Sunnyside's Terrell Lennox (left) tries to block Tucson High's Carlos Castros (54) extra point in the third quarter.

XAVIER GALLEGOS/Tucson Citizen

Sunnyside holds off Tucson

D.J. Rodriguez
ARIZONA DAILY STAR

It wasn't exactly an upset, but it was progress.

Host Tucson outplayed and outscored Sunnyside in the second half of Friday's Class 5A Southern Region opener, but couldn't pull off the improbable win.

In the end, Sunnyside held on for a 26-14 win, thanks to a solid first half.

Two second-quarter touchdowns by tailback Mike Smith gave the Blue Devils some breathing room going into the half.

Sunnyside needed it.

Coach Jim Monaco challenged his team at halftime, and the Badgers responded.

"I just told them that you can't be a coward," Monaco said.

"It's really easy to not come out and play because you're already down."

After punting on its first possession of the second half, Tucson took its second possession 98 yards on 10 plays and cut into the Blue Devils' lead with a 2-yard plunge by Estevan Leyva.

The Blue Devils were shut out in the third quarter, but quickly put up a touchdown on the first play of the fourth on a 69-yard pass play from Sammy Olivas to Jovan Stevenson.

Tucson battled back and cut the lead to 26-14 with just over three minutes remaining. Tucson then recovered an onside kick, but turned the ball over.

Sunnyside's Bobby Rodriguez put the game away when he intercepted a Badgers' pass.

Play was suspended for 25 minutes midway through the third quarter when Tucson's Eddie Daniel collided with another player while making a tackle. Daniel was taken by ambulance to University Medical Center.