Robbie Rangel is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Westwood High School for AZPreps365.com.

Westwood faces its biggest challenge of the season Friday night as the Warriors host No.1 Basha in a high-stakes regional opener.

Westwood enters Friday’s matchup with a 3-2 record and strong performances the last two weeks, starting with a record-setting 75-36 rout of McClintock on September 19 followed by a 35-21 victory over Desert Vista on September 26. In both games, the Warriors showcased explosive offense and improved defensive discipline, signaling a team hitting its stride just in time for its toughest matchup of the season.

Basha comes in at 5-0, backed by a high-powered offense that has scored at least 30 points in every matchup. Leading the charge is running back Joshua Gaines, who has already racked up nearly 500 rushing yards and six touchdowns through five games. 

Westwood head coach Brandon Large said the game plan centers on toughness and controlling the tempo.

“Basha is a very well-rounded team,” Large said. “It’s tough to stop their run, and they’re athletic in the secondary. We’re going to try to control the game, control the clock, and run the ball effectively. If we can do that, we feel like we’ll give ourselves a chance.”

On defense, Large emphasized team effort to contain Basha’s rushing attack.

“We just have to get all 11 guys to the ball,” he said. “It’s not going to be one or two guys—we need everybody flying to the ball.”

Large added that this week’s focus in practice has been on physicality and composure. 

“We’ve been talking all week about our team fighting and not being out-physicaled,” he said. “We understand the challenge, but it’s about putting our best foot forward.”

Senior defensive end and ASU commit Sinei Tengei said the Warriors are embracing the opportunity. 

“I’ve been waiting for Basha since day one,” Tengei said. “They’ve got really good players, but that’s who I want to go against.

“If we stay focused and do our jobs, then it should be a good fight.”

Senior defensive lineman Preston Atwood laid out clear goals for the defense. 

“They’ve scored at least 30 on every team. We want to keep them in the 20s,” Atwood said. “No one’s scored on them in the first half—we definitely want to change that.”

Atwood said the team’s mindset has shifted since the early weeks, and that renewed focus could be the difference Friday night. 

“Whenever everybody’s on the same page and doing their best, I don’t see why we can’t compete with them,” Atwood said. “I think it could be a really close game, we just have to play as a team.”

Friday’s matchup against top-ranked Basha marks a key point in Westwood’s season. The outcome could serve as an early indicator of the Warriors’ standing in a competitive field, with postseason implications beginning to take shape.

Kickoff between Westwood (3-2) and Basha (5-0) is set for 7 p.m. Friday in Mesa.