Kennard a standout sacker at USC, NFL
Desert Vista Thunder
Tucked away in Ahwatukee, this school opened in the 1990s, and produced some of the greatest athletes Arizona has ever seen. There are so many that several incredible athletes didn’t make this list. And any of the five are interchangeable. Little if any separation on their ranking. That’s how great this list of five are.
1. Devon Kennard, 2009
An incredible pass rusher in high school, he dominated offensive linemen. During his junior season in 2007, he had 111 tackles and 24 sacks, leading the Thunder to the state final. He suffered a torn ACL early in his senior season, but stood out at USC, where he moved from defensive end to middle linebacker during his college career. He took off in the NFL with the New York Giants and the Detroit Lions. He started a strong 2019 season with the Lions, sacking Kyler Murray three times in a 27-27 tie with the Cardinals. He signed in the offseason with the Cardinals.
2. Bobby Wade, 1999
He established Desert Vista as a football giant in its early years as a school, the main cog in coach Jim Rattay’s explosive offense. He had one of the most remarkable high school football seasons in state history in 1998, when he carried the Thunder to its first state championship, having a game for the ages in the final against Phoenix Brophy Prep. He played running back, receiver, defensive back. He had a good career as a receiver at Arizona, catching 230 passes for 3,351 yards and 22 TD in three years. He was inducted into the Wildcats’ Ring of Honor in 2015. He played in the NFL from 2003-10 with five different teams.
3. Dani Jones, 2015
Maybe the greatest female distance runner in Arizona high school history, she only got stronger at the University of Colorado, where she won the 2018 NCAA Women’s Division I Cross Country Championships. She captured national track titles in the 5,000 meters at the 2019 NCAA Women’s Division I Outdoor
Track and Field Championships, the 3,000 meters at the 2017 outdoor national championships. She showed courage and resolve in high school overcoming injuries to set state records.
4. Zach Miller, 2004
He was a high school All-American who did more than play tight end at Desert Vista. He would be used on Dan Hinds’ jet sweeps and make huge plays. He had a great combination of size, strength and athleticism that carried over at Arizona State, where he caught 144 passes for 1,512 yards and 14 TDs in his career. He played from 2007-14 in the NFL, part of a Super Bowl championship team with the Seattle Seahawks. He made the 2010 Pro Bowl. Wound up with 328 catches for 3,804 yards and 20 TDs in his NFL career.
5. Brandon Clarke, 2015
A power forward who could stretch the floor and hit the 3, Clarke was known for his ability to pound away on the glass and protect the rim. He led the Thunder to the state final his senior year. He gradually grew into a dominant college player at San Jose State and Gonzaga. In his junior year at Gonzaga, he was named the West Coast Conference’s Newcomer of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and made first-team all-conference. In an NCAA Tournament win over Baylor in 2019, he had 36 points, eight rebounds and five blocks, becoming only the third player in NCAA Tournament history to have a game with at least 35 points and five blocked shots. He is a rookie now with the NBA Memphis Grizzlies.