New stars emerge at 5A football showdown in Goodyear

By Richard Smith
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Big name high school football players with major offers filled the field for the opening 5A football showdown between Cactus Shadows and Desert Edge Aug. 28.

But it was a night for new stars — or returning stars in new roles — in a much more competitive rematch of the Scorpions’ first round playoff win last year.

Junior receiver Aiden Honeywood and sophomore linebacker Kye Wells assumed starring roles in their first varsity start for Desert Edge. Honeywood caught the home team’s final touchdown, then Wells sealed the 27-19 victory with a fourth down sack.

"We push each other and we lift each other a lot. Everybody stays on top of our stuff and we make sure we're not falling into distractions," Honeywood said. "I have a big family supporting me."

Honeywood capped the most emotional night of his young career by beating a Falcons defensive back on a go route for a 38-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Blake Roskopf. He teared up, kneeled and pointed his finger heavenward after the fourth quarter touchdown.

Thursday was Honeywood’s first game since Warren Honeywood, 45, was shot and killed in his Buckeye home in December 2024.

"That's my pops. He taught me how to be a man. He taught me everything. I started playig football whe I was 5 and I've been running since," Honeywood said. "I've been grinding all summer waiting for this day. It felt great."

He led all receivers with six catches for 133 yards, setting up the Scorpions’ third touchdown by taking a quick toss out to the flat 46 yards.

Soon after, sophomore running back Byron Brandon took a screen pass 13 yards to the Falcons 1. In Desert Edge’s new Air Raid scheme that play was available all night, and Brandon made six catches for 88 yards.

Roskopf then scored on a 1-yard delay draw.

"Byron has taken off since he started taking the weight room seriously. It's expected. Even with Honeywood, it's expected. These guys have shown it this offseason," Desert Edge Coach Henri MacArthur said. "They're performing at the level I expect across the board."

Cactus Shadows spent all offseason pointing to this opportunity against the defending 5A champs and did not go quietly, scoring twice in the first 4:11 of the fourth quarter.

NAU-bound senior quarterback Donivan Dixon took over, dashing 50 yards to flip the field. Three plays later, senior Alex Dafnis went off tackle for a two-yard touchdown. The Scorpions led 21-14.

Cactus Shadows’ leading receiver last season spent most of the opener at running back and the 6-2, 200 pounder punished the Scorpions for 40 yards on 14 carries and 41 yards on three catches.

"We've got a lot of new guys in a lot of new spots. We found out (Millennium transfer) Trey Peck was going to play two days ago. So he hasn't had a chance to really run with the ones," Cactus Shadows Coach Chris  Dixon said. "We moved Alex Dafnis from tight end to running back tonight. He hasn't played running back for two years. Hats off to them. They're the champs. If we want to get to that point we've got to finish."

Desert Edge attempted a fake punt on fourth and 10 on the ensuing drive, but only gained six. Cactus Shadows took over 26 yards away.

A pass interference call and 12-yard pass from Dixon to Dafnis set up a one-yard touchdown jaunt by the quarterback. Dixon’s two-point pass attempt for the tie sailed high.

"Our defense played good tonight. We gave up 27 points. Really, if you put it in perspective, they gave us every chance to win this game," Dixon said. "Early we could have gone up 14-0 but blew the opportunity. It was a great game plan by our defensive coordinator and we've been knocked for our defense in the last couple of years."

After Honneywood’s score, the extra point caromed off the left upright, leaving the door open for the visitors.

Dixon scrambled for 24 to lead the Falcons near the red zone. But a low snap led to a nine-yard loss and Wells got his third sack of the night to put it away.

"Tonight was a team effort. We had freshmen in there that I had no intention of being in the game on both sides of the ball, competing in a big-time environment. That's a good team. They're going to make a run,"  MacArthur said. "They're more complete this year. The quarterback is one of the best players in the state."

Roskopf threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to junior receiver Marshawn Coleman and tossed a screen to Brandon for a 25-yard score, both in the second quarter.

The junior put up huge numbers, 23-35 for 365 yards and three touchdowns. But the offense was more disjointed than stats indicate, with several holding penalties and a fumble stalling a couple drives.

"The beginning was a lack of execution that caused it to look as bad as it did. But the effort and our technique position to position, in terms of guys lookig like they know what they're doing, I see it across the board," MacArthur said. "We've just got to clean up the execution. If we have that many penalties, like I told the guys, that's not sustainable to win games."

Richard Smith
Senior News Editor | Glendale & West Valley Preps

rsmith@iniusa.org

Richard Smith has been with Independent Newsmedia since 2016, and worked at a Sun City-based news outfit covering the Northwest Valley for 22 consecutive years.

An NAU alum and lifelong Arizona resident, Richard began as a copy editor and page designer at Surprise Today and the Daily News-Sun, then rekindled his love of sports writing by taking the reins on West Valley Preps in 2008.

For most of the mid-2010s he was the Surprise editor and West Valley Preps reporter. Now he’s the West Valley Preps Editor and Surprise Associate Editor.

As COVID restrictions slowly lift, Richard is cautiously optimistic he will visit book stores, football fields and gyms again this fall.