Blue Devils' Sanchez kept faith after losses

COACH OF THE YEAR

MICHAEL CACCAMISE
Tucson Citizen

Sunnyside High School football coach Richard Sanchez has built his team into one of the state's premier programs, dominating local Class 4A football.

But when Sanchez's Blue Devils started out 0-2 and won their third game over Goodyear Millennium 13-12, no one expected Sunnyside to come back and win the state title.

No one except Sanchez, that is.

"Our kids did a good job. After being 0-2, we weren't where we should have been," said Sanchez, the Tucson Citizen high school football coach of the year. "After we moved kids around - moving some kids out and some in - then we had a bit of an idea which kids were going to play and where we would be."

The Blue Devils finished the season 12-2 and won the 4A state championship game 21-13 over Glendale Cactus on Dec. 6 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe.

The first two games - against 5A powerhouse Salpointe Catholic and defending 4A state champ Scottsdale Chaparral - were huge in helping the Devils later in the year.

That was especially true when the Blue Devils met Chaparral again in the state semifinals. Chaparral had been called one of the state's best ever, but Sanchez's team walked away a 16-7 winner.

"The first two games were good tests for us," said Sanchez, who guided Sunnyside to the 2001 4A state title. "We put those teams on our schedule for that reason. They show you what your weaknesses are and what you need to do to fix them."

Sanchez didn't want to accept the coaching award by himself. He praised assistants Glenn Posey, Terry Seward and Raul Samorano, among others.

"I've got a great coaching staff," Sanchez said. "And, of course, our kids are very coachable and hard-working."

The Blue Devils will graduate just 10 seniors and return standouts Xavier Smith, a running back; quarterback Jaime Cota; and linebacker-defensive back Michael Carreon.

Those returning players have Sanchez eyeing another state title ring.

"That's all we talk about, that we have a shot at it. That's all you can ask for is to have a shot," said Sanchez, who is 95-36 in 11 seasons at Sunnyside. "The problem is that we are pretty deep in some positions, but it's a good problem to have.

"We're looking forward to trying to defend the state championship."