Thompson leads Mesquite’s quest to repeat
Defending 4A champions back in state semifinals
The defending 4A football state champion Gilbert Mesquite knew reaching a championship round or repeating its high school sports state title during the pandemic would be harder than ever.
Several teams across the talent spectrum such as Scottsdale Saguaro in the Open Division and Mesquite’s quarterfinal opponent Phoenix Washington have forfeited after confirming their positive COVID-19 cases.
“There was never really a repeat thought as much as it was trying to get our team ready for this high school football year. We really are predicated on our seniors,” Mesquite head coach Scott Hare said. “The word ‘repeat’ is out there but, for me, it’s a brand new year and a brand new group of guys and you’re just trying to get these guys ready to go. It’s different every year, too.”
The 2020 season is different to say the least. But Mesquite quarterback Ty Thompson has made it look easy in leading the Wildcats to seven comebacks wins since last year and a 7-1 record this season.
Gilbert Mesquite travels to face No. 2 American Leadership Academy-Queen Creek in the conference semifinals Friday at 7 p.m.. The third-seeded Wildcats’ five-star quarterback Thompson knows they’ll be ready to defend its 4A state title when they enter the fourth quarter.
“It’s hard to call a win an ‘ugly win.’ It’s a win in the record books,” Thompson said. “We’re the most prepared team that I’ve ever seen for the fourth quarter. So, when we come back as a team, we
just know that the coaching staff puts us in the right situations at the end of games. It’s really remarkable how the team has kept the course. They make plays at the end of the game that help me out.”
The Patriots (7-1) and Wildcats (7-1) semifinal could be another shootout like their previous regular season matchup on Oct. 16 when Mesquite won, 60-42.
There were three ties and three lead changes through the first three quarters. Thompson had five touchdowns and threw for 465 yards and six TDs in that game. It was his second-best performance of the season behind Mesquite’s 47-46 comeback victory over Gilbert on Oct. 30, in which he had six TDs and 548 yards.
“They’re really well coached and I feel like what we have over here is a lot of talent that can pinpoint what (ALAQueen Creek is) doing right and what they’re doing wrong,” Thompson said.
“We know where they’re going to be just because of how they play the game and how clean they play the game.”
Hare also knows playing ALA-Queen Creek won’t be a pushover. The Patriots were last year’s 3A champion before moving up to the 4A conference this season.
But playing the Patriots earlier this season gave Thompson and Hare the understanding of what to exploit to advance to the championship.
“ALA-Queen Creek is a really good football team. They won 3A last year, they’re champions. They know how to win games. We expect nothing less from them to come in and expect to do the same this year,” Hare said.
Thompson personally has everything that most people around his age might envy.
He’s a prototypical high profile high school quarterback with a Hollywood name and shines every Friday night for his championship contending team.
The five-star recruit boasts a chiseled 6-foot-4, 205-pound physique, swarthy complexion and a perfect smile with pearly whites that could be used for a dental office brochure.
Plus, the 17-year-old, is a beloved popular big man on the Wildcats campus, holding a 4.3 GPA and is committed to Pac-12 college football blue blood Oregon.
However, Thompson is a humble leader reluctant to take credit for his natural gifts and success on the gridiron.
He gives most of the credit to his offensive linemen, led by seniors lineman Nathan Hargis, Judson Cole and Nicholas Salsgiver.
The offensive line blocks for an average of 457 yards per game. They have also enabled Thompson to rank as the state’s second-best in passing yards (2831) and total yards (3092), according to MaxPreps.
Mesquite’s O-line create wide gaps for its top rushers in senior running back Chase Salisbury, Cameron Clinton and Thompson to produce about 101 scrimmage yards per game.
Also, the blocking stabilizes Thompson in the pocket to spread the passing game to the Wildcats’ best receivers in seniors Eric Lira, Lavontae Trotter, Andrew Morris, and Riales Hopper. They combine for approximately 357 receiving yards per contest.
“My line has done a great job keeping me upright, keeping me clean. It’s really not about the stats of the yards or whatever the records are, whatever that is,” Thompson said. “I’m really just trying to win games out here for Mesquite High School and bring home another ring.
“My run game’s been awesome with my lineman and running backs and my receivers have made me look even better than people think I am.”