Gridiron Guide: Empire's stadium emerging into something bigger
The home stands at Empire High School, Tuesday, July 28, 2015, Vail, Ariz. Kelly Presnell / Arizona Daily Star
School: Empire
Name: None
Address: 10701 E. Mary Ann Cleveland Way
Opened: 2006
The lowdown: Empire may be one of the newest and smallest schools in the Tucson area, but it still warrants a visit. Crowds are anything but small on Friday nights and students pack into the “Ravens Roost” section in the home bleachers. The stadium has undergone several upgrades since opening, including the addition of bleachers on the visitor’s side and a new public address system, and is scheduled to get a press box. Third-year coach W.T. Jeffries said the recent upgrades were made to accommodate larger crowds.
Don’t miss: The small-town feel. Empire has come a long way since it used hay bales for overflow seating in its inaugural season, but the unique vibe is still there. That will especially be the case when the Ravens host Walden Grove on Aug. 28 to open the season. Empire’s fan base, known as the Raven Nation, will host a “black-out” for the opener. That’s another Empire tradition.
Biggest game: Empire finished the regular season 9-1 in 2009 and, as a result, hosted a postseason game for the first time in program history. The Ravens won their first playoff game when they took down visiting Safford 44-18 to open the 3A state tournament. Empire’s defense forced six turnovers and senior Bryant Jeffries, the coach’s son, scored four touchdowns — two rushing, one receiving and one on a fumble recovery. Fellow senior Cody Woody gained 212 yards on 19 carries and scored a touchdown.
Performance for the ages: Sean Fitzsimmons went out in style on senior night, rushing for a state-record 516 yards and six touchdowns in an 82-55 win over Catalina two years ago. Fitzsimmons became just the second player in Arizona history to rush for more than 500 yards. He wasn’t alone in his performance that night: Fellow senior captain Chance Hatfield gained 240 yards and scored four TDs. Jeffries believes the team’s 843 rushing yards is a single-game state record.
Quotable: “We’re growing. We’re trying to become a place that people don’t want to be, as far as visitors.” – W.T. Jeffries
