Every Tuesday, CoachesAid.com acknowledges the best performances over the past week.
FOOTBALL
ANTHONY LOPEZ, Gilbert Mesquite: Talk about making a splash. The 5-foot-10, 175-pound sophomore has played two varsity games since getting called up from JV and he hasn’t been stopped yet. He had 15 carries for 209 yards and two touchdowns against Mesa Desert Ridge in the Class 5A Division I first-round game. In his two varsity games, he has 22 carries for 328 yards and four TDs (5 overall).
TRAVIS DEAN, Chandler Hamilton: The senior had not thrown for more than 200 yards all season because Hamilton doesn’t need to throw all that often, but he broke out with 345 yards and four touchdowns against Phoenix North Canyon.
TREVAR MacARTHUR, Show Low: The senior running back was the main focus of the offense early in the win over Winslow and he finished with 11 carries for 89 yards with a touchdown and had five catches for 81 yards. Defensively, the linebacker had a season-high 13 tackles, including six solo.
TY BLUNT, Fountain Hills: Redemption came pretty quickly for this sophomore kicker. After missing the PAT that would have given the Falcons a 21-20 lead with two minutes remaining, Blunt kicked a game-winning 35-yarder as time expired.
KYLE TOKASEY, Scottsdale Desert Mountain: The 6-foot 170 pound senior has had an outstanding season defensively and that continued in the first round of the postseason with three interceptions to give him nine on the year. He also had 12 pass defenses including one in the 14-10 win over Tucson Ironwood Ridge in the 5A II first round.
CHRISDEON AYIYI, Glendale Apollo: The junior wide receiver hauled in three touchdowns, and added an interception, in a 51-20 win over Queen Creek. The 6-foot, 185-pound has a team-high nine touchdown receptions.
Cave Creek Cactus Shadows quarterback Dillon Classen loosens up the arm before practice. (Photo by Russell Gates, Special to CoachesAid.com)
DILLON CLASSEN, Cave Creek Cactus Shadows: The senior quarterback was in a groove in 63-16 win over Tucson Sahuaro in the 4A I first round. He was about as efficient as can be, completing 13-of-15 passes for 286 yards with six touchdowns.
RUDY VERDUGO, Willcox: The senior running back had three touchdowns and more than 250 yards rushing as the ninth-seeded Cowboys knocked off No. 1 seed Phoenix Northwest Christian in the 2A quarterfinals.
VOLLEYBALL
PAIGE PFEIFFER, Scottsdale Desert Mountain: The junior outside hitter came up big with 16 kills in the Class 5A Division II state semifinals in beating defending state champion Peoria Centennial.
BETHANY JORGENSEN, Tempe Corona del Sol: The senior outside hitter helped No. 11 Corona to state championship berth by knocking No. 2 Gilbert as she had several key kills in Game 1 of the five-game victory.
ALEX GREEN, Glendale Cactus: The 5-8 senior made sure the Cobras made its third state final in four years with a stretch of five straight kills to pull Cactus ahead in comeback Game 4 win over Tucson Salpointe Catholic.
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