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

The Basha Bears welcomed the Chandler Wolves Friday with the lead in the 6A Premier Region on the line. Both offenses dueled all night for a combined 92 total points, but Basha’s defense made a late stand to help the Bears secure a 47-42 victory.

Basha faced Chandler twice last season, winning its regular-season contest, and later knocking Chandler out of the playoffs. Neither team scored more than 14 points in either game last season and the two combined for just 34 points across those two games. Friday night, both teams individually surpassed that total.

Basha started the fireworks by scoring on its opening drive in just two plays that took 38 seconds. Junior receiver Gio Richardson took a jet sweep 57 yards to score.

Chandler drove down the field but stalled at the goal line with a turnover on downs and Basha drove the length of the field and settled for a field goal inside the Wolves' 10-yard line.

Basha forced another punt and got the ball back already up by 10. But as soon as it looked like Basha was taking control of the game, Chandler forced a fumble by Basha quarterback Demond Williams and drove down for a touchdown to get on the board with just under 5½ minutes left in the second quarter.

Chandler forced a quick three and out and drove down the field in less than 2 minutes to take its first lead of the game, 14-10. The momentum had shifted since the fumble by Williams and the Bears trailed with just over 3 minutes left in the half.

Williams, as he’d done all season, calmy led the Bears down the field for a touchdown to take a 17-14 lead before halftime.

“I saw a quarterback that you know wills the team to win, wills the offense,” head coach Chris McDonald said. “He executes what he’s got to do.”

The Bears' defense came up with two huge stops in the final minutes of the first half to hold the lead going into halftime.

Coming out of the half the Bears nearly recreated their opening drive with a two-play, 82-yard touchdown drive. Senior receiver Mason Arhin caught both passes including a 71-yard touchdown.

“We had run that play previously and it was kind of open so then we came back to it,” Arhin said. “The safety happened to fly over to the hash, and I was wide open and finished the play.”

The two teams would trade touchdowns for most of the second half, including a combined six touchdowns scored in the third quarter.

With just over 3½ minutes left in the game, Chandler senior quarterback Blake Heffron threw his sixth touchdown of the game to cut Basha’s lead to 3, 45-42.

Chandler forced a punt to get the ball back with less than 2 minutes remaining, but the Bears’ defense played its best series of downs all night in the most crucial moment.

Senior defensive lineman Brody Jones recorded two sacks including one with the help of sophomore linebacker Eli Cramer-Cronin on fourth and long, resulting in a safety to seal the Bears' 47-42 victory.

“They stepped up when they needed to,” Richardson said. “Great defense right there.”

On a night filled with offensive firepower, Arhin had a career night for the Bears, catching five passes for 132 yards and a touchdown.

“Our chemistry is going through the roof right now,” Arhin said. “I’m thankful and blessed.”

Richardson also scored not one but two touchdowns Friday night, both on explosive plays. Along with his 57-yard rushing touchdown, he returned a kickoff for a touchdown late in the third quarter.

“It’s kind of pick your poison. I think [Demond] is very confident in all [our receivers],” McDonald said. “That’s our strongest room in my opinion.”

On Friday, for the second time this season, Williams had three rushing touchdowns in a game, on top of his third 100-yard rushing game. He threw for 258 yards and a touchdown on just 19 pass attempts.

“He’s unbelievable, he’s going to get it done whenever,” Arhin said. “We always have all our faith in him to get the job done.”

The Bears improved to 7-1 and extended their win streak to six straight with just two regular-season games left.

“They finished when they needed to,” McDonald said. “Then we can only get better from there.”

Basha’s next game will be at 7 p.m. Friday at home against Casteel.