Two rivals and 5A championship contenders, Desert Edge and Cactus, met up and the Scorpions had the last laugh, winning 21-6 in a defensive masterclass. 

Tensions were high prior to the game as  Cactus were assessed two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties before kickoff. 

After 31 penalties, several equipment violations and a few fisticuffs later, the heated rivalry went in the favor of the Scorpions

"Based off of last year, we've had this game marked for a while"  Scorpions coach Henri MacArthur said. "We know who they are and they know who we are". 

Desert Edge sported a 5-3 record and was on a four-game win streak heading into their biggest game of the year.  Cactus was 6-2 and also on a four-game winning streak, outscoring their past two opponents 103-41. 

Both teams were 3-0 in Desert West Region play. And Cactus brought a three game winning streak in the rivalry.

Yet the Cobras were the ones to lose their cool.

"It's frustrating because we discussed before the game to control it." Cobras coach Brian Belles said. "We just didn't do that and it leaked into the game".

The Cobras finished the game with 13 penalties. Cactus players declined to speak to the media after the game and bypassed  shaking hands with Desert Edge following the conclusion of the game, a display of poor sportmanship.

" The hit on Jamar we thought was dirty." MacArthur said. "At that point the game became personal".

The game in itself was off to a slow start as both teams were held scoreless for most of the opening quarter. 

The Scorpions saw two sacks in the first quarter, with one of them being by senior defensive end Jerry Washington.

"Defense wins games," Washington said. "If our offense isn't putting points on the board then the defense needs to."

Washington also recovered a fumble later in the quarter which led to Scorpions sophomore quarterback Blake Roskopf finding sophomore receiver Zerek Sidney for a 2-yard touchdown.

The suffocating Cobra defense forced turnovers as Rosskopf threw interceptions to senior defensive back Gabriel Sotelo and junior linebacker Jayson Burkhardt.

"The game of football is getting defensive stops" Belles said.  "Couple weeks ago roles were reversed, you need both sides of the ball to show up in order to win."

Cobras totaled 66 yards with 22 of them coming on the ground from running back Tayjeion Player. Junior quarterback Antonio Casias would find receiver Robert Bell Jr. for a two-yard touchdown late in the third. 

The turning point of the game came when, senior receiver and defensive back Jamar Beal-Goines, also ranked as the top player in Arizona, went down with an injury in the second quarter. 

"He went down off of a dirty hit." linebacker, quarterback and receiver Elijah Sherbin-Fox said. "We had to rally around each other and put (Cactus) away." 

Prior to the half ending, Rosskopf found receiver Travion Dixson for a 19-yard touchdown with 26 seconds left. 

Dixson would finish the day with 69 yards on three receptions. 

The second half was where the Swiss army knife Sherbin-Fox came into play for the Scorpions. 

Defensively, Sherbin-Fox put together 12 tackles and 3 sacks, finishing with half of the Scorpions sack-total of six. 

"Defensively we made the plays." Sherbin-Fox said. "I had to do my part offensively as well."

Offensively Sherbin-Fox did his best Taysom Hill impression with a pass attempt, a carry and two receptions for 23 yards. 

Scorpions did have two bellcows at running backs today in running backs Byron Brandon and Aryon Thomas. 

Brandon finished with 7 carries and 76 yards and the game's final touchdown.

Thomas finished with 12 carries 67 yards and a reception for 20 yards. 

Desert Edge (6-3, 4-0) has not quite wrapped up the 5A Desert West yet and  will travel to Buckeye to take on the other contender, Verrado (7-3, 3-1) at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8.

Cactus (6-3, 3-1) will host Millenium (3-6, 1-3) at home at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8.

Chris Schaller is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Sierra Linda High School for AZPreps 365.