Chandler football coach Rick Garretson said the school declined an invitation to play in the Geico State Champions Bowl Series that is being held on Dec. 20 and 21 at Las Vegas Bishop Gorman.
Chandler finished 13-0 and captured the Arizona Interscholastic Association’s first Open Division state championship, beating 4A powerhouse Scottsdale Saguaro, 42-35, on Saturday night.
Chandler is ranked No. 10 in the nation by USA Today.
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“We’ve taken on some key injuries throughout the super 8 playoffs and felt that at this point in time its best to conclude our 2019 season,” Garretson wrote in a text message.
One of those key injuries was to senior running back Dae Dae Hunter during a quarterfinal win over Scottsdale Chaparral. Hunter was held out all but one play in a semifinal win over Tucson Salpointe Catholic, before he was unleashed for Saguaro.
He finished with 246 yards and two touchdowns, including a 74-yarder in the third quarter. He had a 71-yard run to open the game.
This is the first time an Arizona team won’t play in the Geico Bowl since the high school bowl series began in 2016.