By: Fabian Ardaya
Videos/Photos: Ralph Amsden/Fabian Ardaya
It Happened. The Chandler Wolves beat the Hamilton Huskies 26-16 on Friday night to pick up their first ever win against their cross-town rivals, scoring the go-ahead touchdown in the last minute of the game at Austin Field.
Chandler High finally gets their first win over Hamilton, 26-16
It was an ugly game from the start for both sides, as Hamilton forced a Wolves three and out on their first offensive possession. On the punt attempt, Chandler kicker Scott Knudson couldn’t handle the snap and was forced to kick the ball out of bounds.
The Huskies, however, failed to take advantage, as they themselves were stuffed on three straight plays, and had to settle for a 25 yard field goal and an early 3-0 lead.
The Wolves would again be stuffed on three straight plays, and Hamilton would respond on the resulting drive by scoring on Tyrell Smith’s one yard touchdown run. After the failed extra point, it was 9-0 Huskies.
After a series of completions by Bryce Perkins and penalties by Hamilton the Wolves finally crossed midfield with their offense. From there, running back Chase Lucas would take it to the house, running 45 yards for a Chandler touchdown. After Chandler’s own missed extra point, Hamilton led by a score of 9-6.
From that point on, it seemed as if neither team could move the ball. Both teams focused on running the ball inside, even at times neglecting the passing game by trying to establish the run. Neither team would score from 1:48 left in the first quarter until late in the fourth quarter.
As the game drudged on through halftime into the fourth quarter, both sides looked off, at it appeared that it would be a defensive showdown the rest of the way.
After the Wolves took over with 8:12 remaining, it appeared that head coach Shaun Aguano was looking to stretch the field, as Bryce Perkins was dominant through the air for the drive. Perkins would find Dionte Sykes and Mitch McCulley for first downs before stalling out at the Hamilton 25 yard line. After determining that they were out of field goal range and spending his last timeout, Aguano elected to go for it on fourth down and five. A double reverse run by Elijah Sykes fell short, and the game appeared over.
After running the ball twice and burning clock down to about three minutes, Tyrell Smith fumbled the ball away, and Chandler would recover, taking over at the Hamilton 27 yard line.
Chase Lucas energized the crown with a first down run, and Bryce Perkins took the QB keeper for a 10 yard TD to give the Wolves a 13-9 lead with just over two and a half minutes remaining.
Bryce Perkins scores on a 10 yard keeper to give Chandler a 13-9 4th quarter lead.
Hamilton quarterback Sam Sasso was unable to get anything going early in the next Hamilton possession, but an unsportsmanlike conduct call against Chandler kept the drive and momentum going for the Huskies. After Sasso connected with Elijah Williams on a 37 yard deep ball on the sideline to stop the clock, Hamilton had the entire stadium on pins and needles. Sasso threw again to Elijah Williams, who tipped the ball to himself and took it 18 yards to give Hamilton a 16-13 lead. The Huskies seemingly had the game in hand, again, with 1:12 remaining.
With just over a minute remaining and no timeouts left, the Wolves had to go to the hurry-up offense. After two early completions, Perkins spiked the ball with 38 seconds left at his own 42 yard line. Following another first down, the Wolves were shut down three straight plays to set up 4th 2 at the Hamilton 30 yard line and 22 seconds remaining. Chase Lucas surprised the Hamilton defense by taking a handoff, and he was able to secure the first down that set up the game-winning play- Bryce Perkins finding Dionte Sykes with just 13 seconds remaining, giving the Wolves a 20-16 lead.
Sykes knew the ball was coming his way, and was forced to step up after a so-so first half.
“Big-time players make big-time plays,” he said. “It was a big-time game, so you have to pull through for your team.”
On the first play of Hamilton’s next possession, Sasso’s pass was intercepted by Chandler linebacker J.R. Hunt, who returned the interception all the way for another Chandler touchdown. That put the nail in the coffin, as the Wolves first ever win vs Hamilton ended 26-16.
Sykes, in on defense for the play, knew the game was theirs and made the most of it.
“I was running with (Hunt), pointing to the Hamilton student section,” he said.
NOTES:
-This is Chandler’s first win against the Huskies in 18 tries. Their previous closest game came in the “Kyren Poe Game” in 2009, where the Huskies won 24-20 at Jerry Loper Field.
-This marked the sixth straight game to start the season that Chandler quarterback Bryce Perkins has run for a touchdown and thrown a touchdown in the same game.
-This is the first time EVER that Hamilton has lost consecutive in-state road games, and just their 11th loss all-time. This is the second time the Hamilton has lost two consecutive games (lost three in a row from end of 2011 to beginning of 2012).
-People in attendance for Friday night’s game included Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin (checking out Hamilton DL prospect Qualen Cunningham) and Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Kerry Taylor and linebacker Dontay Moch, both former Huskies. Also in attendance were former Chandler principal Terry Williams (who retired this past season) and CUSD superintendent Camille Castille.
Here are some more photos from Friday night’s game:
Categories: Chandler High, Football, Hamilton High
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