NOTE: This 2011 high school football preview covers the area from north Scottsdale west through Phoenix, the southwest and northwest Valley, northwest Arizona, northern Arizona and northeast Arizona, including Native American communities.

 

By Don Ketchum

The Arizona Interscholastic Association’s new alignments allowed Avondale Westview to rid itself of football nemeses Scottsdale Chaparral and Peoria Centennial.

Chaparral did not jump to the new Division I as many had thought it would, and Centennial stayed put, instead choosing to be in Division II. Westview, a perennial power in the old Class 5A Division II, moved up to Division I.

So now there is a new, even more powerful obstacle for Westview to overcome during the playoffs – Chandler Hamilton, winner of the last three Class 5A Division I titles.

Westview is in the least-strong section of the three sections, which should allow for a relatively problem-free advancement to the playoffs.

The Knights are in a section that includes many of the Phoenix Union High School District schools that have struggled during the last decade.

Also in the section are Phoenix Alhambra, Phoenix Carl Hayden, Phoenix Central, Yuma Cibola, Yuma Kofa, Phoenix Maryvale, Phoenix North, Phoenix St. Mary’s, San Luis, Tolleson, Phoenix Trevor Browne, Surprise Valley Vista and Yuma.

Coach Jeff Bowen, 63-34 at Westview and 82-55 overall, should have another team that relies on the ground game.

The offense is led by running back Seivion Morris. Other key components are guard Andrew Godinez, running back Shayne Miller, tight end Ardis Palmer, quarterback Blake Hahn, tackle Mario Rodriguez, running back Hakeem Hannix, running back Devonte Coleman, center Manuel Martinez, tackle Serjio Hernandez, guard Christian Balderas and guard Essie Weaver.

The defense also must come up with consistent efforts. Key players for that unit are linebacker Chuks Amaechi, safety Robbie Mendez, safety Jordan Keel, tackle Cody Rediger, end Malik Timmons, cornerback Guillermo Cuevas, end Trever Graves, cornerback De’Aundre Sanders, linebacker Dylan Urquilla and linebacker Frankie Lopez.

Bowen is optimistic about how the new alignments will work.

“I think it is a wait and see situation,’’ he said. “I just hope at the end of the season, that a majority of the people involved feel it is successful for the players and the schools involved.’’

A different group of Knights, these from St. Mary’s, are optimistic about the new alignment and are looking to recapture some of the success that permeated the program under Pat Farrell in the late 1970s, 1980s and the early part of the 1990s.

Eddy Zubey attempted to rejuvenate the program, but it didn’t work and he moved on to Gilbert Higley. Now comes Todd Williamson, who did a solid job with the program at Central under similar circumstances that he has now.

“I think the new section and divisions will work out just fine for us,’’ Williamson said. “We are in a section where we can be competitive, and make a run at the playoffs.’’

Among the players on whom Williamson will rely the most – receiver Lukas Treffers, running  back Jay Lopez, two-way lineman Ian Walker, cornerback Alejandro Venzor, wide receiver Andrew Gomez, safety Peter Gonzales, two-way lineman Matthew Sessions and quarterback Joseph Fredrico.

Tolleson was winless in 2010, but the situation is not hopeless with Mike Brown at the helm. He has a good group of players this season – running back-wide receiver-defensive back John Flowers, running back-linebacker Eric Ivy, two-way lineman Roger Garcia, wide receiver-defensive back Billy Wilson, tight end-linebacker Grant West and guard-linebacker Tayler Price.

Valley Vista’s Jason Wilke also has optimism in the new section for his program, which was 3-7 last season.

His top players are Giovanni Pascascio, linebacker Jack Hastings, offensive lineman Kyle French, free safety Miles Spearman, quarterback Dalvin Richardson and strong safety Jacob Bukowiecki.

Division I, Section II is made up mostly of East Valley schools and a few from Tucson.

Division II, Section III is a mixture of East Valley schools and programs from other areas in metro Phoenix.

Section III is Anthem Boulder Creek, Phoenix Brophy Prep, Scottsdale Desert Mountain, Phoenix Desert Vista, Mesa, Phoenix Mountain Pointe, Glendale Mountain Ridge, Mesa Mountain View, Phoenix North Canyon, Phoenix Pinnacle, Mesa Red Mountain, Phoenix Sandra Day O’Connor and Mesa Westwood.

Boulder Creek finished 9-4 under coach Dan Friedman, and faces a schedule that will test the program. Among his top players are receiver Marquis Bundy, quarterback Trevor Bonifasi, two-way lineman Austin Farnlof, defensive back Jimmy Boulton and linebacker Sean Pratt.

North Canyon begins a new season with a new head coach, Conrad Hamilton. He is the former defensive coordinator at Scottsdale Chaparral. Hamilton won’t have the same talent pool he did previously, but expect the Rattlers to be every bit as intense.

Hamilton has one of the state’s top all-around athletes in receiver Jamar Allah, a wide receiver and defensive back who has received college offers from Arizona State, Wyoming and Montana.

Other key players are Kye Russel, running back-linebacker Tyler Ellenberger, wide receiver Stokeley Sessions, offensive tackle-defensive end Hunter Peterson, linebacker Austin Seargant and linebacker Tony Dodson.

Desert Mountain will be trying to rebound from an 0-10 season. The Wolves are very young, and they will have to mature on the job.

Mountain Ridge will have to restock the shelf on offense, and if it can do that, it could challenge for a playoff spot.

Pinnacle showed potential last season with a 6-5 record, and now looks to pick up the pace with Jackson Harley back at quarterback.

John Rodriguez enters his third season as coach at Sandra Day O’Connor, and it will be difficult to match last season’s 11-1 finish, particularly with many of those players out the door due to graduation. Senior Brendon Erickson steps in at quarterback.