Coaches support Sunnyside, Sanchez in run to state title

TEMPE - With two Class 4A state titles in the past three seasons and 60 wins over the past five years, coach Richard San-chez is adored by the community surrounding Sunnyside High School.

He also has the respect of his peers in the coaching community.

"Sanchez is unbelievable," said Canyon del Oro coach Pat Nugent, one of several Southern Arizona coaches on hand for Saturday's championship game at Sun Devil Stadium.

Such respect is a contrast to the contempt that Sabino coach Jeff Scurran often faced during the Sabercats' run in the 1990s, when the school won three 4A titles and more than 100 games.

Catalina coach Shawn Wasson, whose Trojans were pasted 56-0 earlier this year by the Blue Devils, said he knows of some coaches who were rooting against Sunnyside, but he believes that was mostly out of jealousy.

"We were pulling for Sunnyside because we're from Tucson," Wasson said. "We want to see a Southern Arizona team win it."

Two-sided star

After being shut down in the first half, Sunnyside junior tailback Xavier Smith took over in the second half.

Smith gained 106 of his 120 rushing yards after halftime, and scored both of the Blue Devils' touchdowns after the break. The last, a 1-yard run with 1:28 left, sealed the game.

Smith also had a touchdown-saving tackle late in the third quarter when he stopped Cactus quarterback Bubba Bradley at the Sunnyside 3 on fourth-and-goal with the Devils up 14-10.

"Once he crossed the line, I hit him real hard," said Smith, who saw time at linebacker the last two games because of injuries.

Catchy last game

Sunnyside senior receiver Mike Quiroz did not get into the end zone, but his eight receptions for 108 yards were a key to the Devils' state championship.

"I have been working on getting open all year," Quiroz said. "I am not so fast, so I have to work for it."

Quiroz, who had all of his yards in the first 2 2/3 quarters of the game, fell short of the 4A title game marks for receptions (10) and yards (141) in a game.

Quiroz finished the year with 44 catches for 674 yards and 10 TDs, leading Sunnyside in all three categories.

Over the line

With 11 seconds left in the game, Sunnyside received a big scare when Bradley threw what could have been a game-tying 39-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Marin.

The score, which would have made it 21-19, was called back because Bradley had crossed the line of scrimmage on the play.

"I thought they were going for two. and we were going to overtime," junior defensive lineman Nick Guillen said. "My heart was pounding 100 miles an hour."

Quiroz said: "I saw he was past the line of scrimmage. But when I saw the flag, I was scared the penalty might be against us."