Show Low football coach Randy Ricedorff, a Mesa Westwood graduate and former assistant with the Warriors, is almost on top of the coaching world.
Ricedorff left Phoenix Trevor Browne after two seasons last winter. The Bruins were 1-9 and 2-8 in the Northwest Region each of Ricedorff’s years there. Last Friday, Show Low avenged its only loss of the season (28-0) by shocking previously unbeaten Lakeside Blue Ridge, 17-7, in the 3A semifinals.
Another former Westwood and Mesa Red Mountain assistant, George De La Torre, is weaving a similar story at Phoenix South Mountain. De La Torre, in his third season at South, watched his Jaguars stun Phoenix Pinnacle last week to reach the 5A Division II semifinals. South is 11-1 this season. It’s only loss is to 5A-I Westwood.
BYE WEEK FOR ALL
Last year, 5A-I and 4A-I got a week off between the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds. This year, 5A-II and 4A-II get the same treatment. Speaking from experience, Chandler Hamilton football coach Steve Belles likes the break from action.
“I like it for a lot of reasons,” Belles said. “It gives you a chance to get kids healthy. You also can work on refining what you do for a few days and then concentrate on your opponent. We’ll practice Thursday (Thanksgiving) morning and then take Friday, Saturday and Sunday off. I think it works out well.”
GOING WILD
Scottsdale Notre Dame’s Andy Wilder never gets a break, and on Friday he never gave Queen Creek one.
Wilder plays offense, defense and is the kicker on the Saints’ football team. He scored in all three facets of the game in Notre Dame’s 42-15 quarterfinal win over the Bulldogs, catching a 28-yard touchdown pass, intercepting a ball and returning it 31 yards for a score and kicking six extra points.
MORE SIGNEES
Mesa Dobson’s Krista Hicks signed a letter of intent to play softball at Brigham Young University.
Gilbert Mesquite’s Chris Jensen has signed to play baseball at the University of San Diego.
Mari Greenberg from Scottsdale Desert Mountain committed early last month to play soccer at Lehigh University.
Chandler Valley Christian volleyball middle blocker Kelsey Moore signed to play at UTEP.
Tribune writers Kyle Odegard and Mark Heller contributed to this story.
