SUNNYSIDE 27, IRONWOOD RIDGE 24
Devils assume throne with win
Sunnyside goes to air to defeat Ironwood Ridge
By Casey Crowe
arizona daily star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 11.01.2008

Sunnyside coach Richard Sanchez does not fear change.

The Blue Devils' trademark ground game was largely ineffective during the first half of Friday night's showdown with 5A-II Southern Region rival Ironwood Ridge.

So Sanchez allowed his offense to go airborne as quarterback Jesus Vega threw for 267 yards and two touchdowns en route to a 27-24 home victory that gave the Devils (7-2, 2-0) the region championship.

"Whatever they were gonna give us, run or pass, we were gonna take," Vega said. "We just came out wanting it more."

Ironwood Ridge (7-2, 1-1) had a 3-0 lead after a first quarter devoid of offensive explosion.

That all changed in the second quarter.

Nighthawks receiver Scott Campbell made leaping catches of 35 and 21 yards as Ironwood Ridge drove 80 yards on nine plays en route to the end zone and a 10-0 lead.

Sunnyside answered immediately. Less than 10 seconds after running back Adrian Brahler capped the Nighthawks' scoring drive with a 4-yard run, Vega found wideout Brandon Vaughn for an 80-yard touchdown.

Ironwood Ridge kept the pressure on. Following a kick return by Brahler to the Blue Devils' 43-yard line, the Nighthawks used a 30-yard strike from Tyler D'Amore to Campbell to set up a 13-yard scoring connection to tight end Ray Cottman.

After trailing 17-7 at the half, Sunnyside went right back to the air, throwing on five of its first six plays of the third.

With the Nighthawks thinking pass, Sunnyside used the run game as Alfred Leon took an end around 36 yards to cut the lead to one possession.

But Ironwood Ridge also continued to affect the scoreboard via the pass. D'Amore found lightly-used wideout Trevor Wesley for a 27-yard touchdown.

The Nighthawks secondary, however, couldn't stop Vega, who found Vaughn for another passing score on the next drive.

Trailing 24-21 with under 10 minutes left, Leon gave the Blue Devils wonderful field position, taking a punt return back to the Ironwood Ridge 23. That set up the game-deciding score by Vega's brother, Manny Aguilar.

"They took advantage of the areas where, personnel-wise, we are kind of weak," said Ironwood Ridge coach Gary Minor.

Even if Sunnyside loses next week to Rincon (2-7, 0-2), the Devils hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over IR and Mountain View (4-5, 1-1) for the region title.