Horizon celebrates 1994 state championship team

At halftime in Horizon High School’s home opener on Sept. 6, the Huskies’ fans were treated to a performance from the spirit line, the opening movement for the Horizon Pride Regiment’s show, and something extra.

About a dozen players from the 1994 5A state champion team returned to commemorate the 30-year anniversary of the school’s first football title.  They had a canopy and padded seats in the south end zone to congregate, swap stories, and share memories with one another and were also recognized on the track before the teams returned to the field for the second half of Horizon’s 52-0 victory over Marana Mountain View.

Horizon opened in 1980 as Valley construction spread to the Northeast Valley.  It was the third of the five schools in the Paradise Valley Unified School District to open, joining Paradise Valley (1957) and Shadow Mountain (1974).  It was a full decade until more would open with North Canyon (1991) and current-rival Pinnacle (2000).

Success at the school on the gridiron wasn’t immediate as the Huskies competed at the highest level from the start and made the playoffs just once in their first nine seasons.  Administration exhibited patience, which you don’t always see at big schools in the Valley these days.  Doug Shaffer went 8-21-1 in his first three seasons, but no one decided the team “needed to go in a different direction”.  They stuck with him and it paid dividends.  From 1989-2001 (13 seasons), Horizon made the playoffs in 12 of them.  It was culminated with back-to-back trips to the 5A state championship game, which both featured matchups against region foe St. Mary’s in 1994 and ’95.

The 1993 team went a perfect 10-0 during the regular season, but lost to Mesa in the first round of the playoffs.  For a long time, there was a stigma attached to the Northeast Valley as they weren’t able to defeat the powers in the “East Valley” (Mesa and Tempe).

The ’94 season didn’t look like it would be a historical one from the start.  It started with a loss to defending champion Mesa Mountain View (21-2).  A couple weeks later, St. Mary’s edged the Huskies (15-13).  Standing at 2-2, a chance to defeat an East Valley team got away from Horizon as 29 players were suspended in a practical joke gone wrong.  With just seven regular starters in the lineup and 16 varsity players on the roster, HHS was soundly defeated by Westwood, 29-3.  After that, the team galvanized and won its last five regular-season games by a combined 278-8 (four by shutout).  The playoff run began with a second meeting against Trevor Browne with the Huskies winning easily for the second time (42-3).  Then it was a rematch of the season opener against the Toros.  After getting knocked out of the playoffs by East Valley teams in five consecutive seasons, Horizon didn’t allow it to happen again with a 23-14 win over Mountain View.  A narrow, one-point victory over South Mountain in the semifinals (20-19) sent the Huskies to their first state championship game.

On December 9 at Sun Devil Stadium, Horizon came from behind and used a shovel pass from Jeff Voigt to Brooks Tyree on fourth-and-goal late in the game from the 7-yard line as the St. Mary’s defenders were swarming in.  Tyree was surprised to catch the pass and ran it in for a 16-14 lead and the title.  Voigt had to overcome a collarbone injury during the season suffered in a car accident along with the teams’ starting running back.

“Just being able to come back from all the adversity we had at the beginning of the year,” Kurt Petricek said of his memories from that championship season.  “The cards were stacked against us.  We got through all that.”

The celebration was put together by Horizon Athletic Director and Dean of Students Dena Anderson.  Last year, Anderson was recognized by the 5A Conference as the conference’s Athletic Director of the Year.  It’s little things like this that bring the history along with today’s times together.

“A celebration like this means a great deal to the Horizon community because it honors the legacy of hard work, perseverance, and unity that was established by the 1994 state championship football team,” Anderson said in an e-mail interview.  “It is a chance to bring together past and present, showing current students and athletes the importance of tradition and what can be achieved through dedication.  This celebration strengthens the bond within the community by recognizing shared achievements and creating a sense of pride that transcends generations.  It also serves as a powerful reminder of the lasting impact of teamwork, perseverance, and support, values that continue to define what it means to be a part of the Horizon family.”

It was a time for “older guys now” to get together and catch up with one another and take some pictures.  Shaffer was also on hand to see these special players.

“We had our 20-year reunion at ASU 10 years ago,” Shaffer, who retired from coaching in 2013, said.  “I stay in touch with some of them, but I don’t see this many of them at one time.  This is outstanding.  It brings back a lot of good memories.  I miss the Friday nights.”

It was the resilience that the team showed, especially after being disciplined by the coaching staff midseason, something that may be difficult for a staff to do.

“We started out on a bad foot and they bounced back,” Shaffer said.  “They never quit.  It’s a great group of kids, and they’re now great young men.”

Petricek, who played linebacker on the team, still keeps in touch with some of the players.  It wasn’t as easy to do so back in the 1990s before cell phones, facebook, and other social media.  In a pre-transfer era, many of the players on that squad played Pop Warner ball together for the Huskers.  The final matchup was of particular significance for Petricek as he grew up playing football with some players that went on to go to St. Mary’s, one of just two private high schools at the big-school level in the city at that time.

Petricek now works in private equity and finance, but still lives in Scottsdale.  There are lessons he learned in life that go beyond the football field.

“Being able to handle adversity,” Petricek said.  “Not everything is going to go your way.  You’ve got to know how to pick yourself up and go forward.”

Petricek said he imparts this advice on to his 12-year old son, who is in his first year of playing football at Scottsdale Prep.  The next generation.  Time marches on.  Horizon went on to win another 5A Conference title in 2021 and this current team (3-0) may make a run of its own.  But the first group to do it will forever be heroes in these parts.

“That group of men formed a truly special bond, and many of them remain close friends even decades after their high school days ended,” Anderson said.  “It’s clear that high school athletics created a lifelong connection for them.  As an athletic director, it warms my heart to see that, as this is the kind of experience and camaraderie we strive to foster for all of our athletes here at Horizon High School.

Reach Chris Eaton at gridironarizona@yahoo.com or DM at @gridironarizona with story ideas.