Video: Early Contenders presented by Shock DoctorWe set the tone for 2018 by looking at high school football's elite.
Head coach: Shaun Aguano
Last season: 13-2, No. 11 national ranking, finished the season on an 11-game winning streak and won second consecutive Arizona 6A state title.
Last decade: 99-30
Famous alumni/players: Brett Hundley, NFL quarterback; Adam Archuleta, former first-round NFL draft pick; Paul Perkins, New York Giants running back.
Star power (According to 247Sports): 5-star recruits — 0; 4-star recruits — 3; 3-star recruits — 7
Head coach Shaun Aguano
Photo by Mark Jones
— The 2019 BYU commit is one of the top quarterbacks in high school football.
RB DeCarlos Brooks (5-10, 185, Sr.) — The talented running back rushed for more than 1,300 yards and 14 touchdowns while splitting time with
Drake Anderson in 2017. Expect a monster senior year for the 3-star playmaker.
TE Brayden Liebrock (6-5, 220, Sr.) — The 2019 Texas commit is one of the best tight ends in the country.
DT Matthew Pola-Mao (6-2, 295, Sr.) — The Wolves added one of the best players in the trenches when the 4-star defensive tackle transferred from Mountain Pointe (Phoenix).
S Avery Carrington (6-3, 190, Sr.) — He and
Zach Bowers will be the leaders on defense for Aguano in 2018.
Running back DeCarlos Brooks
File photo by Mark Jones
— at No. 17 Centennial (Corona, Calif.)
Sept. 8 — vs. Faith Lutheran (Las Vegas) *Game at Liberty (Henderson, Nev.) as part of the 2018 Polynesian Classic
Sept. 28 — at Perry (Gilbert)
Oct. 26 — at Hamilton (Chandler)
Quarterback Jacob Conover
File photo by Mark Jones
• Chandler has become the top team in Arizona over the last five seasons. The Wolves have won three state titles in the largest classification over the last four years and have a good chance to make it four in five years.
• Conover is a top-tier signal-caller and has led the Wolves to back-to-back state titles. Brooks, Liebrock, and
Demarcus Griffin give the future BYU Cougar a ton of big-time targets this year.
• The Wolves get tested right away against No. 17 Corona Centennial, a game featured in the MaxPreps
Top 10 Games of the Year.
Returning Chandler players (left to right) Joshua Pena, Zach Bowers, DeCarlos Brooks, Jacob Conover, Mitch Sandlin, Brayden Liebrock and Avery Carrington proudly display their 2017 state championship rings.
IIIustration photo by Mark Jones
