Page 19 - 2020 Sollenberger

By Les Willsey azpreps365.com
Chandler’s Buckner locked in for 2020
If you’re Chandler High’s Brandon Buckner, what’s not to like about the coming, hopefully played 2020 season.
The senior defensive end/outside linebacker has a college com- mitment to Oregon. He is the state’s lone first-teamer on USA Today’s preseason All-American team announced in mid-August.
And he’s a member of the defending state Open Division champions, who are ranked in the top 10 nationally of two polls - Max Preps and USA Today.
What do these items do for his psyche?
“All that stuff is humbling and much appreciated,” Buckner said. “You have a mindset to work hard and it makes you want to work harder. But while you work you have to block out all the outside stuff.”
Buckner, 6-foot-2 and 240 pounds as August wound down, opened his career as a freshman at Chandler playing cornerback. He recalls his height and weight then as 5-10 1/2, 185.
“Oh, yeah he’s grown out of that,” Chandler coach Rick Garretson said. “He’s always been advanced for his age. The athleticism has always been there. Now even better. There are so many things we can do with him as a pass rushing end/outside linebacker. He is really good and knows the details of hand-to-hand combat, and that makes him an exceptional pass rusher. Opponents have to account for him when they game plan. What makes him even more special is he’s a high-level practice player.
“One of his best games, and it was a big one at the time, was against Brophy. He had five sacks and his Pops got to see that game. I told him after he needed to get his Pops to more games.”
Certainly part of that can be attributed to Buckner’s father, Brentson.
Brentson played defensive tackle in the NFL for 12 seasons with four teams and is currently the defensive line coach for the Arizona Cardi- nals.
“My dad’s taught me an awful lot,” Buckner said. “Because of him and the help my position coaches give me I’ve learned to focus on pre- paring for each Friday night. To take care of my body, and be ready to be my best.”
Buckner’s varsity career began in 2018 with a nice showing at his current position.
He registered 33 tackles and 5 1/2 sacks in 10 games. His 2019 sea- son didn’t start until the fifth week, as an injury put him on the sideline the first four games.
In the nine games Buckner played in the Wolves’ 13-0 season, which included playoff wins over Chaparral, Salpointe and Saguaro, he finished with 53 tackles and 16 sacks.
“Missing those four games was hard,” Buckner said. “I had to sit and do nothing for awhile. Finally I was able to gradually build back into shape.”
With the pandemic limiting work in the spring and summer, Buckner turned his choice of college to the forefront. He put a commitment behind him announcing in late May for Oregon.
Arizona, ASU, Michigan State and Washington State were others he considered.
“Oregon was always my dream school,” Buckner said. “They are building something special with coach (Mario) Cristobal. They won the Pac-12 championship and the Rose Bowl last year. It’s exciting that four Arizona players (including Mesquite’s Ty Thompson, Saguaro’s Bram Walden, Sahuaro’s Jonah Miller) are commitments for next year.”
As for the 2020 prep season, Buckner has goals.
Another state championship for the Wolves, preferably Open Divi- sion. Gatorade Player of the Year and a Chandler High performance record or two.
“I want to break the school record for sacks which is 17.5 in a sea- son,” Buckner said. “To do that I know I have to be consistent. You can’t rest on having a good game one week, feeling great about it and come back being sloppy the next. You have to play like every game is your last.”
Brandon Buckner anchored a Wolves defense that won Arizona’s first Open Division championship. He had 1.5 sacks in the state title game, along with an interception returned for a touchdown. (Photo by Mark Jones/MaxPreps)
Chandler - 6A Premier Region
Head coach: Rick Garretson.
Years as school’s head coach: 2nd year.
2019 record: 13-0.
Returning starters on offense, 2019 stats: Sr. QB Mikey Keene (5-11, 180); 2,835 passing yards, 23 TDs; RB Eli Sanders (6-0, 195); 643 rushing yards, 10 TDs; Sr. OL Tevi Neher (6-0, 280); Sr. OL Sione Hingano (6-5, 285); Sr. OL Mason Winkleman (5-11, 265); Sr. TE Eli Swope (6-2, 225), 207 receiving yards; Jr. WR Kyion Grayes (6-1, 180), 883 receiving yards, 6 TDs; Jr. WR Jalen Richmond (6-0, 185), 725 receiving yards, 9 TDs; Jr. TE Nason Coleman (6-3, 230), 126 receiving yards; Jr. WR Quaron Adams (5-7, 165); Sr. RB Nick Nesbitt (5-8, 190).
Returning starters on defense, 2019 stats: Sr. LB Kyler Orr (6-2, 225) 84 tackles; Sr. LB Hank Pepper (6-1, 200) 44 tackles; Sr. DE-OLB Brandon Buckner (6-1, 245), 53 tackles, 16 sacks; Sr. DE-OLB Zion Magalei (6-3, 230), 51 tackles, 11 sacks; Sr. DE-LB Jeremiah Tyler (6-2, 245) 65 tackles, 7.5 sacks; Sr. SS Kentrell Williams
(5-11, 190), 55 tackles; Sr. DL Anthony Hanger (6-2, 260) 21 tackles, 5 sacks; Sr. FS Franky Gomez (5-9, 175); Sr. OLB Tony Brewer (6-4, 205); Sr. DL Joseph Hoyt (6-3, 250), 5 sacks.
Also keep an eye on: Jr. DB Travis Roberts (5-10, 170); So. ATH Jr. Andereya Nsu- buga (6-1, 190); Jr. DB Alfred Smith (5-10, 170); Jr. DL Isaiah Johnson (6-1, 250); Jr. SS Devin Dunn (5-11, 185).
Strengths of offense: Experience. Ten-plus starters. Speed. Playmakers. Solid line.
Strengths of defense: Experience up front. Nine-plus starters. Speed. Dominant pass rushers. Depth.
Team’s biggest question mark(s): Creating depth. 2020 expectations: Win the Open Division 2020 title.
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