I-Ridge, Foothills advance; Tucson High, Sahuaro, Sabino fall
- Updated
News, final scores and stats from Friday's high school football playoff games.
- Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Nov. 6: No. 4 Ironwood Ridge 34, No. 13 Sunnyside 30
The stage was set for another monumental first-round upset.
Sunnyside took its first lead against host Ironwood Ridge on a 51-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the fourth quarter Friday night. The Nighthawks had yet to score in the second half and it looked like the Blue Devils had pulled all the momentum to their sideline (see box score below).
But then Jared McKemy pulled it right back.
The I-Ridge senior receiver and defensive back caught a go-ahead 44-yard touchdown pass — his third of the night – less than 90 seconds after the Devils scored.
Then, the fourth-seeded Nighthawks pulled away from there and held off a late rally to beat No. 13 Sunnyside 34-30 and notch their first postseason victory since the 2012 Division II state championship game.
Ironwood Ridge (10-1) hosts fifth-seeded Tempe Marcos de Niza next Friday with a trip to the Division II state semifinals on the line. The Nighthawks rallied for a 35-24 road win against the Padres back on Oct. 16.
“It’s hard to play a team twice but we’ll be in the film room, we’ll study it,” said senior Harrison Beemiller, who passed for a touchdown and caught another. “We’ve got to come out hard and play tough.”
Until junior quarterback Cole Gerken rolled to his left and found McKemy wide open for score with 10:08 left in the fourth quarter on Friday night, it looked like I-Ridge was doomed for a third straight first-round elimination. Sunnyside stunned the Nighthawks 35-14 last fall and I-Ridge lost at Marcos de Niza 28-16 in the opening round of the 2013 postseason.
“To be honest, it was pretty scary,” McKemy said about Sunnyside taking the lead. “That’s what happened pretty early in last year’s game. So as soon as they got up, we got a little scared. But, with out backs against the wall, we started to fight and got lucky.”
Gerken completed 10 of 13 passes for 237 yards and four scores while McKemy finished with 152 yards on four catches, including two first-half touchdowns to help I-Ridge take a 21-8 lead.
“I wanted it bad,” McKemy said about getting redemption. “Since the day we saw we were playing them, as soon as we lost last year I wanted it.”
Behind senior quarterback Nick O’Hagin, Sunnyside (6-5) inched its way back into the game. O’Hagin scored on a 1-yard plunge with 3:20 left in the third quarter and hit Ruben Figueroa for the two-point conversion to make the score 21-16.
After a three-and-out by I-Ridge, O’Hagin needed just five plays before he found Daniel Hernandez open for a 51-yard touchdown pass. Then his run on the two-point attempt put the Blue Devils up 24-21
I-Ridge took it from there.
Gerken and the Nighthawks needed just four plays to retake the lead. And an interception by Beemiller on Sunnyside’s next possession set up a 15-yard touchdown pass from Gerken to Daniel Peabody, putting I-Ridge up 34-24 with 5:09 to play.
“It’s a great win but we have to go on to next week and stay hungry,” Peabody said. “The first round is the first round. We want to go to the state final, that’s our goal.”
O’Hagin, who had a career day with 150 yards rushing and 137 yards passing, connected with Jorge Dabdoub for a 9-yard touchdown with 2:20 remaining but the Blue Devils were unable to get the ball back again.
“I didn’t execute my job at a high level,” said O’Hagin, who had a hand in all four Sunnyside touchdowns but threw three interceptions. “Yeah, I had some plays here or there but I had some mistakes as well, which were costly turnovers. They’re a great team; I wish I could be happy but we expected more.”
Daniel Gaona
- Arizona Daily Star
No. 8 Catalina Foothills 21, No. 9 Yuma Cibola 16
Catalina Foothills won its second football playoff game in school history in style on Friday night.
The Falcons snared a last-minute interception at the 3-yard line to hold off Yuma Cibola 21-16 in the first round of the Division III state tournament.
Falcon junior safety/receiver Jimmy Stewart picked off the Raiders with No. 8-seeded Foothills clinging to a 5-point lead and No. 9 Cibola driving.
“I’m just extremely happy right now,” Stewart said. “We haven’t won a playoff game here in so long and I know the school wanted it. Everyone was hyped for the game, everyone came out even though it was really cold and we came out and won.”
Stewart said he noticed the success Cibola was having with junior tight end Mark Walton and reacted.
“I just figured that down in the red zone, that’s where they’re going to try and get him the ball and once I saw the ball in the air, I just went and attacked and I got it,” Stewart said.
Foothills will visit top-seeded Paradise Valley next week. Paradise Valley beat No. 16 Tempe 55-17 on Friday night.
Catalina Foothills took a 21-10 lead on a 1-yard touchdown by senior running back/linebacker Preston Kime, but Cibola cut into the lead on a 6-yard pass to senior running back Jacob Durate, who had both the Raiders’ touchdowns. The Falcons foiled Cibola’s 2-point conversion though, meaning the Raiders would need a touchdown on their last drive.
“I couldn’t be happier, I couldn’t be more proud of the team,” said Foothills junior quarterback Rhett Rodriguez. “It’s probably the greatest moment of my life.”
After Cibola’s last score, the Foothills offense drove down the field but stalled in the Raider red zone and settled for a 27-yard field goal try on fourth-and-inches, which missed.
“I’m really kind of kicking myself because I had a play and usually when I have a play, I go for it,” said Foothills coach Jeff Scurran.
Rodriguez ran for 107 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries and passed for 144 yards and a touchdown, going 9 for 19.
After the game, Foothills students stormed the field to join the Falcon football players in celebration.
“It just feels great to have the support of the school behind you,” said Stewart, who had two catches for 34 yards.
Foothills junior safety Nick Lioy intercepted a Cibola pass in the end zone at the end of the second quarter.
“Eight and nine (seeds), two very evenly-matched football teams,” Scurran said. “They adjusted, we adjusted, they adjusted, we adjusted and it was just a good, entertaining high school football game. I’m glad my hair’s already gray.”
James Kelley
- Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
No. 6 Avondale Westview 49, No. 11 Tucson High 12
At Avondale Westview, the No. 6-seeded Knights imposed their will on the ground en route to 411 yards and six touchdowns to defeat the 11th-seeded Badgers.
After receiving the kickoff, Tucson took the ball 91 yards for a touchdown, but was unable to do much the rest of the game. Senior DeAndre Williams left the game just before halftime after receiving a late hit from a Westview player, which resulted in a penalty and ejection for the Knights' player.
Tucson was unable to stop the big play, as Westview had four touchdowns of 70 yards or more. The Badgers crept back into the game in the third quarter on a Malik Patterson touchdown reception to bring the lead within 28-12, but Westview took the kickoff for a touchdown to take back any momentum the Badgers had.
Tucson finishes the season 7-4.
Highlight reel
Williams caught a Jorge Flores screen and took it up field, making guys miss on the first drive of the game all the way to the 1-yard line. Flores then added the touchdown.
Player of the game
Patterson. The junior wide receiver had six catches for 92 yards and a touchdown.
By the numbers
3. Tucson won the penalty battle and played a pretty clean game, with only three compared to 12 for Westview.
He said it
"Nobody can take away what these guys accomplished this year. A section title and a playoff game, I am proud of all this group has done." — Tucson coach Justin Argraves
Mark Lawson
- Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
No. 1 Mesa Skyline 15, No. 16 Sahuaro 10
At Mesa Skyline, the Division II state tournament almost saw a colossal upset as the No. 16-seeded Sahuaro Cougars rallied from down 15-0 at halftime against the No. 1-seeded Skyline Coyotes to within five points in the fourth quarter.
The Cougars would have the ball in the final minute with a chance to win the game, but their comeback was not to be as the Coyotes defense sacked Cougars quarterback Stephen Miller on the final play of the game.
Earlier in the fourth quarter, Miller led his team on a 14-play, 99-yard drive for the team's only touchdown, a 24-yard pass to seldom-used junior Vincent Dame. Miller would finish with 194 yards passing and a touchdown pass.
Skyline, without its top running back, still kept its offensive game mostly on the ground, scoring two first-half touchdowns on a pair of runs by running back Kaleb Hardin.
Hardin would finish with a game-high 35 carries and 185 yards rushing.
Highlight reel
With his team trailing 15-0 in the third quarter, Sahuaro defensive back Stone Grimm came around the left side of the line and blocked a Skyline punt attempt. The Cougars would recover at the 3-yard line of the Coyotes, but could only manage a field goal.
Player of the game
Miller completed 13 of 22 passes for 194 yards, with 155 coming in the second half as he put his team in a position to win the game on the final drive.
By the numbers
3. Turnovers created by the Sahuaro defense, all on fumble recoveries. The Cougar defense held Skyline to a season low in points.
He said it
"Our group has been a fighting group all year. They stayed together and kept fighting. — Sahuaro coach Scott McKee.
McKee also spoke on his seniors and their legacy, saying, "They helped change the trajectory of the program, they had a chance to bail on (the coaches) when things were bad and they dug in, and tonight we were a minute and a half away from getting that thing done."
Sam Martin
- Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
No. 11 Laveen Chavez 37, No. 6 Sabino 12
No. 11-seeded Cesar Chavez (10-1, 9-0) used a fast start and a dominant fourth quarter to upset No. 6 Sabino (8-2, 5-1) at home 37-12 on Friday night in the first round of the Division III playoffs.
Cesar Chavez caught Sabino on its heels early as quarterback Devyn Crockett scored on the game's first play from scrimmage on a 67-yard inside draw play to put the visitors ahead 7-0.
Sabino, who looked surprised to see the scoreboard change so quickly, came out stagnant to start the game, and Cesar Chavez took full advantage.
Things got worse for the Sabercats as Sabino’s kick returner fumbled the ensuing kickoff deep in its own territory and gave the ball right back to the road team.
Cesar Chavez added a field goal four plays later and found itself ahead 10-0 at the Saberdome within the first three minutes of the opening whistle.
“It’s a tough way to start the game but we responded and fought from there,” said Sabino coach Jay Campos.
Sabino was outmatched on both lines all night as Cesar Chavez had a noticeably prominent advantage in size on its defensive and offensive line. The Sabercats offense, lead by junior quarterback Drew Dixon, struggled heavily against the size of Cesar Chavez the whole game and had virtually no run game as a result.
Sabino's leading rusher carried the ball six times for only six yards. Drew Dixon, who has been one of the best athletes in southern Arizona this year, finished the game with minus-41 yards rushing.
“We were outweighed about 100 pounds per guy on the offensive and defensive lines,” Campos said. “We knew we weren’t going to be able to run the ball and we were going to have to throw the ball to have any chance to win the game.
Sabino was able to catch a break in the beginning of the second quarter after linebacker James Offerman intercepted a pass and returned it 26 yards to cut the lead to 10-7.
It was the only score of the first half for Sabino, which were forced to punt five times in the first half.
Sabino came out of halftime with a different offensive look as sophomore Alex Bell took over at quarterback and Dixon shifted to wideout. Bell connected with Dixon on two separate occasions for 41 yards on the opening drive of the second half that led to a Sabercat field goal and knotted the game at 10-10.
Cesar Chavez responded immediately on the next drive with a touchdown to regain the lead, and it never looked back.
The fourth quarter was completely controlled by Cesar Chavez, which used its size to wear out the Sabercats. Champion’s running back Pavone Meyers exploded early in the fourth quarter for a 55-yard-run that put the visitors ahead 23-12.
Two Dixon interceptions late in the quarter lead to 14 more points as Cesar Chavez took a commanding 37-12 lead.
After the game Campos noted that the size of Cesar Chavez’s school played a factor, as they are a new addition to Division III this season.
“This is a unique year that you have a school with 2,600 kids playing in Division III,” Campos said. “When you look at the depth of what you get in terms of size of kids, that’s a big difference. It's tough to compete against a school with those types of numbers."
Sabino, which has qualified for the playoffs for 14 consecutive seasons, is optimistic about the talent it has coming back and will use tonight’s loss as motivation for next year.
Campos said that this year’s team had a lot of inexperience coming into the season and they graduated a lot of guys from last year but “a lot of guys stepped up and grew up,” he said. “The game didn’t go the way we wanted it to tonight but our kids battled and I’m proud of the way they fought."
Nick Peppe
- Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Nov. 6: No. 8 Catalina Foothills 21, No. 9 Yuma Cibola 16
Catalina Foothills won its second football playoff game in school history in style on Friday night.
The Falcons snared a last-minute interception at the 3-yard line to hold off Yuma Cibola 21-16 in the first round of the Division III state tournament.
Falcon junior safety/receiver Jimmy Stewart picked off the Raiders with No. 8-seeded Foothills clinging to a 5-point lead and No. 9 Cibola driving.
“I’m just extremely happy right now,” Stewart said. “We haven’t won a playoff game here in so long and I know the school wanted it. Everyone was hyped for the game, everyone came out even though it was really cold and we came out and won.”
Stewart said he noticed the success Cibola was having with junior tight end Mark Walton and reacted.
“I just figured that down in the red zone, that’s where they’re going to try and get him the ball and once I saw the ball in the air, I just went and attacked and I got it,” Stewart said.
Foothills will visit top-seeded Paradise Valley next week. Paradise Valley beat No. 16 Tempe 55-17 on Friday night.
Catalina Foothills took a 21-10 lead on a 1-yard touchdown by senior running back/linebacker Preston Kime, but Cibola cut into the lead on a 6-yard pass to senior running back Jacob Durate, who had both the Raiders’ touchdowns. The Falcons foiled Cibola’s 2-point conversion though, meaning the Raiders would need a touchdown on their last drive.
“I couldn’t be happier, I couldn’t be more proud of the team,” said Foothills junior quarterback Rhett Rodriguez. “It’s probably the greatest moment of my life.”
After Cibola’s last score, the Foothills offense drove down the field but stalled in the Raider red zone and settled for a 27-yard field goal try on fourth-and-inches, which missed.
“I’m really kind of kicking myself because I had a play and usually when I have a play, I go for it,” said Foothills coach Jeff Scurran.
Rodriguez ran for 107 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries and passed for 144 yards and a touchdown, going 9 for 19.
After the game, Foothills students stormed the field to join the Falcon football players in celebration.
“It just feels great to have the support of the school behind you,” said Stewart, who had two catches for 34 yards.
Foothills junior safety Nick Lioy intercepted a Cibola pass in the end zone at the end of the second quarter.
“Eight and nine (seeds), two very evenly-matched football teams,” Scurran said. “They adjusted, we adjusted, they adjusted, we adjusted and it was just a good, entertaining high school football game. I’m glad my hair’s already gray.”
James Kelley
- Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Nov. 6: No. 4 Ironwood Ridge 34, No. 13 Sunnyside 30
The stage was set for another monumental first-round upset.
Sunnyside took its first lead against host Ironwood Ridge on a 51-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the fourth quarter Friday night. The Nighthawks had yet to score in the second half and it looked like the Blue Devils had pulled all the momentum to their sideline (see box score below).
But then Jared McKemy pulled it right back.
The I-Ridge senior receiver and defensive back caught a go-ahead 44-yard touchdown pass — his third of the night – less than 90 seconds after the Devils scored.
Then, the fourth-seeded Nighthawks pulled away from there and held off a late rally to beat No. 13 Sunnyside 34-30 and notch their first postseason victory since the 2012 Division II state championship game.
Ironwood Ridge (10-1) hosts fifth-seeded Tempe Marcos de Niza next Friday with a trip to the Division II state semifinals on the line. The Nighthawks rallied for a 35-24 road win against the Padres back on Oct. 16.
“It’s hard to play a team twice but we’ll be in the film room, we’ll study it,” said senior Harrison Beemiller, who passed for a touchdown and caught another. “We’ve got to come out hard and play tough.”
Until junior quarterback Cole Gerken rolled to his left and found McKemy wide open for score with 10:08 left in the fourth quarter on Friday night, it looked like I-Ridge was doomed for a third straight first-round elimination. Sunnyside stunned the Nighthawks 35-14 last fall and I-Ridge lost at Marcos de Niza 28-16 in the opening round of the 2013 postseason.
“To be honest, it was pretty scary,” McKemy said about Sunnyside taking the lead. “That’s what happened pretty early in last year’s game. So as soon as they got up, we got a little scared. But, with out backs against the wall, we started to fight and got lucky.”
Gerken completed 10 of 13 passes for 237 yards and four scores while McKemy finished with 152 yards on four catches, including two first-half touchdowns to help I-Ridge take a 21-8 lead.
“I wanted it bad,” McKemy said about getting redemption. “Since the day we saw we were playing them, as soon as we lost last year I wanted it.”
Behind senior quarterback Nick O’Hagin, Sunnyside (6-5) inched its way back into the game. O’Hagin scored on a 1-yard plunge with 3:20 left in the third quarter and hit Ruben Figueroa for the two-point conversion to make the score 21-16.
After a three-and-out by I-Ridge, O’Hagin needed just five plays before he found Daniel Hernandez open for a 51-yard touchdown pass. Then his run on the two-point attempt put the Blue Devils up 24-21
I-Ridge took it from there.
Gerken and the Nighthawks needed just four plays to retake the lead. And an interception by Beemiller on Sunnyside’s next possession set up a 15-yard touchdown pass from Gerken to Daniel Peabody, putting I-Ridge up 34-24 with 5:09 to play.
“It’s a great win but we have to go on to next week and stay hungry,” Peabody said. “The first round is the first round. We want to go to the state final, that’s our goal.”
O’Hagin, who had a career day with 150 yards rushing and 137 yards passing, connected with Jorge Dabdoub for a 9-yard touchdown with 2:20 remaining but the Blue Devils were unable to get the ball back again.
“I didn’t execute my job at a high level,” said O’Hagin, who had a hand in all four Sunnyside touchdowns but threw three interceptions. “Yeah, I had some plays here or there but I had some mistakes as well, which were costly turnovers. They’re a great team; I wish I could be happy but we expected more.”
Daniel Gaona
- Arizona Daily Star
Nov. 6: No. 4 Ironwood Ridge 34, No. 13 Sunnyside 30
The stage was set for another monumental first-round upset.
Sunnyside took its first lead against host Ironwood Ridge on a 51-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the fourth quarter Friday night. The Nighthawks had yet to score in the second half and it looked like the Blue Devils had pulled all the momentum to their sideline (see box score below).
But then Jared McKemy pulled it right back.
The I-Ridge senior receiver and defensive back caught a go-ahead 44-yard touchdown pass — his third of the night – less than 90 seconds after the Devils scored.
Then, the fourth-seeded Nighthawks pulled away from there and held off a late rally to beat No. 13 Sunnyside 34-30 and notch their first postseason victory since the 2012 Division II state championship game.
Ironwood Ridge (10-1) hosts fifth-seeded Tempe Marcos de Niza next Friday with a trip to the Division II state semifinals on the line. The Nighthawks rallied for a 35-24 road win against the Padres back on Oct. 16.
“It’s hard to play a team twice but we’ll be in the film room, we’ll study it,” said senior Harrison Beemiller, who passed for a touchdown and caught another. “We’ve got to come out hard and play tough.”
Until junior quarterback Cole Gerken rolled to his left and found McKemy wide open for score with 10:08 left in the fourth quarter on Friday night, it looked like I-Ridge was doomed for a third straight first-round elimination. Sunnyside stunned the Nighthawks 35-14 last fall and I-Ridge lost at Marcos de Niza 28-16 in the opening round of the 2013 postseason.
“To be honest, it was pretty scary,” McKemy said about Sunnyside taking the lead. “That’s what happened pretty early in last year’s game. So as soon as they got up, we got a little scared. But, with out backs against the wall, we started to fight and got lucky.”
Gerken completed 10 of 13 passes for 237 yards and four scores while McKemy finished with 152 yards on four catches, including two first-half touchdowns to help I-Ridge take a 21-8 lead.
“I wanted it bad,” McKemy said about getting redemption. “Since the day we saw we were playing them, as soon as we lost last year I wanted it.”
Behind senior quarterback Nick O’Hagin, Sunnyside (6-5) inched its way back into the game. O’Hagin scored on a 1-yard plunge with 3:20 left in the third quarter and hit Ruben Figueroa for the two-point conversion to make the score 21-16.
After a three-and-out by I-Ridge, O’Hagin needed just five plays before he found Daniel Hernandez open for a 51-yard touchdown pass. Then his run on the two-point attempt put the Blue Devils up 24-21
I-Ridge took it from there.
Gerken and the Nighthawks needed just four plays to retake the lead. And an interception by Beemiller on Sunnyside’s next possession set up a 15-yard touchdown pass from Gerken to Daniel Peabody, putting I-Ridge up 34-24 with 5:09 to play.
“It’s a great win but we have to go on to next week and stay hungry,” Peabody said. “The first round is the first round. We want to go to the state final, that’s our goal.”
O’Hagin, who had a career day with 150 yards rushing and 137 yards passing, connected with Jorge Dabdoub for a 9-yard touchdown with 2:20 remaining but the Blue Devils were unable to get the ball back again.
“I didn’t execute my job at a high level,” said O’Hagin, who had a hand in all four Sunnyside touchdowns but threw three interceptions. “Yeah, I had some plays here or there but I had some mistakes as well, which were costly turnovers. They’re a great team; I wish I could be happy but we expected more.”
Daniel Gaona
- Arizona Daily Star
No. 8 Catalina Foothills 21, No. 9 Yuma Cibola 16
Catalina Foothills won its second football playoff game in school history in style on Friday night.
The Falcons snared a last-minute interception at the 3-yard line to hold off Yuma Cibola 21-16 in the first round of the Division III state tournament.
Falcon junior safety/receiver Jimmy Stewart picked off the Raiders with No. 8-seeded Foothills clinging to a 5-point lead and No. 9 Cibola driving.
“I’m just extremely happy right now,” Stewart said. “We haven’t won a playoff game here in so long and I know the school wanted it. Everyone was hyped for the game, everyone came out even though it was really cold and we came out and won.”
Stewart said he noticed the success Cibola was having with junior tight end Mark Walton and reacted.
“I just figured that down in the red zone, that’s where they’re going to try and get him the ball and once I saw the ball in the air, I just went and attacked and I got it,” Stewart said.
Foothills will visit top-seeded Paradise Valley next week. Paradise Valley beat No. 16 Tempe 55-17 on Friday night.
Catalina Foothills took a 21-10 lead on a 1-yard touchdown by senior running back/linebacker Preston Kime, but Cibola cut into the lead on a 6-yard pass to senior running back Jacob Durate, who had both the Raiders’ touchdowns. The Falcons foiled Cibola’s 2-point conversion though, meaning the Raiders would need a touchdown on their last drive.
“I couldn’t be happier, I couldn’t be more proud of the team,” said Foothills junior quarterback Rhett Rodriguez. “It’s probably the greatest moment of my life.”
After Cibola’s last score, the Foothills offense drove down the field but stalled in the Raider red zone and settled for a 27-yard field goal try on fourth-and-inches, which missed.
“I’m really kind of kicking myself because I had a play and usually when I have a play, I go for it,” said Foothills coach Jeff Scurran.
Rodriguez ran for 107 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries and passed for 144 yards and a touchdown, going 9 for 19.
After the game, Foothills students stormed the field to join the Falcon football players in celebration.
“It just feels great to have the support of the school behind you,” said Stewart, who had two catches for 34 yards.
Foothills junior safety Nick Lioy intercepted a Cibola pass in the end zone at the end of the second quarter.
“Eight and nine (seeds), two very evenly-matched football teams,” Scurran said. “They adjusted, we adjusted, they adjusted, we adjusted and it was just a good, entertaining high school football game. I’m glad my hair’s already gray.”
James Kelley
- Arizona Daily Star
No. 6 Avondale Westview 49, No. 11 Tucson High 12
At Avondale Westview, the No. 6-seeded Knights imposed their will on the ground en route to 411 yards and six touchdowns to defeat the 11th-seeded Badgers.
After receiving the kickoff, Tucson took the ball 91 yards for a touchdown, but was unable to do much the rest of the game. Senior DeAndre Williams left the game just before halftime after receiving a late hit from a Westview player, which resulted in a penalty and ejection for the Knights' player.
Tucson was unable to stop the big play, as Westview had four touchdowns of 70 yards or more. The Badgers crept back into the game in the third quarter on a Malik Patterson touchdown reception to bring the lead within 28-12, but Westview took the kickoff for a touchdown to take back any momentum the Badgers had.
Tucson finishes the season 7-4.
Highlight reel
Williams caught a Jorge Flores screen and took it up field, making guys miss on the first drive of the game all the way to the 1-yard line. Flores then added the touchdown.
Player of the game
Patterson. The junior wide receiver had six catches for 92 yards and a touchdown.
By the numbers
3. Tucson won the penalty battle and played a pretty clean game, with only three compared to 12 for Westview.
He said it
"Nobody can take away what these guys accomplished this year. A section title and a playoff game, I am proud of all this group has done." — Tucson coach Justin Argraves
Mark Lawson
- Arizona Daily Star
No. 1 Mesa Skyline 15, No. 16 Sahuaro 10
At Mesa Skyline, the Division II state tournament almost saw a colossal upset as the No. 16-seeded Sahuaro Cougars rallied from down 15-0 at halftime against the No. 1-seeded Skyline Coyotes to within five points in the fourth quarter.
The Cougars would have the ball in the final minute with a chance to win the game, but their comeback was not to be as the Coyotes defense sacked Cougars quarterback Stephen Miller on the final play of the game.
Earlier in the fourth quarter, Miller led his team on a 14-play, 99-yard drive for the team's only touchdown, a 24-yard pass to seldom-used junior Vincent Dame. Miller would finish with 194 yards passing and a touchdown pass.
Skyline, without its top running back, still kept its offensive game mostly on the ground, scoring two first-half touchdowns on a pair of runs by running back Kaleb Hardin.
Hardin would finish with a game-high 35 carries and 185 yards rushing.
Highlight reel
With his team trailing 15-0 in the third quarter, Sahuaro defensive back Stone Grimm came around the left side of the line and blocked a Skyline punt attempt. The Cougars would recover at the 3-yard line of the Coyotes, but could only manage a field goal.
Player of the game
Miller completed 13 of 22 passes for 194 yards, with 155 coming in the second half as he put his team in a position to win the game on the final drive.
By the numbers
3. Turnovers created by the Sahuaro defense, all on fumble recoveries. The Cougar defense held Skyline to a season low in points.
He said it
"Our group has been a fighting group all year. They stayed together and kept fighting. — Sahuaro coach Scott McKee.
McKee also spoke on his seniors and their legacy, saying, "They helped change the trajectory of the program, they had a chance to bail on (the coaches) when things were bad and they dug in, and tonight we were a minute and a half away from getting that thing done."
Sam Martin
- Arizona Daily Star
No. 11 Laveen Chavez 37, No. 6 Sabino 12
No. 11-seeded Cesar Chavez (10-1, 9-0) used a fast start and a dominant fourth quarter to upset No. 6 Sabino (8-2, 5-1) at home 37-12 on Friday night in the first round of the Division III playoffs.
Cesar Chavez caught Sabino on its heels early as quarterback Devyn Crockett scored on the game's first play from scrimmage on a 67-yard inside draw play to put the visitors ahead 7-0.
Sabino, who looked surprised to see the scoreboard change so quickly, came out stagnant to start the game, and Cesar Chavez took full advantage.
Things got worse for the Sabercats as Sabino’s kick returner fumbled the ensuing kickoff deep in its own territory and gave the ball right back to the road team.
Cesar Chavez added a field goal four plays later and found itself ahead 10-0 at the Saberdome within the first three minutes of the opening whistle.
“It’s a tough way to start the game but we responded and fought from there,” said Sabino coach Jay Campos.
Sabino was outmatched on both lines all night as Cesar Chavez had a noticeably prominent advantage in size on its defensive and offensive line. The Sabercats offense, lead by junior quarterback Drew Dixon, struggled heavily against the size of Cesar Chavez the whole game and had virtually no run game as a result.
Sabino's leading rusher carried the ball six times for only six yards. Drew Dixon, who has been one of the best athletes in southern Arizona this year, finished the game with minus-41 yards rushing.
“We were outweighed about 100 pounds per guy on the offensive and defensive lines,” Campos said. “We knew we weren’t going to be able to run the ball and we were going to have to throw the ball to have any chance to win the game.
Sabino was able to catch a break in the beginning of the second quarter after linebacker James Offerman intercepted a pass and returned it 26 yards to cut the lead to 10-7.
It was the only score of the first half for Sabino, which were forced to punt five times in the first half.
Sabino came out of halftime with a different offensive look as sophomore Alex Bell took over at quarterback and Dixon shifted to wideout. Bell connected with Dixon on two separate occasions for 41 yards on the opening drive of the second half that led to a Sabercat field goal and knotted the game at 10-10.
Cesar Chavez responded immediately on the next drive with a touchdown to regain the lead, and it never looked back.
The fourth quarter was completely controlled by Cesar Chavez, which used its size to wear out the Sabercats. Champion’s running back Pavone Meyers exploded early in the fourth quarter for a 55-yard-run that put the visitors ahead 23-12.
Two Dixon interceptions late in the quarter lead to 14 more points as Cesar Chavez took a commanding 37-12 lead.
After the game Campos noted that the size of Cesar Chavez’s school played a factor, as they are a new addition to Division III this season.
“This is a unique year that you have a school with 2,600 kids playing in Division III,” Campos said. “When you look at the depth of what you get in terms of size of kids, that’s a big difference. It's tough to compete against a school with those types of numbers."
Sabino, which has qualified for the playoffs for 14 consecutive seasons, is optimistic about the talent it has coming back and will use tonight’s loss as motivation for next year.
Campos said that this year’s team had a lot of inexperience coming into the season and they graduated a lot of guys from last year but “a lot of guys stepped up and grew up,” he said. “The game didn’t go the way we wanted it to tonight but our kids battled and I’m proud of the way they fought."
Nick Peppe
- Arizona Daily Star
Nov. 6: No. 8 Catalina Foothills 21, No. 9 Yuma Cibola 16
Catalina Foothills won its second football playoff game in school history in style on Friday night.
The Falcons snared a last-minute interception at the 3-yard line to hold off Yuma Cibola 21-16 in the first round of the Division III state tournament.
Falcon junior safety/receiver Jimmy Stewart picked off the Raiders with No. 8-seeded Foothills clinging to a 5-point lead and No. 9 Cibola driving.
“I’m just extremely happy right now,” Stewart said. “We haven’t won a playoff game here in so long and I know the school wanted it. Everyone was hyped for the game, everyone came out even though it was really cold and we came out and won.”
Stewart said he noticed the success Cibola was having with junior tight end Mark Walton and reacted.
“I just figured that down in the red zone, that’s where they’re going to try and get him the ball and once I saw the ball in the air, I just went and attacked and I got it,” Stewart said.
Foothills will visit top-seeded Paradise Valley next week. Paradise Valley beat No. 16 Tempe 55-17 on Friday night.
Catalina Foothills took a 21-10 lead on a 1-yard touchdown by senior running back/linebacker Preston Kime, but Cibola cut into the lead on a 6-yard pass to senior running back Jacob Durate, who had both the Raiders’ touchdowns. The Falcons foiled Cibola’s 2-point conversion though, meaning the Raiders would need a touchdown on their last drive.
“I couldn’t be happier, I couldn’t be more proud of the team,” said Foothills junior quarterback Rhett Rodriguez. “It’s probably the greatest moment of my life.”
After Cibola’s last score, the Foothills offense drove down the field but stalled in the Raider red zone and settled for a 27-yard field goal try on fourth-and-inches, which missed.
“I’m really kind of kicking myself because I had a play and usually when I have a play, I go for it,” said Foothills coach Jeff Scurran.
Rodriguez ran for 107 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries and passed for 144 yards and a touchdown, going 9 for 19.
After the game, Foothills students stormed the field to join the Falcon football players in celebration.
“It just feels great to have the support of the school behind you,” said Stewart, who had two catches for 34 yards.
Foothills junior safety Nick Lioy intercepted a Cibola pass in the end zone at the end of the second quarter.
“Eight and nine (seeds), two very evenly-matched football teams,” Scurran said. “They adjusted, we adjusted, they adjusted, we adjusted and it was just a good, entertaining high school football game. I’m glad my hair’s already gray.”
James Kelley
- Arizona Daily Star
Nov. 6: No. 4 Ironwood Ridge 34, No. 13 Sunnyside 30
The stage was set for another monumental first-round upset.
Sunnyside took its first lead against host Ironwood Ridge on a 51-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the fourth quarter Friday night. The Nighthawks had yet to score in the second half and it looked like the Blue Devils had pulled all the momentum to their sideline (see box score below).
But then Jared McKemy pulled it right back.
The I-Ridge senior receiver and defensive back caught a go-ahead 44-yard touchdown pass — his third of the night – less than 90 seconds after the Devils scored.
Then, the fourth-seeded Nighthawks pulled away from there and held off a late rally to beat No. 13 Sunnyside 34-30 and notch their first postseason victory since the 2012 Division II state championship game.
Ironwood Ridge (10-1) hosts fifth-seeded Tempe Marcos de Niza next Friday with a trip to the Division II state semifinals on the line. The Nighthawks rallied for a 35-24 road win against the Padres back on Oct. 16.
“It’s hard to play a team twice but we’ll be in the film room, we’ll study it,” said senior Harrison Beemiller, who passed for a touchdown and caught another. “We’ve got to come out hard and play tough.”
Until junior quarterback Cole Gerken rolled to his left and found McKemy wide open for score with 10:08 left in the fourth quarter on Friday night, it looked like I-Ridge was doomed for a third straight first-round elimination. Sunnyside stunned the Nighthawks 35-14 last fall and I-Ridge lost at Marcos de Niza 28-16 in the opening round of the 2013 postseason.
“To be honest, it was pretty scary,” McKemy said about Sunnyside taking the lead. “That’s what happened pretty early in last year’s game. So as soon as they got up, we got a little scared. But, with out backs against the wall, we started to fight and got lucky.”
Gerken completed 10 of 13 passes for 237 yards and four scores while McKemy finished with 152 yards on four catches, including two first-half touchdowns to help I-Ridge take a 21-8 lead.
“I wanted it bad,” McKemy said about getting redemption. “Since the day we saw we were playing them, as soon as we lost last year I wanted it.”
Behind senior quarterback Nick O’Hagin, Sunnyside (6-5) inched its way back into the game. O’Hagin scored on a 1-yard plunge with 3:20 left in the third quarter and hit Ruben Figueroa for the two-point conversion to make the score 21-16.
After a three-and-out by I-Ridge, O’Hagin needed just five plays before he found Daniel Hernandez open for a 51-yard touchdown pass. Then his run on the two-point attempt put the Blue Devils up 24-21
I-Ridge took it from there.
Gerken and the Nighthawks needed just four plays to retake the lead. And an interception by Beemiller on Sunnyside’s next possession set up a 15-yard touchdown pass from Gerken to Daniel Peabody, putting I-Ridge up 34-24 with 5:09 to play.
“It’s a great win but we have to go on to next week and stay hungry,” Peabody said. “The first round is the first round. We want to go to the state final, that’s our goal.”
O’Hagin, who had a career day with 150 yards rushing and 137 yards passing, connected with Jorge Dabdoub for a 9-yard touchdown with 2:20 remaining but the Blue Devils were unable to get the ball back again.
“I didn’t execute my job at a high level,” said O’Hagin, who had a hand in all four Sunnyside touchdowns but threw three interceptions. “Yeah, I had some plays here or there but I had some mistakes as well, which were costly turnovers. They’re a great team; I wish I could be happy but we expected more.”
Daniel Gaona
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