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Sunnyside's Mike Smith heads upfield past Tucson High defenders. Sunnyside went on to win 26-14 in the 5A South game.

XAVIER GALLEGOS/Tucson Citizen

Devilish rebound



A strong passing performance by Sunnyside's QB helps the squad stop Tucson High.

JESSIE VANDERSON
Tucson Citizen 

Sunnyside High's young football team continues to grow up.  The juniors dominated as the visiting Blue Devils rebounded from a 28-point spanking by Mesa Mountain View last week to turn back Tucson High 26-14 last night.

The game marked the start of Class 5A South Region action for the teams. The Blue Devils, who rode a strong passing performance by junior quarterback Sammy Olivas, improved to 1-0 in region play, 3-3 overall.

Tucson High fell to 1-5 overall and 0-1 in the region.

"In the first couple of games, I was out there thinking too much, not relaxing and being comfortable," Olivas said.

In his best outing this season, Olivas hit 6 of 10 throws for 184 yards and a touchdown. He burned the Badgers for three tosses of more than 20 yards.

His biggest throw of the evening proved decisive. With Sunnyside leading 19-7, Olivas spotted halfback Jovan Stevenson racing loose on a deep swing pattern on the first play of the fourth quarter. 

Olivas laced a deep throw between two Badgers.

Stevenson grabbed it and sprinted for a 69-yard touchdown.

The score put Sunnyside back in control after Tucson High had cut the 19-0 Blue Devils' lead in the third quarter to 19-7 on a 2-yard run by halfback Estevan Leyva with 1:12 left in the period.

"We came to play today. We do not want to lose anymore," Sunnyside defensive end Alex Lucero said.

Tucson High linebacker Eddie Daniel, a senior, suffered an apparent neck injury early in the third quarter while trying to make a tackle. He was taken to Tucson Medical Center by ambulance for examination. The game was delayed 25 minutes.