The game was out of hand early.

It was clear that top-seeded Campo Verde’s side of the ball was going to have the advantage against No. 2 Chaparral in the 5A Flag championship game.

As the postseason showed, it didn’t matter who lined up across from the Coyotes. The Firebirds won their half of the bracket and never let up in the rain-soaked title game at Corona del Sol on Saturday.

No team was going to do much against a program that has now won 45 of 56 games since this it became a sanctioned sport in 2023.

So, Campo won its second state title in three years thanks to a large part due to its defense. Yes, the offense was explosive, but the Campo defense had another superb performance in the 57-0 win.

The Coyotes have 18 games where the opponent scored seven points or less including 13 shutouts - more importantly all four playoffs games

“The defense is super special, and it is easy to look at what offense,” Campo Vede coach Brian Coger said. “It’s the nature of the beast. But the defense deserves just as much attention.”

The defense has been led by senior Payton Davis and her 49 sacks, senior Mayla Robertson’s 58 tackles, junior Jayda Haley and her eight sacks, Jaiyna Bogan-Jacobs with 15 interceptions, while sophomore added six interceptions.

The unit barely allowed the Firebirds to secure a first down and kept giving the Coyotes offense a short field to work with for easy scores.

“I am so proud of our defense the way we played all season, but to have four straight shutouts is something I’m always going to remember,” said Davis as she held the inaugural championship defensive player of the game plaque. “We know when we get the ball back to the offense that they’re going to score so it is our job to make sure that happens.”

Chaparral played with heart, did its best to hang with a team that’s nationally ranked 64th in the nation – and No. 4 in Arizona - by MaxPreps. Sometimes the other team is vastly more talented.

So, line up, play hard and shake hands.

Chaparral made the state championship game in its second year of playing as a varsity sports. (Jason P. Skoda/AZPreps365)

The Firebirds played their game despite a three-hour rain delay as the team hung out for hours in the Corona del Sol auditorium. The result will be recorded, but the final score doesn't take away the memories of a 13-3 season.

“It was a lot of growth for me, I am learning and having more fun,” Chaparral coach Carlos Anderson said. “We’re pressing forward and climbing the mountain.”

He said he looked around the first game of the year and had a feeling the Firebirds were on the right course despite a shaky first year in 2024.

“The first game we had a different roster, a whole coaching staff and more athletes,” Anderson said. “Last year, we just had a bunch of recreation girls out there, but now it is more athletes who can play ball.”

The Coyotes overwhelmed from the start as quarterback Amaya Moreno showcased her ability to run, evade, look down the field, go through progressions and throw lasers to a multitude of open receivers.

Campo scored on every drive and led 34-0 at halftime when Moreno connected with Oakley Dobratz-Blevins.

The foregone conclusion at the beginning of the year became a reality as Campo continues to develop into one of the top programs in the state.

The only thing that was in doubt was what time the game was going to be played or if it was going to be pushed until Monday, like the 6A championship game.

The Coyotes got to the field at 2:45 p.m. for a 4 p.m. start, which turned into a 7:07 p.m. first play.

It didn’t matter. It inevitable happened. Campo Verde raised the 5A championship trophy.

“Two out of three ain’t bad, but the one (loss in the semifinals last year) still hurts a little bit,” Coger said. “We’ll celebrate this one little bit, take it all in and then get ready for next year.”