ALA Queen Creek WR Khalil Bender finds strength through hardships

Khalil Bender did what he's always done when life gets hard back in August, after multiple appeals seeking to avoid sitting out the first half of the high school football season were denied by the Arizona Interscholastic Association.

He dug in with what he could control.

The wide receiver at American Leadership Academy Queen Creek became the best scout-team player in the first five weeks of the football season. He didn't sulk. He didn't let the past catch up to him and beat him down. He worked hard and looked ahead.

Now, he has a chance to salvage what's left of his senior season as the game-changer the Patriots desperately need after a rough start to the season.

Bender was forced to sit out the first five games of this season as required by the AIA's transfer rule, which affects all AIA-sanctioned sports. He moved from Tempe McClintock to ALA Queen Creek this year. The association considers hardship exceptions, but most transfers usually must comply.

Bender was to play in his second game this season on Oct. 16, when the Patriots (1-5) host Queen Creek (4-2).

"While he was out, he just worked hard," coach Rich Edwards said. "I couldn't be more proud of how he handled that. Really excited to see what he can do for us the rest of the year."

After losing its first five games without the two-way star, ALA Queen Creek is 1-0 in the 6A Southeast Region, after blowing out Desert Vista 49-7 two weeks ago. Bender hardly touched the field in that game due to the running clock and the early rout. He did have one catch for a 45-yard TD.

"I was out by the second quarter," Bender said.

This week, Bender, 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, is expected on the field for most of the game, possibly at receiver and defensive back. He hopes of create a special chemistry with quarterback Britt DeWitt.

"We've got to just win out and try to make the playoffs," Bender said. "For me, to do my best in all of my games. scoring touchdowns, just making a big difference on the team."

The Patriots were ranked No. 20 in 6A in the first AIA rankings this week. Ahead of them is Queen Creek, the favorite to win the region.

"Missing those five games, those were our hardest games, it was tough," Bender said. "Plus, it's my senior season, and I just wanted to be out there."

Bender's family thought he had a slam-dunk hardship case that the AIA would fast-track last summer. But that didn't happen.

After catching 130 passes for 2,145 yards and 20 TDs in his sophomore and junior seasons at McClintock, the family tried to prove hardship to get him eligible at ALA Queen Creek.

William Bender, Khalil's uncle, adopted Khalil after issues arose with Khalil's parents.

Khalil said his older brother by three years ended up being a father figure to him. Eventually, Khalil and his sister were dropped off at William Bender's home. He already had a house full and, with limited space, Khalil was one of three boys in one room that had room for only one bed.

Khalil would end up sleeping on the couch or floor.

William Bender told The Arizona Republic in August, when he was trying to get Khalil eligible to start the season, that he fights hard, "especially when it comes to children."

He wanted to take Bender out of McClintock and move him to ALA Queen Creek, a charter school, his sophomore year, but he wasn't allowed to because he didn't have legal guardianship. William said he also wasn't allowed to withdraw Khalil from McClintock because he wasn't the legal guardian. He said it wasn't until Oct. 31, 2024, that he became Khalil's legal parent.

William said the closest family member with room for Khalil was near ALA Queen Creek. Bender also wanted Khalil to have a charter school education. William said he was told by the AIA that housing capacity does not constitute an unforeseen hardship.

William Bender asked how was to foresee this issue when Khalil was "dropped off at my house, homeless,"

"Their grandfather moved into VA housing," he added in an email. "What was I expected to do?"

Khalil was disappointed with the AIA's decision, but he turned it into a positive, working hard as he gets ready to begin his college career at Northern Arizona.

"I always wanted to play football when I was older, be in the NFL," Bender said. "I knew I just had to work at that, no matter what happens."

Through all the hardships, Khalil knew there was one way to maneuver through it and took positive paths.

"Just figure it out," he said. "Just keep being myself."

Richard Obert has been covering high school sports since the 1980s for The Arizona Republic. Catch the best high school sports coverage in the state. Sign up for Azcentral Preps Now. And be sure to subscribe to our daily sports newsletters so you don't miss a thing. To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at [email protected] or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter:@azc_obert

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: ALA Queen Creek's Khalil Bender ready to make most of football season