75-68 was the final score. Perry and Sandra Day O’Connor were the two teams. I am sure the parking lot emptied out at halftime, when the visiting Pumas were up 40-14. Even though Perry was the runner-up in 6A a year ago, the program hasn’t been on the fronts of most high school observers minds here in 2018. They will be soon enough. A showdown with Chandler comes up in three weeks. Between last nights Arena Football League score and the season opening loss to Pinnacle, Perry has given up 127 points in just those two games.
Pull out of Perry’s campus and go south on Val Vista Drive 2.9 miles and you come to another program that has quietly gone about its business here in the first month of the season. Basha is now 4-0 after dispatching La Joya Friday night 31-13. Here’s a photo gallery from last nights game(thanks Vasco Dixon Photography)
Gotta believe next Friday nights home game against 4-0 Highland will be one of the better games of the night. The campus should be buzzing. Good for first year head coach Chris McDonald.
So Casteel got worked over by Centennial in week one. Since that time all the defending 5A champs have done is run over anyone in their path. The Coyotes threw a good Cienega team around like a rag-doll Friday night 35-0. They’ve outscored the opposition 100-26, with the Colts putting up 19 of those points. Centennial is the best program in Arizona this year at any level. Circling back on Casteel, they have scored 164 points in their last three games, going 3-0 in that span. After next weeks home game against Kellis, the Colts have back to back road games at Williams Field and Higley. A very good measuring stick to see if the first year 5A program can play with the big boys. I believe they can.
Speaking of measuring sticks, let’s talk about Hamilton for a moment. The Huskies have a road game at Mountain Pointe next week. Most will pick the Pride to win and rightly so. I’ve seen Hamilton in person and on the CUSD live stream for a couple of games. Friday night the Huskies let Tolleson off the hook and back into a game that should’ve been a run-away. Hamilton is starting to pull itself off the ground from the hazing story of 2017. Players and parents want playing time and exposure for their kids for college. I’ve heard terrific things about the work-ethic and connections that first-year head coach Mike Zdebski(Coach Z) has in the developing and getting kids noticed. He has one of, if not the best, offensive line coaches in the State in Mark Tucker. There are still those in the Southeast Valley who are reveling in the struggles at Hamilton. Be careful with your arrows, a win next Friday night is the type of culture-changing victory that turns programs around in a hurry.
Haven’t forgotten about Chandler. The Wolves play tonight in Las Vegas. We know what the defending 6A champs are all about…
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Brad Cesmat
Media personality Brad Cesmat first rose to fame in Southern California with the launching of "The Mighty 690" all-sports radio station in the late 1980's and early 90's. Brad came to Arizona in 1993 to begin a 10-year run at KTAR Radio followed by nine years at KTVK-TV in Phoenix. Brad is the Founder/ CEO of Sports360AZ.com. His vision of multi platform content marketing through sports began in September of 2011. Cesmat has served on the Advisory Board for the Salvation Army for the last 18 years. He and his wife Chris have four children.