High school football preview: Sunnyside should be bigger, tougher after forgettable 2016 season

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Coach Lopez

Coach Roy Lopez was 4-6 in his first season at Sunnyside last year, but his overall high school record is 92-26.

Ron Medvescek / Arizona Daily Star

Ryan McBrayer

The Sabino High School Sabercats warm up before an intrasquad scrimmage on Aug. 4.

Kelly Presnell / Arizona Daily Star

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By Justin Spears Special to the Arizona Daily Star

Roy Lopez knows how fortunate he is.

He’s made hundreds of memories and countless friends during a 20-year coaching career. His résumé is impressive: graduate assistant at the University of New Mexico; defensive line coach for a state champion, Phoenix St. Mary’s High School; 19 years at Tempe Marcos de Niza, 10 of them spent as head coach; and an assistant’s gig at Gilbert Mesquite.

“I’ve been lucky,” Lopez said. “I’ve been lucky that I’ve been around people who actually think I’m worth a crap.”

Now, he’ll try to steward Sunnyside. The Blue Devils endured a 4-6 record — abysmal by their high standards — in Lopez’s first season. They should be better this season.

Sunnyside will begin finding out just how much it has improved on Thursday, when it hosts Nogales in the first high school football game of the season in Southern Arizona. The game kicks off at 7 p.m.

“Last year it was a lot of up and down,” Lopez said, “but this year we have a little more stability.”

The 2016 season — and the year in general — was forgettable. Coach Glenn Posey quit in January to become an assistant at Pima College. Sunnyside moved quickly, hiring former Nogales coach Kevin Kuhm to run the program. Kuhm, 28 at the time, promised to build the right way.

“I don’t want to make a move and, in two years, look for another job,” Kuhm said at the time.

Kuhm lasted two months before leaving to become the athletic director and head coach back at Nogales.

Sunnyside’s second coaching search lasted into June, when Lopez was tabbed to carry on the tradition at “the pride of the south side.”

A piece of the Blue Devils’ past can take some of the credit. Richard Sanchez saw Lopez at a summer wrestling tournament, and pitched the veteran coach on moving to Tucson. Sanchez knew Sunnyside’s potential more than anybody: He went 50-5 between 2000-2003, making four state championship appearances and winning two titles.

Lopez took Sanchez’s words to heart, even though he knew 2016 would be chaotic. The Blue Devils had just two weeks to prepare for last year’s opener, a loss to Nogales.

The 4-6 record was ugly, but progress was made.

First, Lopez convinced Sunnyside School District superintendent Steve Holmes to build a new weight room.

“It was a long time coming,” he said. “The equipment that we had, it was like going back to the ’70s and ’80s, but now the kids love coming in. … It’s really helped with participation and numbers. We still sweat, bleed, cry and still try to get the old-school grind out of them.”

Second order of business: establish a new foundation while honoring the past.

Lopez hired 20-year-old Anthony Peralta, Sanchez’s nephew, as defensive coordinator and strength and conditioning coach.

“A bunch of the guys from the 2001 (state championship team), they practically raised me,” Peralta said. “I was always around football here, whether it was watching film or in the weight room or on the field. Not many kids had that opportunity.”

Third order of business: win eight or more games and reach a milestone.

Lopez enters Thursday’s opener with a 92-26 record, putting him eight away from the 100-win mark. Lopez said he was unaware of the wins total until last winter, when his son, New Mexico State sophomore defensive lineman Roy Lopez III, did the math.

“I knew I was in the 20-30 loss zone — you never keep track of the wins, but you always know your losses,” Lopez said. “I truly try not to think about that stuff. I’m not big on wins and losses, but of course society likes to judge us on that.”

The Blue Devils won’t have it easy. Salpointe Catholic, Mountain View and Tucson all loom on their schedule, and those teams outscored Sunnyside 125-32 in last year’s meetings.

Still, players and coaches are confident the team can put together a winning year.

“Expectations are a lot higher than last year,” outside linebacker Andrew Peralta said. “We have an awesome team this year. We’ve gotten a lot stronger than last year and we’re ready to compete.”

Lopez has hopes to take Sunnyside back to state-wide prominence, but even he knows to slow down and enjoy every second. He uses the same word, again.

“I like it here,” he said. “I’m just lucky, man.”

2017 high school football schedules, by team

Last year’s record in parentheses

AMPHITHEATER (8-3)

Aug. 25 at Cholla

Sept. 1 Flowing Wells

Sept. 8 Empire

Sept. 15 at Canyon del Oro

Sept. 22 Walden Grove

Sept. 28 at Sahuarita

Oct. 6 Douglas

Oct. 13 Palo Verde

Oct. 20 at Rio Rico

Oct. 27 at Pueblo

CANYON DEL ORO (6-5)

Aug. 25 Phoenix Shadow Mountain

Sept. 1 at Apache Junction

Sept. 8 at Ironwood Ridge

Sept. 15 Amphitheater

Sept. 22 Marana

Sept. 28 at Catalina Foothills

Oct. 6 at Pueblo

Oct. 13 Walden Grove

Oct. 20 at Nogales

Oct. 27 Salpointe Catholic

CATALINA (0-10)

Aug. 18 Rio Rico

Aug. 25 Globe

Sept. 1 at Queen Creek Benjamin Franklin

Sept. 8 at Palo Verde

Sept. 15 Santa Rita

Sept. 22 at Tanque Verde

Sept. 28 at Sabino

Oct. 6 Empire

Oct. 20 Pusch Ridge Christian

Oct. 27 at Sahuarita

CATALINA FOOTHILLS (11-3)

Aug. 18 Scottsdale Saguaro

Aug. 25 at Tempe

Sept. 1 Cholla

Sept. 8 Flowing Wells

Sept. 15 at Empire

Sept. 22 at Pusch Ridge

Sept. 28 Canyon del Oro

Oct. 6 at Nogales

Oct. 20 Salpointe Catholic

Oct. 27 at Walden Grove

CHOLLA (1-9)

Aug. 18 at Douglas

Aug. 25 Amphitheater

Sept. 1 at Catalina Foothills

Sept. 8 at Pueblo

Sept. 15 Palo Verde

Sept. 22 Sahuaro

Sept. 28 at Desert View

Oct. 6 Marana

Oct. 20 San Tan Valley Poston Butte

Oct. 27 at Flowing Wells

CIENEGA (12-1)

Aug. 25 at Marana

Sept. 1 Surprise Shadow Ridge

Sept. 8 Nogales

Sept. 15 at Flowing Wells

Sept. 22 at Tucson

Sept. 28 Salpointe Catholic

Oct. 6 at Sahuaro

Oct. 13 at Sierra Vista Buena

Oct. 20 Ironwood Ridge

Oct. 27 Mountain View

DESERT VIEW (8-3)

Aug. 25 at Palo Verde

Sept. 1 Maricopa

Sept. 8 at Douglas

Sept. 15 Sahuaro

Sept. 22 at Sunnyside

Sept. 28 Cholla

Oct. 6 Mountain View

Oct. 13 at Flowing Wells

Oct. 20 at Marana

Oct. 27 San Tan Valley Poston Butte

DOUGLAS (5-5)

Aug. 18 Cholla

Aug. 25 at Bisbee

Sept. 8 Desert View

Sept. 15 at Nogales

Sept. 22 Sierra Vista Buena

Sept. 28 at Palo Verde

Oct. 6 at Amphitheater

Oct. 13 Pueblo

Oct. 20 at Sabino

Oct. 27 Rio Rico

EMPIRE (4-6)

Aug. 25 Coolidge

Sept. 1 at Queen Creek Casteel

Sept. 8 at Amphitheater

Sept. 15 Catalina Foothills

Sept. 22 at Sahuarita

Sept. 29 Pusch Ridge Christian

Oct. 6 at Catalina

Oct. 13 Santa Rita

Oct. 20 Tanque Verde

Oct. 27 at Sabino

FLOWING WELLS (6-5)

Aug. 25 Sierra Vista Buena

Sept. 1 at Amphitheater

Sept. 8 at Catalina Foothills

Sept. 15 Cienega

Sept. 22 Deming (N.M.)

Sept. 28 at Marana

Oct. 6 at San Tan Valley Poston Butte

Oct. 13 Desert View

Oct. 20 at Walden Grove

Oct. 27 Cholla

IRONWOOD RIDGE (9-3)

Aug. 18 at Marana

Aug. 25 at Phoenix Sunnyslope

Sept. 1 at Nogales

Sept. 8 Canyon del Oro

Sept. 22 Queen Creek

Sept. 28 at Mountain View

Oct. 6 Sierra Vista Buena

Oct. 13 Tucson

Oct. 20 at Cienega

Oct. 27 Sahuaro

MARANA (9-3)

Aug. 18 Ironwood Ridge

Aug. 25 Cienega

Sept. 1 Tempe McClintock

Sept. 8 at Sahuaro

Sept. 22 at Canyon del Oro

Sept. 28 Flowing Wells

Oct. 6 at Cholla

Oct. 13 at San Tan Valley Poston Butte

Oct. 20 Desert View

Oct. 27 at Rincon/University

MOUNTAIN VIEW (7-4)

Aug. 25 Salpointe Catholic

Sept. 1 Rincon/University

Sept. 8 at Sunnyside

Sept. 15 Tucson

Sept. 22 at San Tan Valley Poston Butte

Sept. 28 Ironwood Ridge

Oct. 6 at Desert View

Oct. 13 Sahuaro

Oct. 20 at Sierra Vista Buena

Oct. 27 at Cienega

NOGALES (4-6)

Aug. 17 at Sunnyside

Sept. 1 Ironwood Ridge

Sept. 8 at Cienega

Sept. 15 Douglas

Sept. 22 at Rio Rico

Sept. 29 at Walden Grove

Oct. 6 Catalina Foothills

Oct. 13 at Salpointe Catholic

Oct. 20 Canyon del Oro

Oct. 27 Sierra Vista Buena

PALO VERDE (2-9)

Aug. 18 at Tanque Verde

Aug. 25 Desert View

Sept. 1 at Glendale

Sept. 8 Catalina

Sept. 15 at Cholla

Sept. 22 Rincon/University

Sept. 28 Douglas

Oct. 6 at Rio Rico

Oct. 13 at Amphitheater

Oct. 20 Pueblo

PUEBLO (6-4)

Aug. 18 at Rincon/University

Aug. 25 Sunnyside

Sept. 8 Cholla

Sept. 15 at Walden Grove

Sept. 22 at Salpointe Catholic

Sept. 28 Rio Rico

Oct. 6 Canyon del Oro

Oct. 13 at Douglas

Oct. 20 at Palo Verde

Oct. 27 Amphitheater

PUSCH RIDGE CHRISTIAN (7-4)

Aug. 25 Queen Creek American Leadership

Sept. 1 at Walden Grove

Sept. 8 at Safford

Sept. 15 Sahuarita

Sept. 22 Catalina Foothills

Sept. 29 at Empire

Oct. 6 Sabino

Oct. 13 Tanque Verde

Oct. 20 at Catalina

Oct. 27 at Santa Rita

RINCON/UNIVERSITY (3-7)

Aug. 18 Pueblo

Aug. 25 Mesa Dobson

Sept. 1 at Mountain View

Sept. 8 at Sierra Vista Buena

Sept. 15 Rio Rico

Sept. 22 at Palo Verde

Oct. 6 at Santa Rita

Oct. 13 Sunnyside

Oct. 20 at Tucson

Oct. 27 Marana

RIO RICO (4-6)

Aug. 18 at Catalina

Aug. 25 Walden Grove

Sept. 1 at Phoenix Cortez

Sept. 8 Sahuarita

Sept. 15 at Rincon/University

Sept. 22 Nogales

Sept. 28 at Pueblo

Oct. 6 Palo Verde

Oct. 20 Amphitheater

Oct. 27 at Douglas

SABINO (12-2)

Aug. 18 at Casa Grande

Aug. 25 at Sahuaro

Sept. 1 at Queen Creek American Leadership

Sept. 15 at Tanque Verde

Sept. 22 Santa Rita

Sept. 28 Catalina

Oct. 6 at Pusch Ridge Christian

Oct. 13 at Sahuarita

Oct. 20 Douglas

Oct. 27 Empire

SAHUARITA (4-6)

Aug. 25 at Safford

Sept. 1 Florence

Sept. 8 at Rio Rico

Sept. 15 at Pusch Ridge Christian

Sept. 22 Empire

Sept. 28 Amphitheater

Oct. 6 at Tanque Verde

Oct. 13 Sabino

Oct. 20 at Santa Rita

Oct. 27 Catalina

SAHUARO (3-7)

Aug. 25 Sabino

Sept. 1 at Queen Creek

Sept. 8 Marana

Sept. 15 at Desert View

Sept. 22 at Cholla

Sept. 29 Sierra Vista Buena

Oct. 6 Cienega

Oct. 13 at Mountain View

Oct. 20 Sunnyside

Oct. 27 at Ironwood Ridge

SALPOINTE CATHOLIC (10-3)

Aug. 18 Phoenix St. Mary’s

Aug. 25 at Mountain View

Sept. 8 at Tucson

Sept. 15 Sunnyside

Sept. 22 Pueblo

Sept. 28 at Cienega

Oct. 6 Walden Grove

Oct. 13 Nogales

Oct. 20 at Catalina Foothills

Oct. 27 at Canyon del Oro

SANTA RITA (1-9)

Aug. 18 at Florence

Aug. 25 Queen Creek Benjamin Franklin

Sept. 8 at Walden Grove

Sept. 15 at Catalina

Sept. 22 at Sabino

Sept. 28 Tanque Verde

Oct. 6 Rincon/University

Oct. 13 at Empire

Oct. 20 Sahuarita

Oct. 27 Pusch Ridge Christian

SIERRA VISTA BUENA (0-10)

Aug. 18 Tucson

Aug. 25 at Flowing Wells

Sept. 1 Sunnyside

Sept. 8 Rincon/University

Sept. 22 at Douglas

Sept. 29 at Sahuaro

Oct. 6 at Ironwood Ridge

Oct. 13 Cienega

Oct. 20 Mountain View

Oct. 27 at Nogales

SUNNYSIDE (4-6)

Aug. 17 Nogales

Aug. 25 at Pueblo

Sept. 1 at Sierra Vista Buena

Sept. 8 Mountain View

Sept. 15 at Salpointe Catholic

Sept. 22 Desert View

Oct. 6 Tucson

Oct. 13 at Rincon/University

Oct. 20 at Sahuaro

Oct. 27 Yuma Kofa

TANQUE VERDE (3-7)

Aug. 18 Palo Verde

Aug. 25 San Manuel Jr./Sr.

Sept. 1 at Willcox

Sept. 8 at Globe

Sept. 15 Sabino

Sept. 22 Catalina

Sept. 28 at Santa Rita

Oct. 6 Sahuarita

Oct. 13 at Pusch Ridge Christian

Oct. 20 at Empire

TUCSON (6-5)

Aug. 18 at Sierra Vista Buena

Aug. 25 Glendale Mountain Ridge

Sept. 1 at Mesa Desert Ridge

Sept. 8 Salpointe Catholic

Sept. 15 at Mountain View

Sept. 22 Cienega

Oct. 6 at Sunnyside

Oct. 13 at Ironwood Ridge

Oct. 20 Rincon/University

Oct. 27 Yuma Cibola

WALDEN GROVE (3-7)

Aug. 25 at Rio Rico

Sept. 1 Pusch Ridge Christian

Sept. 8 Santa Rita

Sept. 15 Pueblo

Sept. 22 at Amphitheater

Sept. 29 Nogales

Oct. 6 at Salpointe Catholic

Oct. 13 at Canyon del Oro

Oct. 20 Flowing Wells

Oct. 27 Catalina Foothills

2017 high school football schedules, by week

(all games at 7 p.m.)

Thursday

Nogales at Sunnyside

Friday

Cholla at Douglas

Ironwood Ridge at Marana

Palo Verde at Tanque Verde

Phoenix St. Mary’s at Salpointe Catholic

Pueblo at Rincon/University

Rio Rico at Catalina

Sabino at Casa Grande

Santa Rita at Florence

Scottsdale Saguaro at Catalina Foothills

Tucson at Sierra Vista Buena

Friday, Aug. 25

Amphitheater at Cholla

Catalina Foothills at Tempe

Cienega at Marana

Coolidge at Empire

Desert View at Palo Verde

Douglas at Bisbee

Glendale Mountain Ridge at Tucson

Globe at Catalina

Ironwood Ridge at Phoenix Sunnyslope

Mesa Dobson at Rincon/University

Phoenix Shadow Mountain at Canyon del Oro

Queen Creek American Leadership at Pusch Ridge Christian

Queen Creek Benjamin Franklin at Santa Rita

Sabino at Sahuaro

Sahuarita at Safford

Salpointe Catholic at Mountain View

San Manuel Jr./Sr. at Tanque Verde

Sierra Vista Buena at Flowing Wells

Sunnyside at Pueblo

Walden Grove at Rio Rico

Friday, Sept. 1

Canyon del Oro at Apache Junction

Catalina at Queen Creek Benjamin Franklin

Cholla at Catalina Foothills

Empire at Queen Creek Casteel

Florence at Sahuarita

Flowing Wells at Amphitheater

Ironwood Ridge at Nogales

Maricopa at Desert View

Palo Verde at Glendale

Pusch Ridge Christian at Walden Grove

Rincon/University at Mountain View

Rio Rico at Phoenix Cortez

Sabino at Queen Creek American Leadership

Sahuaro at Queen Creek

Sunnyside at Sierra Vista Buena

Surprise Shadow Ridge at Cienega

Tanque Verde at Willcox

Tempe McClintock at Marana

Tucson at Mesa Desert Ridge

Friday, Sept. 8

Canyon del Oro at Ironwood Ridge

Catalina at Palo Verde

Cholla at Pueblo

Desert View at Douglas

Empire at Amphitheater

Flowing Wells at Catalina Foothills

Marana at Sahuaro

Mountain View at Sunnyside

Nogales at Cienega

Pusch Ridge Christian at Safford

Rincon/University at Sierra Vista Buena

Sahuarita at Rio Rico

Salpointe Catholic at Tucson

Santa Rita at Walden Grove

Tanque Verde at Globe

Friday, Sept. 15

Amphitheater at Canyon del Oro

Catalina Foothills at Empire

Cienega at Flowing Wells

Douglas at Nogales

Palo Verde at Cholla

Pueblo at Walden Grove

Rio Rico at Rincon/University

Sabino at Tanque Verde

Sahuarita at Pusch Ridge Christian

Sahuaro at Desert View

Santa Rita at Catalina

Sunnyside at Salpointe Catholic

Tucson at Mountain View

Friday, Sept. 22

Catalina at Tanque Verde

Catalina Foothills at Pusch Ridge Christian

Cienega at Tucson

Deming (N.M.) at Flowing Wells

Desert View at Sunnyside

Empire at Sahuarita

Marana at Canyon del Oro

Mountain View at San Tan Valley Poston Butte

Nogales at Rio Rico

Pueblo at Salpointe Catholic

Queen Creek at Ironwood Ridge

Rincon/University at Palo Verde

Sahuaro at Cholla

Santa Rita at Sabino

Sierra Vista Buena at Douglas

Walden Grove at Amphitheater

Thursday, Sept. 28

Amphitheater at Sahuarita

Canyon del Oro at Catalina Foothills

Catalina at Sabino

Cholla at Desert View

Douglas at Palo Verde

Flowing Wells at Marana

Ironwood Ridge at Mountain View

Rio Rico at Pueblo

Salpointe Catholic at Cienega

Tanque Verde at Santa Rita

Friday, Sept. 29

Nogales at Walden Grove

Pusch Ridge Christian at Empire

Sierra Vista Buena at Sahuaro

Friday, Oct. 6

Canyon del Oro at Pueblo

Catalina Foothills at Nogales

Cienega at Sahuaro

Douglas at Amphitheater

Empire at Catalina

Flowing Wells at San Tan Valley Poston Butte

Marana at Cholla

Mountain View at Desert View

Palo Verde at Rio Rico

Rincon/University at Santa Rita

Sabino at Pusch Ridge Christian

Sahuarita at Tanque Verde

Sierra Vista Buena at Ironwood Ridge

Tucson at Sunnyside

Walden Grove at Salpointe Catholic

Friday, Oct. 13

Cienega at Sierra Vista Buena

Desert View at Flowing Wells

Marana at San Tan Valley Poston Butte

Nogales at Salpointe Catholic

Palo Verde at Amphitheater

Pueblo at Douglas

Sabino at Sahuarita

Sahuaro at Mountain View

Santa Rita at Empire

Sunnyside at Rincon/University

Tanque Verde at Pusch Ridge Christian

Tucson at Ironwood Ridge

Walden Grove at Canyon del Oro

Friday, Oct. 20

Amphitheater at Rio Rico

Canyon del Oro at Nogales

Desert View at Marana

Douglas at Sabino

Flowing Wells at Walden Grove

Ironwood Ridge at Cienega

Mountain View at Sierra Vista Buena

Pueblo at Palo Verde

Pusch Ridge Christian at Catalina

Rincon/University at Tucson

Sahuarita at Santa Rita

Salpointe Catholic at Catalina Foothills

San Tan Valley Poston Butte at Cholla

Sunnyside at Sahuaro

Tanque Verde at Empire

Friday, Oct. 27

Amphitheater at Pueblo

Catalina at Sahuarita

Catalina Foothills at Walden Grove

Cholla at Flowing Wells

Empire at Sabino

Marana at Rincon/University

Mountain View at Cienega

Pusch Ridge Christian at Santa Rita

Rio Rico at Douglas

Sahuaro at Ironwood Ridge

Salpointe at Canyon del Oro

San Tan Valley Poston Butte at Desert View

Sierra Vista Buena at Nogales

Yuma Cibola at Tucson

Yuma Kofa at Sunnyside

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