Basha Outlasts Chandler 37-26 in ESPN National Spotlight

By: Deion Trotter

📸: Sutton Druck

The stage could not have been much bigger.

Under the lights and in front of a national ESPN audience, Basha and Chandler renewed their rivalry Saturday night in a rematch of last season’s Open Division championship game.

This time, the Bears once again came out on top.

Basha defeated Chandler 37 26 in a back and forth season opener that featured explosive plays, multiple turnovers and big performances on both sides of the football.

Chandler quarterback Will Mencl kept the Wolves within striking distance throughout the night. Mencl completed 27 of 47 passes for 344 yards and four touchdowns, while throwing two interceptions.

Maxwell Sprott was one of Chandler’s biggest weapons through the air, hauling in 10 receptions for 177 yards and a touchdown. Kaydon Gray also made an impact with six catches for 64 yards and two touchdowns.

Four star athlete Jai Jones was held relatively quiet throughout the night, finishing with three receptions for 29 yards. Jones, who was expected to be one of Chandler’s key playmakers, was unable to make the same impact as Sprott and Gray, leaving the Wolves to rely heavily on their other offensive weapons.

Chandler showed plenty of offensive firepower throughout the night, but Basha’s defense repeatedly found ways to create momentum changing plays.

Basha quarterback Jake Rogers, a Princeton commit, finished 21 of 33 passing for 209 yards and three touchdowns. Rogers consistently made plays when Basha needed them, connecting with Jaden Baldwin for a first half touchdown and finding Junior wide receiver Makai Nelson for two scores.

Nelson was one of the biggest stories of the night.

Making his debut, Nelson delivered two touchdown catches in the first half, including a Hail Mary touchdown as time expired before halftime. The play gave Basha a 20-13 advantage heading into the break and gave the Bears momentum heading into the second half.

The Bears also received a major contribution from their defense.

Northern Arizona commit Marc Duerson III created problems for Chandler throughout the game, forcing three of Basha’s five total turnovers. Tre Kennard recovered one of Duerson’s forced fumbles and returned it for a defensive touchdown, giving Basha another major momentum swing.

Basha continued to make plays in critical situations.

Jackson Oliver blocked a critical Chandler point after attempt in the fourth quarter, while ASU commit Mikey Barth connected on a 42 yard field goal to extend the Bears’ lead.

With Chandler still fighting to stay within reach late in the fourth quarter, Texas commit Noah Roberts delivered the final blow. The standout running back powered his way into the end zone on a 10 yard touchdown run to help secure the Basha victory.

Kyser Wilson, another Northern Arizona commit, added to the defensive effort with a late fourth quarter interception that helped put the game away.

For Chandler, Mencl and the Wolves showed plenty of offensive firepower, with Sprott and Gray providing big production through the air. But Basha’s ability to create turnovers and respond with big plays ultimately proved to be the difference.

The Bears improve to 1-0 with the victory, while Chandler drops to 0-1.

The rivalry once again delivered on the biggest stage, and Basha walked away with another win over Chandler.

The victory also gave Basha a boost in the national rankings. Following the win over Chandler, the Bears moved up to No. 12 nationally in the latest MaxPreps rankings, climbing one spot from their previous ranking.