Eastmark gave their fans exactly what they wanted out of a home opener on Friday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 24-22 win over the Crismon Rattlers. The final result isn't all that surprising considering the Firebirds' considerable advantage in MaxPreps' Arizona football rankings (they are ranked 35th, while the Rattlers are ranked 145th).
Zaiden Virani
| 08/29/25 vs Crismon | 152 |
| 11/01/24 vs Marcos de Niza | 39 |
| 08/30/24 vs Canyon del Oro | 38 |
| 09/20/24 @ Arizona College Prep | 3 |
| 09/13/24 vs Mesquite | -2 |
Zaiden Virani had an outrageously good game as he rushed for 152 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Those 152 rushing yards gave him a new career-high.
Eastmark didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Jaxin Hawkins and Bryson Bowman. Eastmark got some further help from Preston Wunderlich: he made 17 total tackles.
Despite the loss, Crismon saw an underclassman step up: sophomore Walker Higbee rushed for 126 yards and two scores.
Crismon's defeat dropped their record down to 1-1.
Coming up, Eastmark will face off against Walden Grove at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. As for Crismon, they will challenge Pusch Ridge Christian Academy at 7:00 p.m. on Friday.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
