Gridiron Guide: Tumamoc towers over Cholla's Ed Brown Stadium
Tumamoc Hill rises up to the north of Ed Brown Stadium at Cholla High School in Tucson, Ariz., Wednesday, July 22, 2015. Photo by Ron Medvescek / Arizona Daily Star
School: Cholla
Name: Ed Brown Stadium
Address: 2001 W. Starr Pass Blvd.
Opened: 1970. The Chargers played home games at Catalina and practiced at Kennedy Park in their inaugural season in 1969.
The lowdown: Second-year coach Virgil Henderson doesn’t shy away from Cholla’s recent struggles. In fact, he uses the everyday sight of Tumamoc Hill to the north of the stadium as something to encourage his team. The Chargers have had just one winning season since 2005; they’ve won 19 games and lost 71 since then. Still, Henderson looks back to the team’s success under coach Ed Brown, who started the program, and reminds his players that anything is possible.
Don’t miss: The burning of the “C.” Prior to taking the field on homecoming night, the team and its fans gather around the “C” statue near the entrance of the school and watch as it is lit on fire by one of the team captains. It’s something you have to witness, Henderson said, and, he’s hoping it could soon be done for all home games. “The first time I saw how that was, I had chills,” he said.
Biggest game: Cholla hosted Flagstaff Coconino in the first round of the 2005 4A-II state playoffs, making its first postseason appearance since 1988. After jumping out to a 14-point lead, the Chargers had to hold off a late push by the visiting Panthers to win 21-19 and advance to the quarterfinals for just the second time in program history. Cholla running back Kevin Dees rushed for 108 yards and two touchdowns while the Chargers limited Coconino to just 62 yards on the ground.
Performance for the ages: Vance Johnson, one of Tucson’s most notable high school athletes, helped Cholla secure its first-ever playoff berth in the 1980 regular-season finale against Pueblo. Johnson, who went on to play for the Arizona Wildcats and the NFL’s Denver Broncos, gained 216 yards on 22 carries in the 21-14 win. After being held to just 15 yards in the first half, Johnson sparked the Chargers with a game-tying touchdown pass and then a 63-yard scoring run.
Quotable: “It’s hidden; it’s a little gem that nobody really knows about. I think when people start coming back around, and seeing what we have to offer, I think they’re going to fall in love with it.” – Henderson
