirds play a division up this week as they host the Desert Mountain Wolves in Scottsdale.  Chaparral, one of the top ranked teams in Division Two, has won three straight games on the heels of a season-opening loss to Las Vegas powerhouse Bishop Gorman at University of Phoenix Stadium.  The Firebirds squeaked by Salpointe Catholic to notch their first win of the season to wrap up the month of August and topped Marcos de Niza in a rematch of the 2009 state championship to start September on a high note.  Last week, Connor Brewer tossed three touchdown passes to lead Chaparral in a 63-7 rout of Sunnyslope in its home-opener.

To add to the team’s monumental momentum, the Firebirds will get to roll out prized transfer Jarvis Lewis this Friday at Chaparral High School.  Lewis, an All-Arizona defensive lineman last season, transferred from Glendale Raymond S. Kellis this season but was forced to sit out the team’s first four games because of an ongoing investigation that he was recruited to play at Chaparral.  A third-party investigator for the Arizona Interscholastic Association determined that there was no evidence Lewis was recruited and the AIA’s executive board ruled unanimously to allow the 6-foot-7, 270-pounder eligible to play.

Meanwhile, Desert Mountain also comes into the contest on the winning side of things.  The Wolves edged Westwood, 27-20, last week on the road in Mesa.  Kyle Allen had a passing and rushing score for Desert Mountain and Daaiim Brown’s 93-yard kickoff return to the house in the fourth quarter sealed the deal for the Wolves, who improved to 2-and-1 on the season.  They mauled Mountain View, 43-7, in their season and home opener in late August before dropping a heartbreaking 31-30 decision to Dobson in Week Two.

After moving up division’s two years ago, Chaparral and Desert Mountain have developed a little bit of a rivalry.  In 2009, the Wolves handed the Firebirds their only loss of the season, but Chaparral returned the favor by beating Desert Mountain in the semifinal round of the state playoffs.  However, the Wolves should have some extra motivation for this year’s tilt after getting blanked by Chaparral, 50-0, last November.