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Sunnyside Defenders trip up
Ironwood Ridge's Jay Helixon [17] in the third quarter. |
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RENEE BRACOMENTE /
Tucson Citizen |
IRONWOOD RIDGE 15 SUNNYSIDE 14
Big strides by Nighthawks
Sunnyside forced to play without starting QB Jamie Valdez
RODNEY HAAS
Tucson Citizen
The last time Ironwood Ridge faced Sunnyside, the Nighthawks
were routed 49-7 in 2004.
In the three years since, Ironwood Ridge quietly built a
powerhouse in Class 4A, including a playoff win last season
against Canyon del Oro, before moving up to 5A this year.
The Nighthawks capped it off with a 15-14, playoff-clinching
victory over Sunnyside on Friday. D'Juan Cherry's 185 yards
and two touchdowns and a strong defense secured the win over
a stunned Sunnyside team playing without its starting
quarterback.
"To beat a storied program like Sunnyside . . . I can't tell
you how great of a win it is for the program," Ironwood
Ridge coach Gary Minor said.
Sunnyside took a 14-8 halftime lead on TD runs of 80 and 29
yards by Jovan Stevenson before Cherry's go-ahead score on a
2-yard run in the third quarter.
Ironwood Ridge (6-3, 2-0) travels to Mountain View (7-2,
2-0) next week to decide the 5A Southern B-II regional
title.
"It's kind of a neighborhood deal. Mountain View is actually
closer to our school than (Amphi) district rival CDO," Minor
said. But . . . our kids know the (Mountain View) kids . . .
and played Pop Warner together."
Senior QB Jamie Valdez did not play for Sunnyside (7-2,
0-2), which forfeited last week's win over Mountain View
after using an academically ineligible player. The player
was suspended, but Sunnyside coach Richard Sanchez would not
name him.
Ironwood Ridge held the Blue Devils to six first downs,
stopping them at midfield on the final drive.
"We have to get back to work," Sanchez said. |
