Like father, like son. 

The Taylors sure have a knack for making championship appearances. As the Centennial Coyotes head man, dad Richard went to 13 of the big games, winning eight times, a big school record for a head coach. 

On Friday, it was Andrew’s turn to engineer his first state title appearance as the man in charge. Centennial will defend its 6A title, earning the right to do so after upending visiting semifinalist American Leadership Academy-Queen Creek 35-23.  

In next Saturday’s 6A final against Casteel, the Coyotes will don the home color scheme that Andrew wore as a player, saw it shine while his program established itself as a power and dreamt about sporting once he was handed the keys this year.

"When I first got hired I had a vision in my mind about the end of the season, having a chance to win another state championship and wearing blue,” Andrew said. "Last year we were in our white away jerseys the whole time (in the playoffs), which was great. But being in our classic all navy blue, I had that in my mind. So it’s very gratifying to have a chance to fulfill that dream.”

As for the ALA-Queen Creek Patriots, their dream of reaching a final after rebounding from an 0-5 start was dashed.  

They didn’t plagiarize, but the Patriots (6-7 record) did do a great job of copying the bounce back playbook of the 2024 Coyotes (7-7 record). Centennial opened 0-4 last year before their state championship run.

This year, ALA-Queen Creek regrouped from its poor start to reach the Open Division tournament before making its second consecutive state semifinal. In the first ever meeting between the Patriots and the Coyotes, and after an entertaining back and forth first half, the team that had the ball last, it seemed, would win. 

But Centennial (9-4) had other plans right from the start of the third quarter. Sophomore quarterback Titus Hill repaid the trust he earned from his coaches this year with some clutch throws in the second half. 

He delivered the first one while converting a 4th and 12 at ALA-Queen Creek’s 37-yard line after finding Carter Reidy near the visitor’s sideline. Three plays later, Reidy and Hill completed the drive with a 14-yard touchdown pass after Hill rolled out to his right to put Centennial ahead 28-17.

 

“To finish that drive with a touchdown catch, it felt great,” Reidy said.
“I can’t wait (to play in the final.) Last year I didn’t play much, so I can’t wait to play a lot next week.”

But ALA-Queen Creek kept fighting, and, with 11:52 remaining in the fourth quarter, finished off a 78-yard drive with a 17-yard touchdown reception from sophomore Cody Lalama to Nash Proctor. The ensuing two-point conversion failed, leaving the Patriots trailing 28-23. 

Another ALA-Queen Creek receiver, Khalil Bender, was breaking away every chance he got. The senior was a problem throughout his career and was at it again Friday night, finishing with 32 and 36-yard first half touchdown receptions.  

But Centennial also possesses a receiver or two that can disrupt secondaries. One of those disrupters, senior Sebastian ‘Seabass’ Moreno, delivered the knockout punch after juking a defender at the line of scrimmage to get open. 

After seeing 'Seabass' galloping all alone on the left seam, Hill dropped a pass into Moreno’s breadbasket. Sixty-five yards later, Moreno sprinted into the end zone for the final touchdown of the game. 

“We worked so hard,” Moreno said. “Obviously we wanted the Open ring. We didn’t get that but used that as fuel, and now we are here. We have a relentless effort. Every day we come in and fight.”

Overcoming Centennial’s will, depth and second half physicalness was just too much at the end for the Patriots. 

Injuries to three starting offensive linemen and its Division I-bound quarterback finally also caught up to ALA-Queen Creek.  

"Coming from 0-5 and battling through that and a change in our coaching staff, to be here in the end, battling through injury, I’m proud of them,” ALA-Queen Creek coach Rich Edwards said. “We are very proud of the kids and the seniors and what they’ve accomplished, especially this year. Their perseverance and character really showed with this group.”

The Patriots displayed some of that character after the biggest play of the first half, when outside linebacker Aidan Torres stepped in front of a pass and returned it 73-yards for a touchdown. 

But the Patriots immediately responded after the Torres pick-six with a 36-yard touchdown catch by Stetson Agne to go up 17-14. Two drives later, however, Centennial regained the momentum with the help of probably the best throw of the night by Hill. 

The gunslinger, with 2:15 left in the first half, stepped up and threw a side armed pass — on the run mind you — to Moreno for a 43-yard completion. That set up a six yard touchdown catch by Hill’s twin brother, Torrin, after a great play call. 

Three players shifted from the right side of the ball to the left and another went in motion to the left before the snap. With the defense’s focus on those players, a wide open Torrin, a tight end,  slipped out to the right.

“We just knew we needed to keep the foot on their throat and just keep dominating all through the second half,” Hill said. 

Thrust into the starting quarterback role a month before the season started, Hill has assumed command of his team’s offense in his first season. 

The 6-3 sophomore may have played his best game of the year after tossing three touchdowns with no interceptions in his first state semifinal appearance. 

But the job isn’t done. 

One game remains.