Hard Count San Diego: Proving We Belonged
There are moments in sports that define a team. For us, Hard Count San Diego was one of them. We made the trip to California carrying a nine-tournament winning streak, the No. 1 ranking in the nation, and a target on our backs. We had seen the conversations online. We knew the best teams from around the country were coming, and we knew exactly what people wanted to see. They wanted to find out if AZ Elite was really the team everyone was talking about. So did we.
Pool Play: Surviving the First Test
Our opening matchup couldn’t have been much tougher. We faced 32 Sports, the team that had won the 6U World Championship in Florida earlier that year. It was a big stage, and our boys looked like a team feeling those opening-game nerves. The defense was outstanding from the opening whistle, but offensively we struggled to find our rhythm. DJ scored our lone touchdown, and our defense made it stand up. A hard-fought 6-0 victory gave us the start we wanted.
The second game brought another challenge in the NTX Bolts out of Texas, one of the country’s most respected programs. This time our offense finally woke up. After trading touchdowns early, our boys settled in, executed, and pulled away with a pair of late scores to earn another quality win and move to 2-0.
Our final pool play game came against the Rebels from Las Vegas. It was another defensive battle.
We carried a 6-0 lead deep into the game before surrendering a last-second touchdown that ended in a 6-6 tie. Walking off the field, we knew that was a game we should have won. But we also knew the mistakes were correctable.
We finished Saturday at 2-0-1, earning the No. 3 seed entering Championship Sunday. The Renegades—the nation’s No. 2 ranked team—claimed the top seed, while Baby Apex earned the No. 2 seed. Our path wasn’t going to be easy.
Championship Sunday
Saturday’s nerves were gone. Our boys had seen the competition, adjusted to the atmosphere, and were ready to play AZ Elite football.
Quarterfinals
Our first playoff game came against the Nightmare Boyz from Florida, the No. 10 ranked team entering the tournament. The game started evenly, with both teams trading touchdowns to make it 6-6. Then something clicked. Our defense completely took over, our offense found another gear, and we pulled away for a comfortable two-touchdown victory to punch our ticket to the semifinals.
Semifinals
Waiting for us was Baby Apex. This wasn’t just another opponent. Earlier in the season, we battled them in the Hard Count Vegas championship, where it took triple overtime to decide the winner. There was plenty of history between our teams. Our boys embraced it. They played one of their most complete games of the season, building a two-to-three score lead before allowing a late touchdown in a convincing win that sent us to the National Championship. Exactly where we wanted to be.
National Championship
Sometimes sports give you the matchup everyone hopes to see. The No. 1 ranked team in the nation—AZ Elite from Arizona. Versus… The No. 2 ranked team in the nation—the Renegades from New Jersey.
It didn’t disappoint. The Renegades came out fast. Their quarterback was one of the most gifted athletes we’ve ever seen at this age, and he led an opening touchdown drive that gave them a 6-0 halftime lead. To make matters worse, they received the ball to start the second half. That’s when everything changed. Tournament MVP Daxton stepped in front of a pass and intercepted it, giving us possession inside the five-yard line. One play later, Daxton crossed the goal line. The momentum shifted instantly. Our sideline believed. Our players believed. You could feel it. On the Renegades’ next possession, they began driving again before our quarterback, Big Huddy, made one of the biggest defensive plays of the season with another interception. We took advantage. Our offense marched down the field, and Daxton found the end zone again to give us our first lead of the game. Now it was our defense’s turn. The Renegades got one final possession with just over a minute remaining. They slowly worked their way down the field before breaking off a big run that nearly won the game.
Timeout.
Three seconds left...
One final play.
We expected the run that had hurt us throughout the afternoon. Instead, they faked it. For a split second, it looked like they had a receiver standing wide open in the end zone. Then Christian Woods appeared. Reading the play before anyone else on the field, Christian dropped into coverage and knocked away what would have been the game-winning touchdown.
Incomplete.
Game over.
National Champions!!!
More Than a Championship. That final play perfectly represented who this team is. Time after time, our kids have faced adversity and refused to quit. They’ve won games when everything said they shouldn’t. They’ve overcome mistakes. They’ve trusted one another. Most importantly, they’ve never stopped believing.
When we started AZ Elite, our goal wasn’t to become the No. 1 team in America. We simply wanted to build a competitive group of kids, teach them the game the right way, and create memories that would last a lifetime. Never in our wildest dreams did we imagine that just one year later we’d be standing together as Hard Count National Champions and the No. 1 ranked 6U team in the nation. These kids earned every bit of it.
They practiced relentlessly. They challenged themselves against older competition. They played every rec game, every tournament, and every tough opponent we could find. They trusted what we taught, and when the biggest moments arrived, they trusted themselves. As coaches, we couldn’t be more proud. The future is incredibly bright for this group.
There are talented teams all over the country, and we respect every one of them. But if you ask us who we’d put on the field against anyone in the world…
We’ll take our boys.
Every single time!
– Coach James Hensley
AZ Elite 6U | 2026 Hard Count National Champions
