Blue Devils to encounter nemesis in semifinals

Tucson, AZ, 11.27.2003 - Success for Sunnyside football has been much more than talented players and an unwavering desire for victory.

Call it coach Richard San-chez's simple calculation for winning: To beat the best teams, you must first learn how to play against them.

Friday night, the philosophy lives on as the fifth-seeded Blue Devils will play the Class 4A's top seed, Scottsdale Chaparral, in the state semifinals at Phoenix College.

"When I first took over this program, I put teams like South Mountain and Mesa on the schedule," Sanchez said. "The parents thought I was crazy, but I told the kids, 'if you want to win a state championship, you have to play these teams.' "

Since then, the matchups have changed, but not the philosophy.

It is because of these games that the Blue Devils have earn-ed great respect and developed rivalries with some of Phoenix area's top programs.

Since 2000, Sunnyside and Chaparral have met in the state championship game, last year's semifinals and in the regular season earlier this year.

The Firebirds have won all three, but according to coach Ron Estabrook, the matchup has developed into a rivalry "out of respect."

"They're a hard-hitting football team, and you're going to get smacked in the mouth," Estabrook said. "We enjoy play-ing them, and I think we scheduled each other out of res-pect for each other."

Normally a close contest, the latest of these mutual affairs was a 41-14 drubbing by Chaparral.

Sanchez saw the loss, the Devils' second straight to begin the season, as a learning experience, something that he foresaw as a backup plan from the outset.

Sanchez said, "it was a rough first two weeks," and Chaparral exposed Sunnyside's weaknesses, "but we've gotten better each game since then."

Estabrook has taken notice.

"They're a different team than when we played them in our first game of the season," Estabrook said. "Their offensive and defensive lines are better, and it will be harder to control the line in this game."

From a player's perspective, Sunnyside's Alfredo Mesa said he knows it's up to the team to prevail in this game.

"Our coaches have a good scheme," Mesa said. Xavier Smith "is running the ball well, and the line is getting the job done. We just have to pick up the blitzes and execute."

According to Sanchez, much of the plan will revolve around limiting the time Chaparral spends on offense.

"They're a big-play team and can go 70 yards just like that," Sanchez said. "So we'll have to move the chains and keep their offense on the sidelines."

Despite his staff's best efforts, he is still aware of the caliber of teams Estabrook fields.

"What don't they do well?" Sanchez said. "They're an outstanding team and we'll have to play our best game this year. Two years ago, we play-ed our best game in the semifinals."

Defensive end Ruben Leyva was a member of that team. He said he is confident Sunnyside can "pull this off."

"It's obvious that they're a good team," Leyva said. "But they're not invincible. We have to shut down their stars, and this is a team that can do that."