Douglas Santo is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Basha High School for AZPreps365.com

Basha's 38-27 win over Perry Friday night will be remembered for a while, but likely not because of the memories from a victorious Senior Night for the Bears.

The game had a combined 12 late personal foul or unnecessary roughness penalties, and multiple ejections. Nine of the penalties were called on Basha and three were called on Perry.

“I’m really proud because they came back. I’m just disappointed that the seniors, I mean, this is the taste that they’re left with on their senior night,” Basha head coach Chris McDonald said. “It’s disappointing and frustrating from that standpoint because I feel for them.”

Basha’s defensive coordinator Brandon Johnson and sophomore linebacker Dante Bruley were both ejected early in the second half.

"Twenty some years of football at every level, tonight was a first for me. Put that in bold print,” Johnson said. “I’ve never seen anything like this ever.”

The game was not the rough, dirty game you might expect when that many flags fly. Many of them simply left the coaches speechless.

“I’m never given an explanation, you know,” McDonald said. “They just, I don’t know, you call things and it’s final and it’s OK. It is what it is.”

Perry’s first drive of the second half was extended twice because of penalties and the Pumas were given a new set of downs inside the 10-yard line.

After a personal foul penalty gave Perry a new set of downs inside the Basha 30-yard line, the Bears appeared to force a fumble, creating their second turnover of the game. But the officials came together and ruled it was an incompletion and there was a personal foul penalty after the play that resulted in Perry keeping possession of the ball and getting a new set of downs inside the Basha 10-yard line.

“They obviously fumbled,” Johnson said. “It was at minimum a lateral.”

This same play was when the ejections took place, and the Bears would be without their defensive coordinator and a starting linebacker for the remainder of the game.

“The play was blown dead, I jumped in excitement to celebrate the turnover and the side judge, I don’t know, freaked out and threw two flags. I don’t know. I really don’t even know how else to say it,” Johnson said. “I did not do anything that warrants an ejection. I’ve never been ejected a day in my life since Pop Warner ball and I just got ejected for celebrating a fumble. That was the first time I’ve ever seen it.”

Despite the number of penalties in the game, there were many seniors who left their marks on Senior Night.

Defensive back Tommy Prassas intercepted Perry’s junior quarterback Diesel Taylor late in the first quarter, just after Basha had regained a 14-13 lead.

“I kind of felt like, you know, it was my senior night, I used to know the quarterback, I felt like I knew it was coming, I was manifesting it,” Prassas said. “They tried a double move on me and I went up to the ball and picked it off.”

The pick was Prassas’ first of the season. His last interception came last season against Perry.

“I mean, what a way … I know he’s been wanting a pick; he’s been wanting a pick all year. He’s had to do a lot more than play free safety,” Johnson said. “That pick right there was big. I’m so proud of that kid.”

McDonald said a couple of weeks ago that his receiver room might be the most talented group on the team. Friday night, senior receiver Mason Arhin had four catches for 72 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore receiver Gio Richardson caught six passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns.

“We feel confident in our receiving room to get the ball wherever we want,” McDonald said. “[Quarterback Demond Williams Jr.] does a good job reading where that is and executing.”

Arhin now has a touchdown catch in three straight games. Richardson has reached 130 receiving yards in three of his last four games and has scored at least two touchdowns in four consecutive games.

“It feels good to look to the outside and know you got those playmakers that can make those plays,” Williams said. “You know, give them contested catches and just be in the right spots and just know they’re going to be there.”

Williams capped off the regular season with yet another outstanding performance. He threw for 301 yards and three touchdowns and added 67 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground.

“Now it’s just preparation and making sure we put our best foot forward for that first round [of the playoffs],” he said.

The Bears were able to lean on their rushing attack and defense to close out the game late. Senior running back Corey Chisley had seven of his 12 carries in the fourth quarter and senior defensive back Jamison Stamps had some key tackles down the stretch.

“When you have adverse situations, the goal is to come together,” McDonald said. “And that’s what our kids did.”

With the win Friday night, Basha closed out the regular season on an eight-game win streak. The Bears have a bye next week before they get set to defend their state championship with their first playoff game the following week.

“We all have to be in it, we all have to keep grinding, keep our heads down and just have a different type of intensity,” Prassas said. “We’re coming for back-to-back.”