Through Friday, the Star will count down the top 10 football players from each major Southern Arizona high school program:
School: Sierra Vista Buena
The best: Stan Short
Achievements: The 6-foot 4-inch 230-pound Short only spent one season with Buena after his family moved from Carlisle, Pa., before his senior year, But he made a big impact on both sides of the ball as one of the top linemen in Arizona that year. Short anchored a Colts offensive line that cleared the way for an average of 193.3 rushing yards a game, the third-best mark in Southern Arizona in 1980 behind Sunnyside (291.7) and Amphitheater (194.4). He was the only area lineman named to the Arizona Daily Star Super 11 team and was selected as the Tucson Citizen Offensive Lineman of the Year. Short, who was also an All-State selection by the Arizona Republic, had interest from several schools but chose Penn State - which had been to bowl games 10 years in a row - over the UA and ASU.
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The Nittany Lions' success continued with Short, as they went to the Sugar Bowl in 1982 and won the consensus national championship, the first of the Joe Paterno era. The Detroit Lions selected Short in the sixth round of the 1985 NFL Draft but he was never able to make it on a regular-season roster.
From the archives: "He's a dream player for any college team. He's got good size and strength, but has the potential to get bigger and stronger. He has good quickness off the ball and he'll hustle and make another block for you on a play. He's a superb student and a natural leader." - the late Buena Colts coach Truman Williamson, in the Dec. 13, 1980, Tucson Citizen
The big number: 5. In his first season with Penn State, Short was one of only five true freshman on the team's traveling squad. He mostly played defensive tackle that year but eventually went on to start on the offensive line.
Coming up: Find out who the all-time top 10 players from Sunnyside are Thursday.
Daniel Gaona
On StarNet: Check each day to find photo galleries of the newest list of top-10-players at: azstarnet.com/highschool
Buena Top 10
1. Stan Short, OL/DL, 1981
2. Lewis Dix, RB, 1978
3. Sergio Romo, RB, 1998
4. Todd Williamson, QB, 1980
5. Jamal Womble, RB, 2008
6. Odel Stewart, LB, 1987
7. Jake Muasau, WR/LB, 2008
8. Terry Mueller, OL/DL, 1971
9. Mike Patrick, WR, 1994
10. Preston Saunders, WR, 2004
