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Senior Panthers are, from left: #35 Brayan Aguilar, #2 Jared Moreno, #31 Raul Sanchez, #88 Jesus Castellanos, #30 Steven Ybarra, #21 Kale Major, #80 Cedric Mendoza. Not pictured: #66 Troy Begay. Phalicitee ‘Pinky’ Thomas
The Superior football team finished the regular season undefeated for the third time in four years following a 48 – 6 victory at NFL Yet Academy last Friday in the regular-season finale for both teams.
Panthers’ senior quarterback Steven Ybarra, who will almost certainly be named the 1A Player of the Year, threw three touchdown passes and ran for three more in the lopsided win. Daniel McConnell, Cedric Mendoza and Jesus Castellanos each had scoring receptions.
The defense was stout again, allowing six points or fewer for the fifth time this season. Additionally, Marc Mendoza (3), McConnell (2) and Cedric Mendoza (5) combined for 10 sacks of Eagles’ quarterbacks. The Mendoza brothers each finished with a team-high nine tackles while Gabriel Otero added eight.
“We talked about finishing strong and I believe we did just that,” Superior head coach Ryan Palmer said about his team’s performance. “We have done what we needed to, so far. The challenging second season begins now.”
Superior finished No. 2 in the AIA’s final rankings, which earned it a first-round bye. The Panthers will host the winner between No. 7 Bagdad and No. 10 Ray on Friday, Oct. 26, at 6 p.m. The Panthers have had recent success against both teams, defeating Ray two weeks ago, 56 – 14, and a 44 – 34 victory over Bagdad in last year’s state semifinals.
“The No. 2 seed has earned us a tough road to the championship,” Palmer said. “We will be tested each week with the toughest teams in the state, one after another, after another.”
In the meantime, the Panthers will take advantage of the bye week, looking to end the postseason the same way it did the regular season – undefeated.
“Right now, our focus is on ourselves,” Palmer said. We need to clean some things up, get healthy, and get focused. It is how we play, not who we play.
“This team has worked harder than any other team I have coached in the offseason weight room, and they have continued that weight room work throughout the season. This is the time of year when that hard work pays dividends.”
Andrew Luberda began writing for Copper Area News Publishers (CANP) in February 2013 after working 15 years in Healthcare Financial Management. Andy covers sports for 11 high schools. His stories are published in Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner and Superior Sun, in addition to the San Tan Valley Daily PRSS and CopperArea websites. Additionally, he has written human interest stories and business profiles. In May 2012, he earned an AAS in Sports Management at Central Arizona College before graduating with a BS in Communication from Arizona State University in 2014. He and his wife, Kelli, have three sons – AJ, Kyle, and Kade.
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