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Mike Rynearson/
The Arizona Republic |
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Cactus High defensive back Kyle Carpenter wraps up Sunnyside running back
Xavier Smith, in the 1st quarter, in State 4A Championship Finals action, at Sun Devil Stadium, on Dec. 6, 2003. |
Sunnyside outlasts
Cactus
Penalty kills Cobras' rally
Richard Obert
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 7, 2003 12:00 AM
It was one last gasp, but this time, Glendale Cactus
quarterback Bubba Bradley couldn't escape Tucson Sunnyside's grasp.
Bradley stumbled away from would-be tacklers and fell
to the Sun Devil Stadium turf. He lay face down on Sunnyside's 45-yard
line, weeping, as the final seconds ticked down Saturday, sealing
Sunnyside's 21-13 victory over Cactus.
The Blue Devils (12-2) jumped into each other's arms,
celebrating their second Class 4A state championship in three years.
"Last year we fell short and we were devastated by
that loss (to Scottsdale Chaparral in the semifinals)," coach Richard
Sanchez said. "We were determined to make it back and win it."
Cactus coach Larry Fetkenhier can relate to the feeling of devastation.
"It's terrible," Fetkenhier said.
"It will get even more disappointing as it sinks in."
Sunnyside overcame an early 10-0 deficit, finding a
way by corralling Bradley (16 for 26, 172 yards), tailback Nigel Ricks
(75 yards) and the Cobras' no-huddle offense.
But the win wasn't secured until the final possession.
Bradley marched the Cobras (12-2) for what they hoped
would be a game-tying touchdown and two-point conversion. He found Kevin
Marin wide open for a touchdown with 11 seconds left, but as Marin
caught the ball and ran into the end zone, a flag lay near Bradley's
feet.
The TD was called back because Bradley was beyond the line of scrimmage, the Sunnyside 39, when he threw.
"I don't know, I couldn't tell," Bradley said about being beyond the scrimmage line"
Bradley, a senior, tied a season state record by
kicking his 18th and 19th field goals. He might have had a third, but
Fetkenhier elected to go for a touchdown on fourth and goal at the 4
with 36 seconds left in the third quarter and Sunnyside leading 14-10.
Bradley scrambled for only a yard, turning the ball
over on downs. The Blue Devils ended up punting, allowing Cactus to
start its next possession on the Sunnyside 43. The Cobras scored five
minutes later on a 22-yard Bradley field goal.
The score stayed 14-13 until Sunnyside's Xavier Smith scored on a 1-yard run with 1:28 left. Smith's 50-yard run set up the clinching score.
Cactus controlled matters early, running 27 plays to
Sunnyside's six in taking a 10-0 lead with 10:28 left in the first half.
Bradley accounted for all the points with a 4-yard touchdown run, an
extra point and a 32-yard field goal.
Take away a 41-yard pass play and Sunnyside had only 15 yards in the first quarter.
The Blue Devils finally got on the board when quarterback Jaime
Cota, who was 12 for 18 for 158 yards, found Mike Villalobos for a 17-yard scoring play with 1:54 left in the half. The score was set up by Cota's 22-yard run.
"They prepared for the run, but they didn't prepare well for the pass," said Blue Devils wide receiver
Mike Quiroz, who had eight catches for 108 yards.
Starting the second half from the Sunnyside 20, Cota
attacked Cactus with quick passes. He completed four in a row, two to
Quiroz, before Smith ran 32 yards to give the Blue Devils a 14-10 lead
with 8:33 left in the third quarter.
Smith, averaging 10.2 yards per carry this year, had
only 14 yards on seven first-half runs. He began finding cracks in
Cactus' defense in the second half to finish with 120 yards.
"Our kids made plays when they had to," Sanchez said. |
