For the first part of this season, the Mesa boys basketball team’s reputation was scarier than its bite.

Ken Whisenhunt’s initial Cardinals coaching staff got its first member Thursday when the team hired Seattle Seahawks defensive backs coach Teryl Austin for the same job in Arizona.

The 2007 Centennial Coyotes were too talented and too focused. In an all Desert West Region 5A Div-II state championship battle the top seeded Coyotes (13-1) scored on four of their first five possessions against No. 6 Westview (10-4) on their way to a 26-7 victory Friday at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale. Click here for a photo gallery The heroics would be shared by family members as cousins Jeff Hughes, a senior and junior John Hughes had Westview seeing double. In leading Centennial to their second straight championship the duo combined for four touchdowns and three interceptions. "That family has so much athletic talent it's unbelievable," senior teammate Adam Shipley said. "Some of the things they do are unbelievable. I'm jealous, but I'm glad they're on my team." Junior running back John Hughes was the story of the first half scoring twice on a pair of incredible individual efforts. A 99 yard kickoff return for a touchdown on the game's opening play was called back due to a block in the back penalty, but it was a sign of things to come in what was a spectacular half of football from the junior who capped the game's opening 24 minutes by intercepting a Albert Lizarraga's pass as the half came to a close. "I think even though we had a penalty that play sent a strong message that we were ready to play," said the junior about the kickoff return. Centennial opened the game's scoring when John's older cousin Jeff was on the receiving end of a 28-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Scott Burgett on 3rd-and-21. "That was a big play, because it was a third and long," Burgett said. "It was big for us to get that first score." Westview, which lost 20-14 to Centennial during their regular season matchup, initially showed that they might be capable of getting into a shootout with the Coyotes, using a 53 yard halfback option pass to set up a 2-yard Reggie Nicholson touchdown which gave the Knights a 7-6 lead at the 9:03 mark of the first half. It would be a mirage though as a potent Westview running game was brought to a halt by the Coyotes defense. Westview, which reached the finals on the strength of Nicholson, who rushed for 1,825 yards and 26 touchdowns through the Knights first 13 games and Brian Conley who rushed for 1,733 yards and 20 touchdowns found few holes against the Centennial defense. On 25 carries the two Knights backs combined for a pedestrian 115 yards. "Our goal was to stop the run," said Shipley, one of the Coyotes linebackers. "Our coaches put us in the right positions all night. Once we stopped the run and made them pass it was a big advantage for us." Taking full advantage Centennial intercepted Knights quarterback Albert Lizarraga three times, with Jeff Hughes coming up with two picks in the second half. Field position would be a big factor in the first half. After their lone non-scoring drive of the first half Coyotes punter Ben Werft's 45-yard effort pinned Westview at their own 2. When the Knights failed to move the ball the Coyotes took advantage of good field position going 27 yards in five plays. Facing a 4th-and-4 from the Westview 10 Burgett had trouble with the shotgun snap as it went through his hands. Scrambling to his left the senior quarterback picked up the ball and tossed a short pass to John Hughes in the left flat. It was then that Hughes did his first of two Houdini-like acts. Pinned in near the sideline the junior cut all the way across the field weaving his way through the entire Westview defense to score in the right corner of the end zone. After going with a largely vanilla playbook in the first matchup with Westview the Coyotes more closely resembled Baskin Robbins 31 flavors as they threw everything but the kitchen sink at the Knights going with five wide receiver formations on numerous occasions throughout the game. The philosophy was simple. "We've got so many weapons, " said Burgett who finished the night 11-of-17 for 205 yards and three touchdowns. "When we're going good nobody can stop us. John, Jeff, Jarrell (Barbour) they've got unbelievable moves. Every time I get them the ball I expect at least 10 yards and you always have the chance that they'll score. I think we put Westview on their heels with all the looks we showed them." Alternating touchdowns it would be Jeff making the score 20-7 early in the second capping a five-play drive with a 3-yard touchdown run. While Jeff Hughes would be the primary ground gainer for Centennial throughout the season it would be a 27-yard catch from Burgett to that would set up the score. "We planned to pass it more tonight," said the senior who finished with three receptions for 70 yards and a score. "It was just a matter of Scott making the right reads and getting the ball to his play makers. I was glad I got a chance to make some plays tonight." John would cap the game's scoring right before the have when he once again ran through the defense for a 27 yard touchdown making a cut that left three Knights defenders in the dust before running past the remaining Westview players, again cutting all the way across the field in the process. Centennial coach Dick Taylor who improved to 35-1 in three seasons at the 5A Div-II level expressed pride in his team's approach. "These guys love to compete with one and other," he said. "Our practices this year were unbelievable." Despite the talents of the players on the Coyotes roster team success has been the overriding priority. We're not trying to create stars, we're trying to win championships," he said. "A lot of teams have players that put up bigger numbers than our guys do, but if they're lucky enough to get here (the championship game) they're pretty beat up. We create depth by using a multitude of guys." While all the players celebrated gleefully perhaps none enjoyed the experience as much as senior Kendrick McBride who transferred to Centennial this season after spending the last couple season on losing teams at Kofa High School in Yuma. "I can't even say what I'm feeling, I've never been this happy in my life," he said.

TUCSON - It should come as no surprise that Arizona coach Mike Stoops managed to right a sinking defensive ship during his first season atop the Wildcats’ program.

Scottsdale Saguaro’s defensive line didn’t break out capes, but it played like superheroes in the second half.

Coming into opening night of this season, Highland felt very little respect.

Only about a dozen NHL players have moved in the first week of the free agency period, but the Coyotes have been one of the league’s most active teams, signing both forward Boyd Devereaux and defenseman Sean O’Donnell quickly to deals.

August 13, 2004

On Sunday, the Tribune released a list of 10 offensive players to watch in the upcoming football season. Ask many coaches, though, and it’s defense that wins championships. While the offensive stars are readying to score points, the defenders are counting down the days until they can zero in on opposing quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers.

November 28, 2004

Tempe High’s defense made an about-face Friday night, holding Scottsdale Coronado in check during a 9-8 4A East Sky Region victory.

The Pinnacle Pioneers are new to the 5A Div-II ranks, but they're wasting little time in introducing themselves to the competition. On Thursday night the new kids on the block ran their record to 4-0 by crushing 5A-I Mountain Ridge 43-17. "I think we were all shocked," said Mountain Ridge junior quarterback Kevin Yost following the game. "They came out so fast. We were down 22-0 before we even got going." With senior quarterback Evan Johnson getting to the perimeter where he showed an accurate arm as well as the ability to tuck it under and run the Pioneers had their most impressive offensive showing of the season. "For sure, this was our breakout game offensively, "Pinnacle coach Dana Zupke said. "It all jelled tonight. We've got a good one in Evan. We ask him to make some decisions at the line and he does a good job. He's a good athlete, but also a real smart kid. That's what you hope for in a senior quarterback." Johnson's first half performance saw the senior complete his first seven passes racking up 139 yards and a touchdown in addition to 22 yards rushing on four carries and a second score. The Mountain Lions (2-2), who hadn't given up more than 21 points in a game through their first three contests this season, were on the wrong end of a 22-0 score at the end of the first quarter. When it wasn't Johnson hurting the squad from Glendale it was junior running back Taylor Stib, who finished with 61 yards on 17 carries and a score, also proving to be a challenge. Setting the tone on the game's opening drive the Pioneers marched 80 yards in 11 plays capping the drive with a 4-yard touchdown run by Johnson at the 8:12 mark of the first quarter. A bad snap on the point after attempt ended with senior Jonathon Christ taking the ball in around the left end to make the score 8-0. "We knew they were a tough team, but we got it going early and kept piling it on them," Johnson said. Before Mountain Ridge's defense could regroup they were back out on the field as the first Mountain Lions offensive series went three and out as penalties caused UCLA-bound kicker Jeff Locke to punt out of his own end zone. With a 22 yard run back by senior Max Zemezonak Pinnacle started its second drive on the Mountain Ridge 16. Two Stib runs later the score was 15-0. The first quarter fireworks by the home team were capped on a 37 yard connection between Johnson and Zemezonak four minutes later. On a pass over the middle Zemezonak hauled in the pass at approximately the Mountain Ridge 20, made one man miss before racing to the end zone. With 2:21 remaining in the first quarter coach Bobby Green and the Mountain Lions were down 22-0 having not even earned their first first down of the night. Eventually Mountain Ridge would find a rhythm offensively going 69 yards in 12 plays early in the second quarter, a drive that ended in a Locke 28 yard field goal. It didn't matter as the Mountain Lions had no answers for a Pinnacle offense, which scored touchdowns on four of its five first half possessions. The only bright spot defensively came when senior defensive back Matt Gordoa picked off a Johnson pass deep in Mountain Lions territory to prevent another Pinnacle scoring opportunity. Mountain Ridge's offense seemingly got some momentum going towards the end of the first half going 70 yards in the final 2:25 minutes of the half to set up Locke for a 27 yard field goal attempt. If there was a sign that it wasn't the Mountain Lions seeing Locke, who set the state record for longest field goal in a game earlier in the season, miss the chip shot to the end the first half might have been it. To the Mountain Lions credit they didn't lie down in the second half. On the first series after the break Yost threw the ball 55 yards in the air hitting senior running back Giorgio Giurdanella in stride as the senior took the ball the final 15 yards to the end zone for a 70 yard touchdown strike less than two minutes into the second half. "When we were able to do that I still though we were going to comeback and win," Yost said. "I really thought that play was going to give us the momentum." Instead it was more of the same from a strikingly efficient Pinnacle offense which responded with a 12-play 80 yard drive that took nearly six minutes off the clock. On 3rd-and-14 from the Mountain Ridge 22 the Mountain Lions got some rare pressure on Johnson. Instead of coming up with a sack though Johnson scrambled away from three Mountain Ridge defenders in the backfield, looked up field and took off. Breaking two tackles on the way to his second rushing touchdown of the night Johnson removed any lingering doubts about the game's outcome as he made the score 36-10 with less than five minutes remaining in the third quarter. Johnson said he and his teammates aren't getting big heads, but admitted so far they're liking the 5A ranks. "The only thing we knew coming into the seasn was that we'd give everybody a battle," he said. "If people want to keep making us the underdogs that's fine. We'll just keep trying to prove them wrong." Yost said the Mountain Lions need to put the loss behind them. "We'll come out hard at practice and get back to the basics," he said. "We need to get better."

Junior Kelsey Bohman had four aces and 12 kills while freshman teammate Stephanie Preach had eight kills and three aces en route to a 25-16, 25-19, 16-25, 25-18 win by Phoenix Xavier over Phoenix Desert Vista in a girls volleyball season opener Tuesday.

Matt Smith and his fellow defensive backs tried to be subtle about it.

The seniors’ chairs aren’t cold yet but the juniors on the Centennial girls volleyball team are already planning how they’ll run things next year.

Cactus coach Larry Fetkenhier said his defense felt sorry for itself heading into halftime.

Liberty seniors Jordan Sims and Herb Dew would match up fairly well with Goodyear Desert Edge seniors Ryan Whitehead and Khalfuni Marks in a two-on-two game.

March 6, 2005

ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia's defense last season left its mark in the school's record books.

Travis Huff rushed for 186 yards and Scottsdale Coronado’s defense limited host Glendale to 40 yards from scrimmage during a 24-0 win Friday night in a 4A Division I nonregion matchup.

Chandler Seton Catholic’s spread offense shined in its season debut, but it took an inspired defensive effort to lift the Sentinels to a 31-21 victory over host Peoria Liberty Friday.

LAHAINA, Hawaii - Connecticut’s star had an off night and his teammates made sure it didn’t mean a loss. Despite sophomore forward Rudy Gay only scoring six points on 2-for-10 shooting with five turnovers, the third-ranked Huskies held No. 9 Arizona without a field goal for a five-minute stretch of the second half in a 79-70 victory Tuesday night in the semifinals of the Maui Invitational.

LAHAINA, Hawaii - Connecticut’s star had an off night and his teammates made sure it didn’t mean a loss. Despite sophomore forward Rudy Gay only scoring six points on 2-for-10 shooting with five turnovers, the third-ranked Huskies held No. 9 Arizona without a field goal for a five-minute stretch of the second half in a 79-70 victory Tuesday night in the semifinals of the Maui Invitational.