Canyon View captures 5A championship

November 23, 2024 by Ben Stapley, AZPreps365


Canyon View flag football players and coaches celebrate after beating Mountain Pointe for the 5A state title Saturday. (Photo by Ben Stapley)

Canyon View didn't wait over a year for another chance at a 5A state championship. 
The Jaguars worked for it and earned it. 
"This really started in the summer and we asked these girls to commit," Canyon View coach Cory Beal said. 
"We knew what it requires to get back here and I'm so proud of this group.."

Behind the precision of quarterback Katelyn Jewell and playmaker Makenzie Pope, the Jaguars captured the state title Saturday with a convincing 34-14 victory over Mountain Pointe at Chandler High. 
Jewell tossed three touchdown passes--two to Pope and one to Jaila Flowers. 
Pope also returned an interception for a touchdown, as Canyon View built a 24-0 lead into the second half. 
"This was the goal all year, said Jewell, who finished the season with 65 touchdown passes. 
"Since pre-season that's been the goal. All of us, all of our captains, all of our coaches have really rallied for that. We all played for eachother this year and we learned our lesson from last year."
In last season's championship game, the Jaguars dropped a 14-13 heartbreaker to Campo Verde when an extra point was blocked. The Jaguars had beaten Campo Verde earlier that season, 35-0. 
Canyon View pulled out an overtime win over Campo Verdo in the semifinals last Wednesday night to advance to the championship.

 


How it Happened

Mountain Pointe (17-2) entered the 5A playoffs as the top seed, with its only loss a 7-0 setback to 6A runne-up Red Mountain. Pride sophomore quarterback Amaya Moreno came into the game with similar numbers to Jewell (4,600 yards, 63 TD's) but Canyon View's defense frustrated Mountain Pointe for most of the game, while the Jaguars took an early lead as Jewell methodically drove Csnyon View down the field before finding Flowers for a 7-0 lead.

"Katelynn is a surgeon," coach Beal said of his quarterback. "She's patient, she doesn't force anything and she takes what the defense gives her." 
 

On Mountain Piinte's next series, Pope picked off a Moreno pass attempt near midfield and took it to the endzone. Before the first quarter was over, the Jaguars had a 14-0 lead, which they took into halftime. 
Csnyon View got another interception from Kaylani Tucker, which led to Jewell's first touchdown pass to Pope and a 21-0 lead midway through the fourth quarter.
A 30-yard field goal From Nazzy Baker gave the Jaguars a 24-0 cushion heading into the fourth quarter.  

Playing for Pride 

Moreno want about to give up. A pair of touchdown passes to Vanity Robles in the fourth quarter cut Canyon View's lead to 24-14.

But the Jaguars never panicked. Jewell led another drive which ended with another scoring pass pass to Pope, giving Canyon View a 31-14 lead late in the fourth.