The Tempe Prep Knights are this week's Tire Pros High School Team of the Week after knocking off Northwest Christian 21-0 in the first round of the Division V state playoffs for their eighth consecutive victories.
Sophomore Isaiah Brittain ran for 121 yards and two touchdowns before leaving the game with an injury in the second half to lead the Knights, who were 12th seeded in Division V. Northwest Christian was the defending state champ and came into the playoffs seeded No. 5.
Northwest Christian had defeated Tempe Prep 28-0 back on Sept. 28. The loss left the Knights with an 0-3 record, but they haven't lost since.
"Northwest has been our nemesis since we came from eight man football," Tempe Prep coach Tom Brittain told the East Valley Tribune. "It's a great victory for our program. The first time we played them our offensive line stunk it up. Tonight the O-line and our defense were tremendous. We didn't know how good we were then. Pulling off the win over Scottsdale Prep last week and now this, the kids believe."
The Knights now advance to a quarterfinal matchup at fourth-seeded Eagar Round Valley on Saturday.
Other teams under consideration were Brophy, Deer Valley, Basha, Red Mountain, Marcos de Niza, Mogollon and Bagdad.
The Tire Pros High School Team
of the Week is selected by a panel consisting of
Jason Skoda of MaxPreps
and the Ahwatukee Foothills News, Mark Heller of the
East
Valley
Tribune, Don
Ketchum and Les
Willsey of aia365.com, and Craig
Morgan, Matt Swartz and Dave Lumia of
FOXSportsArizona.com.
