There's no place Ramon Abreu would rather be than on the football field. The last two seasons, particularly this past season, he spent more time on the field arguably than anyone. And Abreu's time was more than just quantity. It was quality.

Brophy swim coach Pat O’Neill knew Gabriel Espinosa was the favorite to win the 50-yard freestyle at the Division I state championship meet in early November.

TEAMS TO WATCH: Brophy boys: The Broncos begin a new era, as Pat O’Neill takes over as coach for Bill Kopas. In addition to winning 26 of the past 27 state titles, O’Neill believes he’s walking into Phoenix Brophy’s most talented team in years.

Believe it or not, there was a time when Kyle Ciliento thought he was never going to score a goal in high school. As a freshman at Phoenix Pinnacle, Ciliento failed to score in his first two matches.

Spencer Thompson thought for a minute and then talked about the one thing he never quite learned how to do in his four years on the Mountain Pointe soccer team.

Maybe the best way to measure Teddy Ruben’s value isn’t what he meant to Saguaro on the field, but what it would have been like without him.

If Scottsdale Christian is going to go where it wants to, Jacob Storrer will be the one to make it happen.

He’s been Corona del Sol’s ball boy, a player, a volunteer assistant, the junior varsity coach and varsity assistant.

In order to move forward, soccer coaches first must look back. At least that’s what Tim Barmettler does at Gilbert Highland, where his Hawks are the defending Class 5A-I state champions.

Players to Watch

A year ago in this space, it was decided the race for the 2A state championship would be muddled among a half-dozen schools.

Many of the faces are changed, but that giant target remains on the Valley Christian football program.

The following is a list of how East Valley participants fared in the P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon held Sunday: