In the Spotlight: Jamie Cota

JAIME COTA

Sunnyside football / junior / quarterback / 6-1

* The lowdown: Cota had a career day in leading Sunnyside to the Class 4A state title on Dec. 6. He then decided he would not rejoin the school's four-time defending state champion wrestling team for his junior season so that he could devote his time to football. Cota was the runner-up in the 145-pound weight class at last season's state tournament.

* State championship machine: Cota has been a member of four state championship teams at Sunnyside (two in football, two in wrestling). He was a freshman when the Blue Devils won the 2001 football crown, and the wrestling team won consecutive titles in his freshman and sophomore seasons.

* Bling-bling: Cota sports a state championship ring from the 2001 football season, and he was fitted for his 2003 title ring this week.

* On why he chose to give up wrestling: "I had a talk with my family, and we decided that I should concentrate on trying to earn a college scholarship by playing football."

* Favorite book: "The Hobbit," by J.R.R. Tolkien

* CD currently in his stereo: OutKast, "Speakerboxxx/The Love Below"

* Favorite sports movie: "Remember the Titans"

* Favorite Christmas activity: "Eating my mom's menudo."

* Favorite athlete: Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick

* Favorite Mexican food place: Micha's restaurant

* Role models: "My parents, Felix and Cecilia."

* Dream place to play college football: University of Southern California

* If Cota could be any animal on earth, he would be: "A lion. He's the king."

* Favorite Web site: Cota jokingly replied, "bubbabradley.com." Bubba Bradley was the starting quarterback at Glendale Cactus High School, the team Sunnyside beat for the state title earlier this month. Bradley runs a Web site detailing his accomplishments as an athlete.

* A Devil through and through: Cota is a fan of Arizona State, not the UA. "My uncle went there, and I like their football program. And, of course, they are Devils."

* Goals for the remainder of his high school career: "I want to finish school strong with a 4.0 (grade point average), and I'd like to win another state championship."

* Coach-speak: "I can't say enough about the prog-ress he has made, not only in terms of his on-field ability, but with his leadership. He has really turned out to be an excellent leader for this team. Luckily for us, we get to have him back for another year." - Sunnyside football coach Richard Sanchez

Photo by David Sanders and Benjie Sanders /Arizona Daily Star