On a team with 14 seniors committed to Division 1 football programs, it wasn't a three- or four-star player who made the biggest impact in No. 11 Basha's (Chandler, AZ) 37-26 win over No. 20 Chandler (AZ) in a 2026 Open Division championship rematch. Instead, was Marc Duerson III, a Northern Arizona commit, who forced three fumbles to help stymie the Chandler offense time and time again as the Bears pulled away to victory.
Duerson, a 6-foot, 205-pound senior, was part of an effort that forced five turnovers from a strong Chandler offense, a unit that took an early 6-0 lead and managed to hang around throughout the majority of the game despite these losses of possession and two blocked PATs.
The first forced fumble came in the first quarter, with
Chandler around midfield in a 6-6 game. Duerson attacked WR Maxwell Sprott's blind spot as the Chandler receiver tried to fight through the first tackler for extra yards.
Northern Arizona commit Marc Duerson III lays a monster hit, forces the fumble AND recovers it for Basha 🔨 pic.twitter.com/QJLtGwy6RF
— SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) August 30, 2026
His second was incredibly timely. Chandler, trailing 20-13 in the third quarter, blocked a punt and recovered it in the red zone, now pushing for a chance to tie the game.
That opportunity lasted for exactly one snap.
On the first play of the drive, Duerson ripped the ball out of the running back's hand as he assisted on a tackle, regaining possession and preventing the Wolves from pulling out of the deficit.
The VERY next play after getting their punt blocked Basha takes the ball right back with a strip and recovery 👀 Turnovers galore in Arizona pic.twitter.com/VUGebAPB9V
— SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) August 30, 2026
The third and final forced fumble may have been the biggest of them all.
Chandler had eventually tied the game at 20, and with the third quarter winding down, ALL-USA quarterback Will Mencl found ALL-USA receiver Jai Jones up the middle for a first down across midfield. Duerson again came from a direction the receiver didn't see, forcing Jones to lose the ball.
Teammate Tre Kennard picked it up and returned it to the house, allowing the Bears to retake the lead.
Basha's FOURTH takeaway of the game is a scoop n score 😤 as they take a 27-20 lead late in the 3rd pic.twitter.com/DSksmrNxzK
— SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) August 30, 2026
For as many turnovers as the defense forced, Chandler remained in the game, following with another touchdown. For as ugly as the special teams play was at times throughout the game, the Bears had magic in the unit, and blocked a PAT for the second time in the game to maintain a one-point, 27-26 lead.
ALL-USA kicker Mikey Barth hit a 42-yard field goal to extend the lead, and then Texas running back commit Noah Roberts punched in the touchdown that would ice the game. Quarterback Jake Rogers, a Princeton commit, went 21-for-33 for 209 yards and three touchdown passes, two of which went to junior receiver Makai Nelson.
Makai Nelson with his 2nd TD in the half and its at the BUZZER 🚨 Basha leads Chandler 20-13 at halftime pic.twitter.com/NO7U5R2lh3
— SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) August 30, 2026
On Chandler's side, Oregon commit Mencl, had a solid game. The No. 52-ranked player on the USA TODAY Sports Composite passed for 334 yards and three touchdowns, but the Basha defense pressured him into a completion percentage of just 57.4% and a pair of interceptions. Sprott had 10 receptions for 177 yards and a touchdown, while Kaydon Gray had a pair of touchdowns.
See more at the Arizona Republic.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Super 25 football: Marc Duerson forces 3 fumbles in No. 11 Basha beats No. 20 Chandler
