FIESTA BOWL, AIA MAKE INAUGURAL FOOTBALL EVENT A SUCCESS

By Don Ketchum

The Fiesta Bowl and the Arizona Interscholastic Association scored a touchdown with their presentation of the inaugural Fiesta Bowl 7-on-7 Passing Tournament on June 25-26 at Brophy Prep’s new athletics complex in central Phoenix.

Tempe Marcos de Niza defeated Brophy for the championship in the event that included 14 other teams from around the Phoenix area. Fiesta Bowl Executive Director John Junker said his organization is looking forward to expanding as early as next year to sites in Tucson and Flagstaff.

“We are really excited about the potential for this,’’ Junker said.

The only real drawback was the heat. Junker said it is possible more night games could be played (the first round was played Friday night) in the future.

“It was more comfortable after the sun went down, and we had a good turnout on both days. It was very satisfying,’’ he said.

Junker said the Fiesta Bowl had been talking to the AIA “for about a year’’ in an attempt to put together such an event. Passing leagues have been prevalent in other football states such as Texas and there was a desire to help raise the level of play for Arizona players and help them become better prepared.

“We want them to be ready to play in the high school season that follows as well as in (NCAA) Division I or even some of the smaller colleges,’’ Junker said. “What we really would like to see is some of these guys eventually playing in the Fiesta Bowl – kind of a home-grown thing.’’

He added that tournament director Gene Nudo, a former executive with the Arena League’s Arizona Rattlers and and an assistant coach at Brophy, was well organized in terms of logistics.

“He’s been around and is very good at that kind of thing. He and the AIA did a great job,’’ Junker said.

The AIA also produced streaming video of some of the competition on its aia365.com Web site.

Marcos de Niza coach Roy Lopez said his team has played in other passing tournaments, including a few out of state, “and this was the best we have played in in the structure of it, having the refs ready to go and keeping things moving.’’

Brophy coach Scooter Molander agreed.

“We had kids playing from all over (the Valley), not just one area,’’ he said. “The AIA and Fiesta Bowl have done a great job of getting more exposure for the kids, and hopefully, it will continue to get better.’’

In addition to Marcos de Niza and Brophy, participating teams were Cave Creek Cactus Shadows, Phoenix Camelback, Casa Grande, Tempe Corona del Sol, Mesa Desert Ridge, Gilbert, Phoenix Mountain Pointe, Phoenix Pinnacle, Glendale Raymond S. Kellis, Phoenix Sandra Day O’Connor, Chandler Seton Catholic, Phoenix Shadow Mountain, Phoenix Sunnyslope and Tempe.

MARCOS DE NIZA TURNS UP THE HEAT, CAPTURES FIESTA TITLE

If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.

Tempe Marcos de Niza’s football team wasn’t worried about that, not in the least.

The Padres handled the simmering conditions just fine over the weekend (June 25-26), walking into Phoenix Brophy Prep’s kitchen and defeating the host Broncos twice, including a 27-0 domination in the final game on Saturday, to earn the championship trophy in the inaugural Fiesta Bowl 7-on-7 Passing Tournament.

The 16-team event was co-produced by the Fiesta Bowl and the Arizona Interscholastic Association.

The title was the second in as many weeks for Marcos de Niza. A week earlier, the Padres had rebounded from two early losses to win a 50-team tournament at San Diego State.

Marcos de Niza coach Roy Lopez said it was good to maintain momentum that was built by his program in the last year.

The Padres were strong throughout the 2009 season, stunning favored Peoria Centennial in the Class 5A Division II semifinals before falling to Scottsdale Chaparral in the state championship game.

“We’re just continuing to build on what we have done. The kids have worked very hard,’’ Lopez said.

He is well aware of the tradition that Brophy carries and said that Saturday’s wins were a big accomplishment against the Class 5A Division I powerhouse.

“They’re a very talented team. A lot of our kids know their kids. Heck, some of our kids live across the street from their kids,’’ Lopez said.

After scoring a couple of winner’s bracket victories, including one over Brophy on Saturday morning, Marcos de Niza had nearly a 90-minute break, staying out of the triple-digit heat and rehydrating, before playing for the title on the Field Turf artificial surface. Brophy, meanwhile, had to come back and defeat a tough Mesa Desert Ridge team to have a title shot.

Lopez had mixed emotions about the breather.

“Sometimes I am terrified of getting a break,’’ he said. “Sometimes you can come back and play well. Other times you can come back and play lethargic. You never know what will happen.’’

It didn’t take long to figure out where Marcos de Niza stood. Actually, the Padres didn’t do much standing. Their receivers ran precise pass routes, quarterback Tommy Thornton displayed good footwork and an accurate arm, and their defense always seemed to be a step ahead.

Brophy coach Scooter Molander refused to point to fatigue as a major factor in his team’s demise.

“We take pride in our conditioning, and you have to battle through that 100-degree heat,’’ he said.

“We just couldn’t score early like we should have. That’s what you have to do in Arena Football (Molander was an Arena League quarterback). If you don’t score early, it hurts you. Also, we couldn’t get the stops defensively.’’

Thornton, a junior-to-be who has moved in from the Denver area, threw four scoring passes, including one on a streak down the right sideline on the team’s first play, and got another on a deflection.

“The kids have really welcomed him,’’ Lopez said.