Redzone MLK Jamboree Phoenix Day 1 Recap

Elite football competition is year-round. 

Redzone Elite 7v7 Day One featured some of the best players in Arizona, California, Nevada, and more battling it out and going head-to-head against each other and a few out-of-state teams. 

Here is a recap of each team we covered on day one.

Alpha Recruits

The Alpha Recruits opened up their weekend, facing off against GATA (NV), the team that won the Pylon Las Vegas tournament last weekend. 

Off the bat, the Alpha Recruits looked as though they were going to avenge the AZ Dolphins after the Dolphins fell to GATA in the championship game last week. 

One of the first plays of the game, Campo Verde '27 QB Jonah Lubno fired a deep ball to Queen Creek '28 WR Levi Johns for a 40-yard touchdown.  

Unfortunately, for the Alpha Recruits, GATA picked up right where they left off in Las Vegas as they dominated the rest of the game. 

GATA was able to score 28 unanswered points. 

Before the game came to an official end, however, Lubno was able to tack on one more passing touchdown to end the game on a good note. 

Gata ended up beating Alpha Recruits 34-14.

For their last game in pool play, Alpha Recruits went face-to-face against GGE. 

Wanting to start hot for their final game of the day, Alpha Recruits marched down the field and got near the goal line. 

Capping off the drive was Lubno connecting with Queen Creek '28 WR Colton Cox for a 5-yard touchdown. 

Like their game against GATA, though, Alpha Recruits started to fall behind. 

At one point, they trailed 14-7 but were able to even the score as Lubno threw a great fade pass to ALA Queen Creek '27 WR Bryce Devlin. 

Alpha Recruits were unable to do much else the rest of the game, though, as GGE then scored 14 unanswered points to win the game. 

The final score was 28-14 in favor of GGE. 

GGE

GGE started out the day on a bad note as they went 0-2 in their first couple of games. 

In game three, they faced Alpha Recruits, and it was their last chance to get a win on day one. 

GGE’s defense would allow a touchdown on the opening drive to Alpha Recruits and looked as though they might go 0-3 on the day. 

Their offense didn’t mess around, though, as Ironwood Ridge '28 quarterback Max Harder looked sharp and got two straight touchdown passes. 

Alpha Recruits would come back and score again to tie the game at 14 a piece. 

After letting Alpha Recruits tie the game, GGE was able to stack together solid drives. 

Harder was once again able to deliver two more touchdown passes to give GGE a 14-point lead. 

Closing out the game was the defense, which kept Alpha Recruits out of the end zone for the remainder of the game. 

GGE went home with their first win of the weekend, 28-14 over Alpha Recruits. 

AZ Dolphins 

The AZ Dolphins fell just one possession short of the Pylon Las Vegas tournament last weekend and will look to make up for it this weekend. 

In their first game of pool play, they went up against Ground Zero Hawkeye (CA). 

The Dolphins did what they did a lot in Las Vegas last week, and that was score on the first play of the game. 

Queen Creek '28 QB Sawyer Hales hit Sunrise Mountain '27 WR Tanner Austin on a slant route, and Austin did the rest and scampered into the endzone. 

On the very next drive, they scored quickly again as Hales found Horizon '27 WR James Klopfenstein for a 5-yard touchdown. 

The defense for the Dolphins matched the offense's energy as they caused a turnover. 

Getting the interception was Centennial's 2027 defensive back Devin Taylor, who was lurking in the middle of the field and made a play. 

Making points off the turnover, Hales threw for his third touchdown pass of the day as he found St. Pius (NM) '27 WR Cayl Cox-Liggins in the back of the end zone. 

In their first game of the day, the Dolphins would come away with a shutout victory as they bested Ground Zero Hawkeye 21-0. 

Valley’s Finest

Valley’s Finest had a successful day one at Redzone Elite, and it started with their first game versus MVP (ON). 

On their second drive of the game, Valley’s Finest was able to put some numbers on the board. 

The newly transferred Red Mountain '28 QB Dayne Silver threw an incredible pass to Red Mountain '27 ATH Jay Williams for a 40-yard score. 

Scoring would not be an issue for Valley’s Finest for the rest of the game. 

For the second touchdown of the game, Silver rolled out to his left and found ALA Gilbert North '27 ATH Isaac Massey for a 5-yard touchdown. 

On their last drive of the game, they would seal their victory with another touchdown after Silver found Red Mountain '27 WR Airreon Williams for a 20-yard touchdown. 

Valley’s Finest would win 21-0 over MVP.

For their second game of the day, they would face another Arizona team in the OWTK Hawk Cubs. 

They would pick up right where they left off in their last game as Silver connected with Massey for a TD on the first drive of the game. 

Things were not as easy as the last game, though, for Valley’s Finest as at one point of the game they trailed 14-7. 

Getting back on track, though, Silver delivered a deep bomb to the corner of the end zone to ACP '27 wide receiver Dalton Speaks that tied the game at 14 a piece. 

Late in the game, Valley’s Finest was able to reclaim its lead as it was once again the duo of Silver and Massey that connected to score another touchdown.

The OWTK Hawk Cubs answered quickly, though, and tied the game back up again with two minutes left in the game. 

Rallying the team, Silver was able to march down the field and get in scoring range. 

Coming through once again, Silver was able to throw his fourth touchdown pass of the game, this one to Chandler '27 WR Kaydon Gray.

The touchdown would ice the game, and Valley’s Finest took their second win of the day as they beat OWTK Hawk Cubs 29-21. 

For their third and final game of day one, Valley’s Finest played Trillion Boys (CA).

They were able to get out to a lead fast, as it was once again Silver connecting with Massey for a 5-yard touchdown. 

Valley’s Finest then suddenly found themselves in a 21-point deficit as Trillion Boys scored 28 straight points. 

Even with their backs against the wall, they started to mount a comeback. 

Like bread and butter, Silver found his go-to target, Isaac Massey, on a deep ball for a touchdown. 

Getting the ball one last time, trailing only seven points now, Valley’s Finest unlocked their clutch gene once more. 

On the final play of the game, Silver was able to find Windom on a quick 2-yard touchdown. 

The game would end in a 28-28 tie. 

Valley’s Finest went 2-0-1 in pool play on day one and were impressive the whole day. 

OWTK Hawk Cubs

Another one of the teams from the valley was the OWTK Hawk Cubs. 

After falling in their first game to the Trillion Boys, they looked to get in the win column versus Valley’s Finest. 

They trailed early in the game but were quick to answer back. 

Getting the first touchdown of the game for them was Highland '27 QB Paiden Cash Dalhaug finding '27 WR Deshawn Johnson, who made a couple of defenders miss as he danced into the endzone. 

The OWTK Hawk Cubs then got the lead as Cash Dalhaug fired a missile to Highland '27 WR Gage Scheurn for a 25-yard touchdown. 

Holding the lead was short-lived, however, as Valley’s Finest was able to put up 14 straight points and take back the lead. 

In crunch time, their offense made it a tie game as Cash Dalhaug and Scheurn connected for their second touchdown of the game.

Even though the effort was valiant, they lost to Valley’s Finest 29-21 on a game-winning touchdown. 

AZ Angels

The AZ Angels were able to go 2-1 in pool play on day one of the tournament. 

Their first game of the day was against Fast Camp Elite (CA). 

It was all gas, no brakes, to begin the game as AZ Angels got out to a quick 14-0 lead over Fast Camp Elite. 

Catching one of the touchdowns was Chandler 3-star athlete Jai Jones. 

Jones was also lock down on defense all game and allowed nothing to go his side of the field. 

Fast Camp Elite wasn’t quite out of the fight, though, as they were able to put up 13 unanswered points to cut the lead to just one.

The AZ Angels didn’t fold as they were able to get back into the end zone and convert a two-point conversion. 

With only a few minutes left and holding a two-possession lead, the AZ Angels would go on to win the game 22-19. 

D1 5 Star

D1 5 Star opened up their weekend by going against a great team in ALL-EN (TX). 

On the first play of the game, they turned the ball over, and ALL-EN made quick work to turn the turnover into eight points. 

After knocking out the first game jitters, D1 5 Star locked in. 

It didn’t take long for them to get on the board, as on their second drive, Higley '28 QB Cayden Schlueter slinged it to the back of the end zone for a touchdown. 

The defense for D1 5 Star was able to get a stop on the next possession and give their offense the ball back with a chance to take a lead.

Doing just that, Schlueter delivered a pass down the middle of the field to Corona Del Sol '27 WR Keegan Pederson for a 40-yard touchdown. 

ALL-EN was able to come back down the field, though, and reclaim a lead they previously had. 

Being down one with little time remaining, D1 5 Star needed to keep their offensive momentum rolling. 

As time dwindled, Schlueter was able to find Pederson once again, this time on a 10-yard out route that led to a touchdown. 

D1 5 Star was able to hold on the rest of the way and win 21-15 over ALL-EN.