Nation’s top junior leads the Wolves against in-town foe on ESPNU.
In a Grand Canyon-sized duel, No. 9
Chandler and Ohio State commit
Dylan Raiola, the No. 1 player in the class of 2024, host
Basha (Chandler) Friday on ESPNU.
The schools sit 10 minutes from each other and both teams are led by top 2024 signal-callers. The host Wolves are 7-0 this season with Raiola (6-3, 220) under center, while Basha is led by four-star junior quarterback
Demond Williams Jr., who has helped get the Bears off to a 6-1 start, which included a win over five-star senior USC commit Malachi Nelson and Los Alamitos (CA.), to begin the season.
How to watchWhen: Friday, Oct. 28, 7 p.m. PDT
Where: Chandler High School (Chandler, AZ)
Television: ESPNU
Watch online: ESPN.comFollow: MaxPreps live scoringChandler won five consecutive state championships from 2015-20 before falling to Saguaro 20-15 for state supremacy last season. Chandler has already beaten Saguaro this year and Raiola has thrown for 1,465 yards this season with 17 touchdown passes against three interceptions.
Top 2024 recruit Dylan Raiola leads No. 9 Chandler into an Arizona battle Friday against Basha on ESPNU. (Photo: Steve Paynter)
After going 16-15 in his first three years as head coach at Basha from 2018-20, Chris McDonald has turned around the Bears program. Since the start of the 2021 season, Basha is 16-2 with both losses to Liberty (Peoria), a top team in the state.
On defense the Bears allow 15.7 points per game with seniors
Cole Martin (Oregon) and
Wyatt Milkovic (Boise State) leading the charge.
Chandler's defense is also led by an Oregon commit in senior defensive lineman
A'mauri Washington, who has five sacks and seven deflected passes for a Wolves' D that has allowed 82 points all season.
Players to watch
Chandler: QB
Dylan Raiola (6-3, 220), RB
Ca'lil Valentine (6-0, 175), DL
A'mauri Washington (6-4, 295), WR
Jaxon Branch (6-3, 180), DB
Kennedy Urlacher (6-0, 185)
