Jonathan Levinsky is an ASU Cronkite School of Jouralism student assigned to cover Heritage Academy Laveen for AZPreps.com

It’s the final practice of the season. All of the players, except for a few, are running drills, ensuring that their conditioning is in top shape for what will be their final game of the season.

The aforementioned “few players,” are standing in a circle, having a heated, yet playful conversation. They are wearing street clothes as their injuries have made them unable to play.

“Jonathan Taylor? Nah, you’re crazy,” one player scoffs at his teammate. Did you forget James Cook exists?”

His teamate laughs. “Screw James Cook. He made my team lose in fantasy two weeks in a row.”

Head coach Stephen Hemming, chuckling slightly, tells his “fantasy fanatics” to take a step back so the wide receivers could run routes. 

This was the scene at Heritage Academy’s practice on Wednesday afternoon, prior to its region crossover game versus Desert Star on Oct. 24. No matter the result of the game, it will have been the season finale for the Heroes. In a fiery, yet prideful speech to his team, Hemming pointed out how next season will be the Heroes’ “revenge season”

“After this game, we know what we need to do,” Hemming said. “Everyone we lost to; everyone on our schedule, now has a target on their backs.”

While the season has proven to be less than ideal for the Heroes, with starting quarterback junior Preston Miller, one of the so-called “fantasy fanatics,” missing the final two games due to an undisclosed injury, players haven't been this comfortable under a coaching staff in a very long time, and that is thanks to the relationships they have formed this year with one another.

“After camp, we just felt like we knew each other so well,” Miller said. “It feels like it’s been an entire year.” 

While injured players are still expected to observe and take in practice, which Miller was, the fact that players are still able to act like themselves and joke around while being a part of the game they love is something new. Though, it didn’t start off that way. 

“At first, I hated the offense,” senior Nicholas Arteaga said. “We didn’t have the quarterback for it, at the time. It got better as camp went on.”

One of the larger storylines this season for the Heroes was the significant change in their offensive scheme from an old-school flexbone run-heavy formation under center, to a shotgun quad five-wide formation that mainly let Miller air the ball out. 

While Hemming’s coaching style certainly did the trick in teaching such a unique offense, senior Julian Sanchez said that he really leaned on his teammates to get through such an awkward and tough transition period. 

Heritage Academy players leaned on each other to get through a tough, yet educational season. Wednesday Oct. 22, in Laveen Ariz. (Jonathan Levinsky/AZPreps365)

“I ain’t gonna lie, I came out hurting every week," Sanchez said. “But each and every time, my brother to my right always said, ‘one more rep.’”

This season has been especially meaningful for Sanchez, who has been with the program since his freshman year. Hemming is the first coach that he has had that is “a man of his word.” During a legal battle, Sanchez had wanted his current last name to be the one on the back of his jersey, not his former. Unlike his other coaches, Hemming honored it.

“Now, I can finally tell the difference between my jersey this year and last year,” Sanchez said. 

At the end of practice, players and parents alike participated in Heritage’s annual egg toss. This always happens after the final practice of the year, so that players can celebrate, or release their frustration, about the end of the season. While it may’ve come sooner than Hemming would’ve liked, he has nothing but gratitude and optimism. 

“I love those guys,” Hemming said. “I will be back. There’s no question about it.”

Players and their family members line up across from one another in two parallel lines. Each player holds an egg, preparing to toss it to the other side. 

Players and their family members take part in the annual "egg toss" on Oct. 22, 2025, in Laveen, Ariz. (Jonathan Levinsky/AZPreps365)

Hemming counts off from 3. As soon as he reaches 1, splats and crunches can be heard as parents and kids fumble and struggle to hang on to the eggs, bringing a memorable season to an end.