(GILBERT, Ariz.) Gilbert Christian football put on an exciting show in front of a large home crowd on Friday evening, but ultimately fell 38-28 to a strong Florence team in the 2024 season opener. The Knights got production from all around, had moments of magic, and demonstrated a no-quit tenacity on both ends of the field until the final whistle sounded.
"I am super proud of how hard we played in this game," Head Coach John Carlson said. "We displayed a lot of toughness, and the effort put forth was tremendous. We still have a lot of our guys playing on both sides of the ball, which is not an easy task, and I thought they all battled until the end."
The Gophers were first to light up the scoreboard, connecting on a field goal at 4:38 in the opening quarter to grab a 3-0 lead.
Early in the second, the Knights responded, as senior quarterback Tyler Burr found his newest receiver, junior Hyatt Lang, open in the endzone for a 16-yard touchdown catch. The pressure was on for senior newcomer Brody Moore, but he made it look easy, nailing the first extra point of his career to put GCHS up 7-3.
Less than five minutes ticked away before Florence swung the pendulum back in its favor with an 18-yard touchdown run and an extra point of its own to claim a 10-7 advantage.
The Gophers' elation was brief, as senior Sam Webb turned on the jets and broke away for the Knights' first rushing TD of the season, a 44-yard run up the visiting sideline with 3:33 remaining in the half, as the back-and-forth continued.
The flurry of lead changes ensued throughout the period, as FHS tossed one more into the endzone at 2:35, only to be outdone by junior Caleb Ely's lay-out TD grab as the final seconds ticked off the clock, giving Gilbert Christian a 21-17 edge at the break.
The third saw the Gophers reclaim the lead at 9:48 with a 43-yard rushing touchdown, though a fumbled snap prevented the extra point to keep the game tight at 23-21.
Six minutes later, however, Florence struck again, this time converting a two-point attempt after its quarterback's rushing TD, to widen the margin (31-21).
Burr and sophomore Malachi Ahlman connected for the Knights' final score of the contest with 12.5 to play in the third. The effort was a sight to behold as Ahlman reeled in Burr's 31-yard toss deep in the zone to keep pressure on the Gophers heading into the final period.
In the fourth, Florence held on, posting the game's final touchdown to claim the hard-fought victory.
"We had so many stand-up performers on the defensive side of the ball," Carlson said. "Hyatt Lang was really a force all night. He had several tackles for loss and a lot of other huge plays. Noah Holsinger and Colton Rogers also stood out, and made a disruptive impact, racking up multiple tackles apiece for our defense. Offensively, I thought Tyler Burr made a lot of great decisions in this game. He kept plays alive with his feet and ultimately led our offense with his precision and effort. Caleb Ely had a huge night with some key catches for us, including a big-time touchdown grab. I am really proud of him and the work he has put in to put himself in position to do that. Kai Ahlman was also impressive, with several catches, and a touchdown of his own."
Burr went 16-for-28 in the contest (238 yards) and threw for three TDs. In his first game at receiver, Lang led the way with four receptions for 79 yards, and a touchdown. Ely wasn't far behind, with 69 yards of his own, while Ahlman and Moore posted 45 and 34 yards, respectively, for the Knights.
"Sam Webb ran hard, and blocked well all night long," Carlson said. "Our new kicker, Brody Moore, did awesome. He is a great soccer player, and this is his first year playing football. He played offense, as well as defense, and showed what a versatile athlete he is. On special teams, I have to highlight Evan Scott and Pierson Scott, who both played critical roles in this game. They were flying down the field and always ready to go, subbing in wherever they were needed."
Webb finished the competition a touchdown, and a team-high 77 rushing yards on 11 carries. Moore, who did a little of everything in his first high school football game, ran for 21 yards, and nailed four-of-four extra point attempts.
Lang led all players defensively, with eight tackles and eight tackle-assists. Rogers, one of the Knights' senior captains, ended his productive evening with five tackles and five tackle assists.
Next up for Gilbert Christian is a home contest against Arizona Lutheran (0-1). The game is scheduled for 7:00pm on Thursday, August 29th.
-GO KNIGHTS-
