Highland coach Brock Farrel and players celebrate the school's 1st playoff win since 2008 (AzPreps365 photo)

 

Highand's football players were in the know.

As they gathered for a quick word from first-year head coach Brock Farrel several talked about their win seconds earlier over Desert Mountain as the school's first playoff win in almost a decade.

No. 8 Highland's defense proved the difference in the second half Friday nigth as it blanked high-scoring No. 9 Desert Mountain in the final 24 minutes in a 41-21 triumph at Highland High.

Highland (8-3), winning its first playoff game since 2008, moves on to the quarterfinals where it is set for a rematch with top-seed Mountain Pointe (9-2), a 65-0 winner over Cibola in its playoff opener. Desert Mountain capped the its second season under coach Dave Sedmak with a 6-5 mark.

As expected the matchup was Desert Mountain's mostly short, crisp passing game led by quarterback Kedon Slovis and a bevy of sure-handed receivers against Highland's defense. The first half finished closer than it appeareed it would. Thanks to a Desert Mountain fumble recovery at its 34 late in the half, the Wolves turned it around and scored with 14 seconds left in the half. What could have been a possible three-score lead for Highland at hafltime was a one-score advantage.

Highland's defense came out in the second half and bent a little, but  kept Desert Mountain from scoring after intermission.

Desert Mountain's demise ultimately was not being able to stop Highland -- or most opponents' running game. Highland cranked out scoring drives of 71 and 80 yards -- all of it rushing -- in the second half to distance itself from a its 28-21 lead over the Wolves at halftime.

"I knew our offensive line would play well," Farrel, who is an obvious candidate for coach of the year as the Hawks have flipped their record from last year, said. "(Desert Mountain) had a tough time stopping the run. As a former quarterback I had to swallow my pride and not throw. Handed it off 30 times in a row."

Highland piled up 219 yards rushing in the first half and another 195 in the second half. Senior Jacob Wood scored three times on runs of 34, 11 and 47. The last came with 2:26 to cement the outcome. Wood totaled 122 yards on 11 carries.

The top ground gainer for the night for the Hawks was junior Dayton Huffman. Huffman totaled 176 yards on 12 rushes -- 112 and a 71-yard score in the first half. Huffman also intercepted a pass in the end zone with seven minutes left to thwart a Desert Mountain drive that could have made it a one score game. It preserved a 35-21 lead.

"It's a feather in the cap for Desert Mountain to get in the playoffs," Farrel said. "They earned it."

Slovis, a junior, completed 21 of 30 passes in the first half for 217 yards. He was limited to 94 yards passing in the second half (12 of 19). Slovis finished with three TD passes. Two to Joshua Walker and one to Nick Hill. Walker had 10 catches for 107 yards in the fist half and 2 for 22 in the second. Hil finished with 10 receptions for 115 yards.