Logan Bonham's interception return for TD lifts Highland over Chandler

Gilbert Highland's offense scored both of its touchdowns in the first half.

It didn't have to get into the end zone again, thanks to defensive lineman Logan Bonham being at the right place at the right time.

With less than nine minutes to play, Chandler quarterback Will Mencl, from his 15, took a couple of steps to his left, then turned to his right to loft a pass. It went right to Bonham, who read the screen play perfectly and intercepted the pass and ran it eight yards into the end zone.

That broke a 14-14 tie. From there, sophomore running back Kruz Cullimore, making his first varsity start, shifted, turned, found any seam he could to keep the chains and the clock moving in a 20-14 6A football win that improved the Hawks to 5-0.

It was the first loss of the year for Chandler (4-1), which lost to Highland in last year's Open quarterfinal. Next, the Wolves get second-ranked and defending Open state champion Peoria Liberty, which will be coming off a bye week following a humbling 63-39 loss to Corona (California) Centennial.

"First pick-six I've ever had," Bonham said. "It's a dream. I was shocked."

Kruz Cullimore, the last in a long line of great Cullimore football players who have come through Highland, ended up being the player of the game, the way he kept the clock moving with his ability to find the slightest cracks in the line to slither through for yardage. He ended up with 180 yards rushing. He picked up the final first down on a fourth-down run with less than two minutes to play that kept Chandler from getting the ball back.

"All the credit to the O-line, obviously," Cullimore said. "They fought hard."

With injuries in the backfield, coach Brock Farrel was not reluctant to start Cullimore and give him the ball in the biggest game to date for the Hawks.

"His last name is Cullimore, so he knows how to play ball," Farrel said. "They just are natural football players. If you time them in the 40, they're not the fastest. If you test them in bench press, they're not the strongest. They just are ballers.

"I saw him my first year here in 2017, and he was like 10. And I was like, 'This kid is going to be the best one out of all of them.' "

Highland built a 14-0 lead in the first half by doing what it does best, methodically moving the ball down the field, and making defensive stops.

Kalen Fisher completed six passes in Highland's first drive, before safety Grady Crandall, moving into the quarterback spot to run wildcat, ran the ball in from the 1 to the first touchdown.

The second time Highland had the ball, it used up seven minutes, before Cullimore capped a long scoring drive with a touchdown from the 1.

Chandler made it a one-touchdown drive on defensive back Hamisi Juma's 68-yard fumble recovery after he scooped up a fumble and ran for the score.

Chandler's only offensive touchdown came in the third quarter when Tristan Halsana carried defenders into the end zone from 13 yards out to tie it at 14.

Bonham's dream touchdown ended up being the winning score, but Highland was fortunate that held up, because after that tie-breaking score, Mencl had Carter Ochoa wide open behind the Highland secondary for what would have been a long score. But Mencl overthrew Ochoa. There were no more threats after that, as Highland ate up the last six minutes, including two fourth-down runs by Cullimore.

"I felt we shut down a really good offense," Farrel said. "You look at the previous four games, they were rushing for like 19 yards a carry. I thought we did a good job defending the run. Their quarterback had some timely passes, but we contained the passing game. There were no big gains behind us.

"When you make a team earn it, you hold them to enough points, you find a way to win. Of course, the pick-six for the win, which I jokingly told my staff I spoke it into existence. I said, 'We went for it on fourth down, our defense will get a pick for a touchdown. Watch.' And we did it. We read screen. He's playing end and he read screen."

Richard Obert has been covering high school sports since the 1980s for The Arizona Republic. He also covers Grand Canyon University athletics and the Arizona Rattlers. To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @azc_obert

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Logan Bonham's interception return for TD lifts Highland over Chandler