Scottsdale Chaparral had a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new field. It had an overflow crowd. Fireworks for homecoming.

And sophomore quarterback Jack Miller showed that he is ready for the big stage.

With defense playing better than ever and a renewed run game, and Miller staying on his feet and making plays with his arm and feet, Chaparral rolled to a 33-7 rout of defending 5A state champions Gilbert Williams Field.

Williams Field (3-2) lost its second consecutive game after having a 27-game winning streak end last week against Buckeye Verrado.

Chaparral (2-2) continually stopped Williams Fields’ run and pass game, and Miller threw lasers to sophomore Tommy Christakos and Marcus Norvell in a blowout nobody saw coming.

Last week, Chaparral was humbled and humiliated in Valencia, Calif., as Miller was sacked seven times, and the offense could muster just one first down in the first half of a lopsided loss.

This time, Miller never got sacked and he threw three TD passes and sneaked in for another score, putting Williams Field in a 33-0 hole in the third quarter.

“We had to be tough this week,” said Miller, one of the nation’s top sophomore quarterbacks, who was ineligible for the first two games before winning an appeal with the Arizona Interscholastic Association’s Executive Board that got him on the field last week in Valencia. “Valencia was a better team than us. (Williams Field) is a great team, too, the defending state champions.”

Miller felt he had something to prove.

“I knew in my head that I had to play good in front of the home crowd and show them who I am,” Miller said.

 

Standout performer

Miller, rated the No. 1 2020 quarterback in the nation by 247 Sports, passed for 162 yards, throwing TD passes of 9 yards to Christakos, 7 yards to Conlon Carey and 30 yards to Norvell.

“Going through Valencia and having kind of a down game, for him to come back to Arizona and play well, it was great for him,” coach Thomas Lewis said.

More standouts

Chaparral only had about 200 total rushing yards through its first three games. On Friday, it had at least that many, as running back Marqui Johnson made defenders miss with his quick feet and sudden bursts. Johnson had 122 rushing yards.

Linebacker Zien Tessler was in Williams Field’s backfield much of the night. He stuffed a run for a 5-yard loss on one play in the first half before pouncing on a fumble.

Star watch

Christakos is only a sophomore, but like Miller, he physically plays like a seasoned veteran. He showed off a strong leg, booming the ball for touchbacks. And his ability to get open on plays and make plays after catches are reminiscent to former Scottsdale Desert Mountain receiver Mark Andrews, now one of the nation’s top college tight ends at Oklahoma.

Quotes of the game

“I feel last week we just weren’t prepared,” Johnson said. “This week, we executed the way we needed to. The defense stepped up. I feel like we played like a team.

“It felt good (playing running back). I want to give a shoutout to my line. That’s why I got the yards I did.”

Stat of the game

Williams Field continually ran plays to the right side, and Chaparral was ready every time. Chaparral held Williams Field to just 89 first-half yards, and QB Zack Sheppard was only 2 of 10 for 37 yards.

Up next

Chaparral is at Sunnyslope next Friday; Williams Field is at home against Gilbert Campo Verde.