Knights Capture Exciting Homecoming Win

By Lonnie Stevenson

After spending the last four weeks on the road, the Lake Havasu Knights boys varsity football team returned home, with a No. 11 ranking in the latest 4A Arizona state rankings to host No. 14 Youngker in a homecoming showdown.

Havasu would celebrate an exciting 36-19 win.

The first half of this game featured a defensive battle with the initial scoring not happening until the second quarter when Havasu was able to turn an interception by one of the senior captains, Trevor Thompon, into the games first points with a five-yard run by junior Luke Johnson. The point after attempt was blocked giving Havasu a 6-0 lead.

That lead didn’t last long as Youngker’s Larry Moore Jr., took the ensuing kickoff 83-yards down for a touchdown and gave Youngker a 7-6 lead.

That would be all the scoring in the first half.

Havasu would take the second half kick off and drive down the field capped off by a 19-yard run by Johnson for a touchdown. They would convert on a two-point conversion and take a 14-7 lead.

The teams would trade touchdowns in the third quarter, with Havasu blocking the extra point on Youngker’s score before backup senior quarterback Halo Jump was able to connect with junior Kole Cesena from 7 yards out and take a 21-13 heading into the fourth quarter.

The Knights would build on that lead early in the 4^th quarter on a 5-yard run by Johnson to take a 28-13 lead.

Youngker answered quickly just 57 seconds later but was unable to convert on the two-point conversion to cut the Havasu lead down to 28-19.

Junior Luke Johnson would then sprint down the field on a nifty 49-yard run to extend the Havasu lead. After a successful 2-point conversion, Havasu would take a 36-19 lead and that’s how the game would end.

After the game, Coach Thompson was proud of his team’s effort coming off a disappointing 24-23 loss the previous week at Deer Valley starting with his defense and the four interceptions, (two by senior Spencer Ibarra, one by Thompon and one by sophomore Niko Baily).

“Coach Darnell has done a tremendous job with the defensive line” Thompson said. “They were constantly putting pressure on Younker all night long.”

“Owen Merrill has been a force all year,” Thompson said. “Ethan Adler has been sick most of this week and was a game-time decision before coming in on limited reps but making an impact. Drew Passmore came in and did a tremendous job along with Vincent Fiantaca.”

Senior Halo Jump came for his second start of the year after starting quarterback Tripp Burke was injured at the end of the Deer Valley game last week and appears to be out for the year.

“Halo is a great competitor,” Thompson said. “For three years, he’s done a great job for us and tonight was no different.”

Havasu is back on the road next week, traveling to Estrella Foothills High School to take on the 6-2 Wolves on a big 4A West Valley showdown before coming back home on Oct. 31^, for a senior-night season finale against Somerton.

The Knights have an eye on, at minimum, a first-round home playoff game in the expanded state tournament this year which takes 24 teams. With a little luck, if the Knights can crack into the top eight, they would actually have a first-round bye and then host a second-round game.

Congratulations to Parker Bentley & Brandy Ford, the 2025 Homecoming King and Queen who were crowned during halftime ceremonies.