Smith carries Sunnyside to triumph

Jason Scheer
ARIZONA DAILY STAR
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 11.11.2005

Sunnyside coach Richard Sanchez says running back Mike Smith has a way of scoring when Sunnyside needs it most.

On Thursday night, Smith scored four times - and ran for 171 yards - to lead Sunnyside to a 35-17 win over Glendale Sandra Day O'Connor in the first round of the 5A-II playoffs.

Sunnyside (7-4) raced to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter, thanks in part to Patrick Medina's interception of Eagles quarterback Ian Michels.

Medina returned it to the O'Connor 2. Smith then punched it in to give Sunnyside the 7-0 lead, and later added a 21-yard run to give Sunnyside a three-touchdown advantage.

But the Eagles came back and scored twice, on a 75-yard pass and a 51-yard reception by Shane Anderson, to make it 21-14 at the half.

Although the Eagles grabbed the momentum, Smith took it away when he scored from 4 yards to give Sunnyside a 28-14 lead in the third quarter.

"Mike has a way of doing that," Sanchez said. "His job is to provide the spark that the team needs."

Later in the third quarter, Smith added a 48-yard touchdown run to make the score 35-17.

Sunnyside will take on Centennial next Friday in Peoria.