Archive for December, 2009

Mistakes doom Marcos; Chaparral claims state 5A-II title

Marcos de Niza HS put up the big stats in the first half, 213 yards of offense and almost 15 minutes on offense, but it was the Chaparral HS Firebirds that held the state 5A-II football championship trophy at the end of the game.
    We expected the emotional factor would play heavily into the results last night, since the Padres have been stopped at the semi-finals for three of the past four years and finally had their chance at a state title. Besides, they were coming off a huge win over nationally-ranked Centennial HS.
    But maybe they were too high coming into this game. Marcos committed 16 penalties for 186 yards and coughed up the ball on two turnovers - one of which was a fumbled snap by QB Zach Schira in his end zone, quickly recovered by Chaparral linebacker Chris Fox for a touchdown. That was just the first score as the Firebirds began to turn the momentum after being down 7-0, as the Firebirds went on to a 34-21 win.
    Senior running back Dwayne Garrett led the Firebird charge with 107 yards, but it was sophomore QB Connor Brewer that controlled the outcome, going 6-for-9 for 147 yards and a score. But it was his poise and composure under pressure that spelled the difference; he had zero turnovers. On the other hand, Schira is a senior and we had expected that factor to be the edge for Marcos, but he finished the night completing less than a third of his passes for just 66 yards.
    We were looking for the upset Marcos win and, for the first half of the game, it still seemed likely. But Chaparral played the kind of game it takes to win a championship... and Marcos de Niza regroups for still another try next year to bring home the trophy.
    The Firebirds were playing in 4A-I last year, but the move up to 5A-I hasn't caused them to skip a beat, and they certainly proved they belong there.
    But the Padres don't leave the 2009 season empty-handed. They had a school-record 12-1 mark, ended Centennial's 39-game win streak, and made it to the finals for the first time in 38 years. Not a bad year.
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Picking 5A football champ…the answer isn't in the stats

Uncertain about the outcome of tonight's 5A-II state championship game between Chaparral HS and Marcos de Niza HS? That's to be expected if you're trying to pick a winner based on talent; both teams are pretty evenly matched if you check out the stats.
    Chaparral is averaging 48 points a game in the playoffs behind the running of Dwayne Garrett who has compiled 1,740 yards this season and Cole Tyree 1,295 yards, while quarterback Connor Brewer adds another 1,749 total yards. Combine that with a solid defense that is holding opponents to under 14 points a game. The Marcos defense is producing similar results, and its offense features a prolific running and passing game thanks to its quarterback, Zach Schira (1,955 yards) and his primary target, Justin Rodriguez (779 yards). The rushing load is spread around, with Ramon Abreu (803 yards) and Anthony Shivers (577 yards) leading the way.
    But the X-factor in this game is emotion. Chaparral comes into the contest seeking revenge for last year's failure to win the championship game and, worse yet, getting blown out, 38-0, by Saguaro HS. And talk about something to prove... Marcos has made it to the semi-finals three of the past four years without getting a shot at the title!
    The Padres also just beat nationally-ranked Centennial HS to get a shot at the title. How's that for an emotional high, not to mention a real confidence-builder?
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Take down the nets – final honors to volleyball stars


    It's hard to figure whether it was a new coach that got Valley Christian HS over the hump this year, or whether the Trojans were just waiting for Chanel Brown to get to her senior year.
    Brown (shown here holding the trophy in this school photo), is a 5'10"senior outside hitter who led Valley Christian to a 34-win season and its first 2A state title in eight years, which also earned her the prestigious honor of being named Small Schools Player of the Year (second consecutive), as selected by the Arizona Republic sports writers. The Trojans were runners-up to the title for the past three years, but head coach Molly Stark, who came over from Cactus Shadows HS this year where she was Region Coach of the Year, got the girls over what was becoming a psychological hurdle.
    Stephanie Preach, setter for Xavier Prep, was the Big Schools Player of the Year (also a second time), also leading her squad to a 39-6 record and the 5A state title before heading off next year to Arizona State University to play for the Sun Devils.
    Both were part of the 2009 All Arizona team that also included Madison Kingdon, a junior outside hitter from Sunnsyslope HS; Betsi Metter, senior outside hitter from Desert Vista HS; Katie Rutherford, senior setter from Sunrise Mountain HS; and the sophomore sensation from Seton Catholic HS, 6'4" outside hitter Haley Lawless, who has led Seton to a 4A-II state title in each of her years there.
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Today's football stars honored by legends of the past

Colby Kirkegaard of Arcadia HS has been named the Danny White Award winner by the National Football Foundation during its Hall of Fame banquet this week in New York.
    The award is presented to the state's most outstanding senior quarterback and is named for the All-American quarterback at Arizona State that went on to play 13 seasons for the Dallas Cowboys (shown in photo), and most recently the head coach for the Arizona Rattlers, the Valley's Arena Football League team.
    A couple of other honors were also given to local athletes at the banquet. Nick Rowland from Centennial HS was named the winner of the Frank Kush Award and Tevin Hood from Hamilton HS received the Curley Culp Award. The Kush award goes to the state's most outstanding interior lineman and the Culp award to the defensive lineman of the same stature.
    Kush took the ASU football program to national prominence and is the school's all-time winningest coach, and also a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. Culp wsas a three-year starting nose guard for the Sun Devils and an All-America heavyweight wrestler. A six-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman in the NFL, he also was honored as the Arizona Athlete of Century as chosen by USA Today newspaper.
   The trio will join this season's championship high school coaches of Arizona's seven football classifications at the annual Valley of the Sun Champions Luncheon Dec. 18 in Phoenix, as the Arizona Fotball Coaches Association All-State Team is announced.
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This ain't Punt, Pass and Kick – it's a national showcase

A handful of local high school football players will end their season with a special memory, even those whose teams didn't make it all the way this year.
Five athletes from Valley high schools have been selected to paticipate in the 2010 U.S. Army National Combine: Connor Brewer, Chaparral HS; Alex Buya, Coronado HS; Ethan Cooper, Brophy Prep; Ben Maraz, Sunnyslope HS; and Jordan Morgan, Chandler HS.
The Combine takes place next month during "Bowl Week," the week-long festivities leading up to the U.S. Army All-American Bowl Jan. 9 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, TX. The three-day event is the first opportunity for the nation's top underclassmen to demonstrate their physical talent and compete against one another in front of some of the top scouting organizations.
Modeled after the NFL Combine, it's a series of tests and competitive drills and will take place in the Alamodome. In addition to the national exposure, athletes will receive apparel and gear at the event - and, of course, a ticket to the All-American Bowl.
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