Gridiron Guide: Remember the Titans at Palo Verde stadium
The home bleachers with the school to the east of the field at Palo Verde High School’s football stadium in Tucson, Ariz., Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2015. Photo by Ron Medvescek / Arizona Daily Star
School: Palo Verde
Name: Titan Stadium
Address: 1302 S. Avenida Vega
Opened: 1962
The lowdown: Palo Verde is home to two state championship teams, a former NFL rookie of the year and one of Southern Arizona’s most memorable products of all time. Longtime coach Todd Mayfield led the Titans to an unprecedented state crown in 2005, three decades after coach Van Howe saw his 1973-1974 team go 13-0 on its way to a title.
Linebacker Mark Arneson called Titan Stadium home before he went on to become an All-American with the Arizona Wildcats and the 1972 NFL Rookie of the Year while a member of the St. Louis (now Arizona) Cardinals. Adam Hall brought national attention to Palo Verde less than 10 years ago when he was named a Parade All-American.
Don’t miss: The history. From Arneson to Hall, some of Southern Arizona’s most memorable players — such as offensive lineman Jim Arneson and kicker Bill Zivic — came out of Palo Verde.
Biggest game: Palo Verde took down Cholla 21-9 in the second round of the Class 4A-II state playoffs in 2005, avenging a loss to the Chargers earlier in the season and moving one step closer to winning its second state title in program history. The Titans forced five turnovers and amassed six sacks as senior quarterback Victor Yates passed for 123 yards, rushed for another 60 and scored two touchdowns in his final game at Titan Stadium.
Performance for the ages: Hall scored three touchdowns, combined for 226 yards rushing and receiving and pulled in two interceptions to lead the way as Palo Verde took down undefeated Santa Rita in front of a jam-packed house on Halloween night in 2008. Hall ran for a 12-yard score in the first quarter and then punched it in from eight yards out once more before halftime.
His big moment came much later though, when he scored the winning touchdown on a 28-yard sprint with 3:12 left in the game and then picked off a pass to seal the win.
Quotable: “Just the history that is with it, with the 2005 team and the 1973 team. The weight room is right next to the field and you see the wall of fame, you see the history of Palo Verde on the wall and you just get this feeling that anything is possible here.” — Second-year coach Laurence Ruhf
Daniel Gaona
