CENTENNIAL READY TO TAKE OUT FRUSTRATIONS IN 5A-II

Note: This preview focuses on schools throughout the City of Phoenix, the northwest and southwest Valley, western, northern and northeastern Arizona.

By Don Ketchum

Peoria Centennial is good. Now the Coyotes are angry, too, and that could be a bad sign for Class 5A Division II football opponents.

Centennial was thought to be headed for a fourth straight state title last season when Tempe Marcos de Niza scored a stunning 16-14 upset in the semifinals. Marcos de Niza later fell to Scottsdale Chaparral in the championship game.

Coach Richard Taylor hopes his balanced roster will lead him down the path to the title game, where a showdown with powerful Chaparral is a strong possibility.

Taylor lists these seniors among his key players: linemen Jake Abbott, Hunter Finn and Wilson January; fullback-linebacker Jebron Harrington, safety Vegas Johnson, wide receivers Julien Singleton and Gary Ross, and running back Tevin Ray.

There is a productive group of juniors, too: quarterback Justin Sanchez, running back-safety Zach Hoffpauir, lineman Devin Leon, wide receiver Hayden Sovacki, quarterback-wide receiver Troy Hawthorne and running back-linebacker Walter Nunley.

Centennial’s primary challenge in the Class 5A Desert West Region will come from Avondale Westview.

“We like this group of players,’’ Westview coach Jeff Bowen said. “We have a roster of 65 players that have worked harder in the offseason than any team we’ve had. The chemistry is excellent and the work ethic is very good. We feel we will be very formidable again this year.’’

Westview’s top seniors are center Brennan Bowen, running back-defensive back Jordan Champion, tight end Zach Nolte and linebackers Xavier Lopez and Zach Chavez. The top juniors are running back Shayne Miller, defensive lineman Cody Rediger and place-kicker Jacob Szostek.

Former NFL assistant coach George Martinez has taken over the program at Goodyear Millennium. A playoff spot is well within the realm of possibility.

Martinez lists these senior standouts: linebacker Gino Jacobs, running back DeAnthony Easley, tight end Blair Burns, defensive back Gabe Whitehead, linebacker Jarod Haupt, defensive lineman Austyn Hull Hull and wide receivers Jon Anzar and Troy Terry.

Also, these juniors: running back Alex Magana, linebacker Jason Fitzgerald, quarterback Chad Hons, quarterback Taylor Nezdoba, defensive back Daniel Peterson, fullback Zach Meffert, linebacker James Dopson and wide receiver Kieren Duncan.

These three new coaches will face a big challenge in 2010: Ian Curtis (Glendale Ironwood), Michael Gunderson (Avondale La Joya) and Mike Brown (Tolleson).

Is Chaparral better than last year’s title team? Everyone, especially those teams in the Desert Valley Region, is about to find out.

The Firebirds feature an outstanding junior quarterback in Connor Brewer and a versatile junior Davontae Neal, who should be all over the field at tailback, wide receiver and cornerback.

Scottsdale Desert Mountain finished as the No. 6 seed in the playoffs and defeated Tucson Ironwood Ridge and Millennium before falling to Chaparral in the semifinals. Quarterback Drew Seaman is back to lead the Wolves this season for coach Tony Tabor.

Phoenix Pinnacle again should be a factor in the Desert Valley. The Pioneers finished 10-2 under coach Dana Zupke and advanced to the quarterfinals.

Zupke has 10 returning starters, led by three-year man Cody Gibson and defensive back-wide receiver Austin Desenberg, the leading returning tackler.

Phoenix Horizon can’t be counted out, either, with running back Matt Jones.

In the 5A Metro, Phoenix Central could be the team to beat. The Bobcats defeated defending 5A Division I champion Chandler Hamilton in a summer passing league in Surprise.

Central was the No. 13 seed in the playoffs last year but was paired against eventual finalist Tempe Marcos de Niza.

“The Metro Region will be tough this year,’’ said Central coach Todd Williamson. “Everyone is older and a lot more experienced. It will be a tough year for everybody, especially us, with a bullseye on our back.’’

The nucleus of the team is made up of five players. They are quarterback Andrew Laboto, wide receiver-defensive back Hi-C Scott, linebacker Garrett Van Horne, running back Jaleel Turner and linebacker-wide receiver Dallas Nichols.

Williamson said Laboto is ready for another great season and is looking to improve his leadership. The coach calls Scott, “a playmaker, a game-changer.’’

Laveen’s Betty H. Fairfax High, the newest kid on the Phoenix Union High School District block, has a great deal of potential under coach Kevin Belcher. The team leaders are defensive end Reggie Gilbert and quarterback Kurtis Walls.

After struggling to a 1-9 finish a year ago, Phoenix Camelback has a new coach, Brandon McNutt. The Spartans are very young, but could be a surprise if the players mature at a steady rate.

Phoenix Carl Hayden ended a 66-game losing streak last season and the team finished 2-8. Coach Cleveland Dansby believes he has the necessary ingredients to improve even more this season. Ulisses Contreras is the offense’s driving force at quarterback.

Former Camelback coach Daryl Phillips has resurfaced as the new coach at Phoenix South Mountain.

In the Northwest Region, Surprise schools Valley Vista and Willow Canyon appear to be gaining ground quickly.

Valley Vista, which went 4-6 under coach Jason Wilke, has a good group of returning seniors. They are center Mark Grant, who was a first-team all-region player in 2009, quarterback Diante Richardson, offensive lineman Denver Bower, linebacker Gary Springer and running back Ronald Carter.

Mike Hudnutt’s Willow Canyon team finished 5-5, and the team is ready to improve. Among the top players are running back Garrick Shelton, quarterback-place-kicker Jordon Stangler, defensive back Streeter Turner, linebacker Ron Oglesby and tight end Joe Kennedy.

Barry Goldwater, coached by Ed Cook will have only a handful of seniors returning.

Glendale Deer Valley coach Joe Kersting was head coach at Glendale Community College for 16 seasons, and now he must have more patience as he returns to the prep ranks. Deer Valley finished 4-7 last season.

Phoenix Sandra Day O’Connor went from a 2-8 finish in 2008 to a 7-4 finish with a playoff spot last season in John Rodriguez’s first year as coach. Junior quarterback Brendon Erickson will have to learn on the run for the Eagles.