Knutson’s Stellar Play Leads the Charge Against a Sturdy Maricopa

<p>Arizona Central's Richard Obert called him the "most under-recruited QB in Arizona," and that seems quite fitting for McClintock '25 quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='369013' first='Jaxon' last='Knutson']. He put the state on notice with a dominating Week 1 performance against a tough Maricopa squad. Facing off against a First-Team All-Region quarterback in [player_tooltip player_id='1219129' first='Jose' last='Cardona'] Jr., this matchup was set up to be an offensive battle. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Knutson's Edge Guides the Game, Cardona Jr. Tries to Keep Pace</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='369013' first='Jaxon' last='Knutson'] showed that he belongs in the conversation when talking about the top quarterbacks in Arizona. Coming out in the first game of his senior season and throwing for 466 yards, completing 61% of his passes, and <strong>totaling 7 (!!) touchdowns</strong> leaves little room for doubt — if anybody even had any coming in. Just as impressive as the total numbers is the way that Knutson got there. He showed his impressive deep ball all throughout the game; putting both the strength to get the ball down the field and the accuracy to put it where he wanted it on full display. He also did a great job of going through progressions when his first read was taken away, and not hesitating to use his legs to get out of trouble. With some incredible off-balance throws, using nothing but his upper body and still having zip on the ball, Knutson was able to work around a talented and relentless Maricopa pass rush to find the passing lanes he wanted. If he wasn't on your radar before, [player_tooltip player_id='369013' first='Jaxon' last='Knutson'] should be on every coach's big board after this massive outing.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/azc_obert/status/1829592760061767884 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1219129' first='Jose' last='Cardona'] Jr. should be incredibly proud of his performance in the losing effort on Thursday night. Playing against one of the most explosive offenses in the state, it was going to take a herculean performance to keep up with Knutson's 7 TDs. Maricopa's offense showed glimpses of what they can be — a dynamic group with the ability to grind out games until the final whistle. Unfortunately for them in Week 1, a shaky first half by the group as a whole put them in a hole too deep to climb out of. A few key drops by the wideouts and constant pressure from the McClintock pass rush made it difficult to keep drives alive, but that didn't stop Cardona from showing what he can do with his arm. He throws a very nice deep ball and has some surprising power for a player of his size. He does a nice job of not staying locked on one target for too long, not afraid to move off or tuck it and run if he has to. I expect to see him tuck and run a bit more as the season goes on, being the catalyst for a rushing attack that struggled in Week 1. <strong>Cardona's poise and composure in the midst of his offense going through a rough patch shows you the type of leader that he is for this team. </strong></p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">McClintock's Three-Headed Monster Proving To Be a Powerhouse</h2>   <p>McClintock has three wideouts that could all be number one receivers if they didn't all play together in [player_tooltip player_id='1177552' first='Khalil' last='Bender'], [player_tooltip player_id='369023' first='Kemon' last='Jackson'], and [player_tooltip player_id='1353910' first='Amari' last='Scroggins']. The advantage that they had at the skill positions — and most glaringly at the wide receivers — was one of the key reasons that this game got out of hand as quickly as it did. </p>    <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1177552' first='Khalil' last='Bender'] is coming off a year with 1145 receiving yards as only a sophomore and brings with him some lofty expectations that he set for himself last year. He picked up right where he left off in his first game against Maricopa, leading his team in receptions with nine, despite missing a chunk of the second half. The speedy wideout has excellent body control and and great twitch which gets him plenty of separation. The versatile threat can make an impact in the short game or burn you over the top. </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='369023' first='Kemon' last='Jackson'] is another player who put the state on notice, <strong>making his way into the endzone a whopping FIVE times</strong> in his first game as a senior. The players on the field for Maricopa's defense just wasn't able to keep up with his incredible speed. A shifty player who can make players miss if he has to, Jackson does his real damage whenever he gets even the slightest opening and can hit that next gear that most other players simply don't have. </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">At 6'3" and 170 lbs, [player_tooltip player_id='1353910' first='Amari' last='Scroggins'] may not have had the biggest day on the stat sheet, but his impact was still felt throughout the game. Getting in there and being a long and looming presence on the defensive end, he showed great endurance playing many of the games snaps. You could also clearly see the trust that Knutson has in him by targeting the big wideout down the field several times. Scroggins does a nice job of adjusting his route and making himself available when his quarterback is in trouble which will make him a reliable option throughout the season. </p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Maricopa's Swiss Army Knife</h2>   <p>Throughout the game it was impossible not to notice the number 22 in white making plays in every facet of the game. Whether it was catching a touchdown, returning a fumble for a touchdown, or regularly returning kicks out past the 30 yard line, [player_tooltip player_id='1645457' first='Izaac' last='Lopez'] was doing it all.</p>    <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1645457' first='Izaac' last='Lopez'] really caught my eye watching this game. His kickoff returns alone would've done that, often breaking multiple tackles on each return. His toughness and burst were very evident whenever he had the ball in his hands, quickly picking up speed after breaking a tackle. On defense he continued to let that toughness shine as a hard hitter willing to help out with the run from the secondary. The fumble he returned for a touchdown was caused by him after stopping the ballcarrier in his tracks with a hard hit before ripping at the ball. As a receiver, Lopez lets his natural athleticism take over and and can be a handful for even the seasoned defensive backs. With his versatility, Lopez is going to have a massive impact of Maricopa's success this season.</p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Front-7s Both Shine In High-Scoring Affair</h2>   <p>Despite there being 87 total points scored in this game, there was a lot to like from both defensive front-7s that were able to put pressure on both quarterbacks throughout the entirety of the night. </p>    <p class="text-gray-700">Barry Smith was all over the field constantly making plays for Maricopa defense. Without his constantly running motor, there could've been a couple more scores from McClintock's offense. His relentless pursuit of the ball carrier was front and center throughout the game; and as a player who played both ways for much of the game, hes another who surprised me with his endurance. Smith uses his long arms well to keep the linemen from getting engaged and was a steady presence in the McClintock backfield. He's a player I'd expect to Garner more attention as the season goes on if he can string together performances like this one. </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Julius Fuentes is a player that has an incredibly solid build in the second level of McClintock's defense. His naturally strong base and size give him the power to clog running lanes with ease. I was really impressed with his ability to follow the flow of the offense, showing just how well and quickly he can read the game. For a player of his stature, I was immediately expecting him to struggle in coverage; he did nothing of the sort. Holding his own against some speedy slot receivers, Fuentes was able to keep with his assignments all throughout the night. He clearly has the physical tools to play at the next level and is showing that he may have all the tools he needs to excel there as well. </p>    <p>Terrance Coleman made a few plays on both sides of the ball for Maricopa but at the end of it all, McClintock's firepower on offense proved to be too much to overcome. Both teams should be optimistic following a Week 1 game that lasted over three hours. </p>

Arizona Central's Richard Obert called him the "most under-recruited QB in Arizona," and that seems quite fitting for McClintock '25 quarterback Jaxon Knutson Jaxon Knutson 6'3" | 210 lbs | QB McClintock | 2025 State AZ . He put the state on notice with a dominating Week 1 performance against a tough Maricopa squad. Facing off against a First-Team All-Region quarterback in Jose Cardona Jose Cardona 5'9" | 160 lbs Maricopa | 2026 AZ Jr., this matchup was set up to be an offensive battle.