Who wins the Open state football title? Breaking down Saguaro vs Basha
These teams went through the gamut of tough competition to get here. Now it's time to break down the biggest championship of them all: The Open. The last of the Arizona Interscholastic Association high school football championship games is slated for 6 p.m., Saturday at Sun Devil Stadium.
No. 2 Basha (11-1) vs. No. 5 Saguaro (9-3)
This is the first-ever meeting on the football field between the schools. But there are so many similarities. Both programs have benefited from marquee transfers. Notably at Basha are All-American cornerback Cole Martin and running back Deshaun Buchanan, who both started in the Open state title game for Hamilton two years ago, a last-minute loss to rival Chandler. They've been in the Basha program for two years. The most notable Saguaro transfer is quarterback Devon Dampier, who left Pinnacle, which is playing in this year's 6A championship game, before his junior season and is trying to win a second straight Open state title for the Sabercats.
Both teams have similar style quarterbacks. Basha junior Demond Williams Jr., can pass and run and break down a defense with his ability to freelance and take off with the ball when a play breaks down. Ditto for Saguaro senior Devon Dampier, a New Mexico commit, who once again put on the Superman cape and led the Sabercats to an incredible fourth-quarter comeback win over top-seed and previously unbeaten Liberty, 43-42, in the semifinals, throwing two touchdown passes and hitting running back Zaccheus Cooper on a two-point conversion pass in the final eight minutes after getting down 42-28.
So the defenders, from the front end to the back end, need to keep their antennas up.
Basha's defense has appeared much more stout, especially since the 35-7 loss to Liberty two months ago. It really started to click after the 26-23 walkoff win over Hamilton on Oct. 20 that the Bears could not only reach the first state final in school history but win it. The defense completely derailed Chandler's heralded quarterback Dylan Raiola twice, 14-7 in the regular season and 13-0 in the semifinal game last week.
Saguaro's offense, especially the way Dampier is navigating it now and with a full-house backfield that at times will include Jaedon Matthews, Cooper and JoJo Clark, will be the biggest challenge Basha has seen since being taken apart by Navi Bruzon and Liberty in the team's only loss.
Saguaro was missing five starters in the incredible win over Liberty. It won't get back senior wide receiver Deric English, who has been out since the playoffs began with an upper body injury. It should have sophomore wide receiver Dajon Hinton back after he was knocked out early in the Liberty game with a leg injury. Saguaro also will get linebacker John Butler back after he missed the semifinal.
Young receivers Mason Whitaker and Jakobi Spence made clutch catches in the final quarter comeback against Liberty.
As long as Saguaro has Dampier running the show, the Sabercats can feel good about their chances. And, as much as you have to hold your breath every time Williams has the ball in his hands, I'm taking Saguaro in this one, simply because of Dampier and what he's doing now and what he did last year in the Open playoffs. He gives the 'Cats the best chance to win the 14th football championship in school history.
If this is Saguaro coach Jason Mohns' last game -- should he become an assistant at Arizona State after this -- this would be the greatest early Christmas present to hand their coach, an eighth gold ball under Mohns.
Prediction: Saguaro 35, Basha 32
To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert atrichard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on Twitter@azc_obert
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Who wins the Open state football title? Breaking down Saguaro vs Basha
