Trivium Prep is 8-0, ranked No. 2 in 1st 2A season

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Jose Garcia

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Trivium Prep is 8-0, ranked No. 2 in 1st 2A season

October 19, 2018 by Jose Garcia, AZPreps365

Teams in 2A are collecting more intel on a new conference entrant that continues to advance with an undefeated record as the postseason nears.

They learned two weeks ago that there’s no quit in Trivium Prep, when Trivium Prep rallied from a 13-point deficit with eight minutes left to defeat its biggest 2A test to date, Parker. Conference members are also familiarizing themselves with Trivium Prep’s talent and Michael Spencer, the general of the Goodyear football program who is no stranger to coaching in the West Valley city.

Spencer was with current Liberty head coach Mark Smith when they opened Millennium’s football program, and he also coached under Mountain Pointe’s Rich Wellbrock when Wellbrock was at Goodyear Desert Edge. At each stop, and for the past 18 years, Phil Friedrich, Trivium Prep’s defensive coordinator, was alongside Spencer.

Spencer and his staff bring experience but so do 13 returning starters, and it is serving them well as a contender in its first 2A season. Trivium Prep is 8-0, moved up to No. 2 in the latest azpreps365 2A power rankings and is playoff knowledgeable, albeit at the 1A level.

It almost reached the 1A semifinals last year in the program’s second season with the Arizona Interscholastic Association. Quarterback Mason Moore’s 20-yard touchdown scramble on fourth down with four seconds left advanced Trivium Prep to the second round with a 28-26 victory over Joseph City.

Moore pulled off another final second touchdown escape during the Parker game to clinch a 48-42 win on Sept. 28. Moore is doing it with his legs and right arm, as the three-year starter leads 2A in passing yards (1,303) and touchdown passes (16) while running his team’s fly/pro-style offense.

(Mason Moore/photo by Jim Willittes maxpreps.com)

"His knowledge of the game and athleticism and experience are most beneficial,” said Spencer of Moore, whose No. 1 target is a 6-feet-4 sophomore, August Hubbard (9 receiving touchdowns), who is starting to get recruited.

“I definitely had high expectations to knock out a bunch of wins,” Spencer said. “We were in a dogfight versus Parker.”

The other offensive weapon for Trivium Prep is packaged in a 5-6, 185-pound frame.

The tough as nails David Marquez has scored 20 of his 31 career touchdowns this season.

“David has one of the biggest hearts I’ve ever seen,” Spencer said. “He’s our emotional leader and spark plug.”

Trivium Prep has two regular season games left, one which might determine the 2A Verde Region champion if Trivium Prep and Tonopah Valley win Friday and meet next week.

“The kids are excited but have a humility about them,” Spencer said. “We still have more work to be done. We are never satisfied. They always want more whether in school or on the field. They like a challenge and pushing themselves to be better.”