PHOENIX — The 34th season of Friday Night Fever, Arizona's #1 and longest-running high school football show has now come to a close and it is time to name our 2023 Defensive Player of the Year.
This year, that honor belongs to Centennial High School defensive end Noah Carter!
The senior out of Peoria in the northwest Valley has been described as "a beast", an "ironman", and a player that's "not from this world" in part because he has almost as many sacks as he does touchdowns.
Carter, who also played wide receiver for the Coyotes, finished the year with 11 sacks, 55 tackles and 10 touchdowns (eight catches and two punt returns), helping the Coyotes make it all the way to the Open Division state championship game.
The 6-foot-3, 220-pound edge rusher is committed to play at the University of Washington next year after establishing himself as a difference-maker on both sides of the ball for the Coyotes. He is the #3 overall player in the Class of 2024 in Arizona, according to 247Sports.
“It's definitely a blessing. I want to thank my coaches and my teammates; I couldn't do it without them," Carter said. "My parents are definitely a big part, sacrificing and everything they've done. I want to thank my [Centennial] coaches and really the whole staff; they got me through everything, and they taught me stuff every day. I definitely can't wait to get to Seattle, grind, and try to get a spot as early as I can.”
Carter was also recognized as the Defensive Player of the Year on behalf of the Arizona Cardinals Football Club, Circle K and SCHEELS.
Congratulations to Noah Carter, the 2023 Friday Night Fever Defensive Player of the Year!
Arizona sports
The city of Phoenix is home to five major professional sports league teams; The NFL's Arizona Cardinals, NBA's Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks and NHL's Arizona Coyotes.
The Cardinals have made the State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers also play at the Footprint. Phoenix has a soccer team with the USL's Phoenix Rising FC.
The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events on a yearly basis, including college football's Fiesta Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the Waste Management Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall; and Cactus League Spring Training.
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