American Leadership Academy - Queen Creek (ALA-QC) is getting ready to play against Basha High at 7 p.m. tonight, Nov. 25, in the Open Division Playoffs and the Patriots are hoping the community will come out and support their football team this afternoon by lining the streets around the ALA-QC campus as they leave on the buses to Basha.
ALA-QC football supporters reached out to Queen Creek Vice Mayor Jeff Brown this week, asking to see if he could share information about this game on his Facebook page, encouraging the town to come out and support the Patriots in the Open Division Playoffs tonight.
"Any and all support we can get from our community would be greatly appreciated. We are definitely the underdogs going into this game," ALA-QC supporters said. "If people want to line the streets as these boys travel to the game on Friday, go to the game, or even show up to the game, I know they’d appreciate it."
ALA-QC is located in Queen Creek at 23908 S. Hawes Road. The 7-12 charter school's football team will not be able to participate in their 5A championship football playoff games, where they went in as the No. 1 team, because the Patriots have been invited to play in these Open Division Playoffs.
The Open Division Playoffs are made up of the best teams in Arizona that are primarily 6A teams. Although this is an awesome invitation, it’s bittersweet because this will be the second year in a row that this has happened to these same boys, ALA-QC supporters said. They were in the No. 1 spot in the 4A division last year and were invited into the Open Division, where they lost their first game to the No. 1 team, Hamilton. This year, they play the No. 2 team in the state, the Basha Bears, "so their spirits are a little low right now and they could really use our help. They are definitely the underdogs in this game and these boys could really use a little support and a big boost, if you know what I mean," supporters told Brown.
This Patriots football team as freshmen won the Region in 3A and the State Championship. Sophomore year, they were bumped up to 4A and took second in the Region... ultimately losing to five-star Oregon Thompson in the semifinals, 19-16. Then in their junior year, last year, the ALA-QC Patriots won the Region in 4A and became the first charter school to ever make the Open playoffs.
This year, their senior year, the ALA-QC football team moved up to 5A and were placed in the toughest region in all of 5A. The Patriots finished the season undefeated in region play, ranked No. 1 in all of 5A, and beat last year's defending 5A champions at home on Senior Night for the Region title.
For the second year in a row, ALA-QC has been placed in the Open Division Playoffs as the No. 7 team in all of Arizona across all divisions. One of only three teams to make the open in 4A and 5A.
"What our boys and coaches have done these past four years, even while getting moved up and playing the likes of Saguaro, Hamilton and Queen Creek, is nothing short of amazing," said ALA-QC supporters.
The best part is this year's story is still being written, so come out and support the Patriots tonight. Basha High School is located at 5990 S. Val Vista Drive in Chandler and kick-off is at 7 p.m.
