Unbeaten Bourgade opens eyes
Phoenix Bourgade Catholic has become an intriguing story line this season after knocking off defending Division V champion Phoenix Northwest Christian last week and improving to 7-0.
Bourgade can prove that win wasn’t a fluke at Yuma Catholic (5-1), which just scored 52 points and beat the only other team to beat Northwest Christian, Phoenix Arizona Lutheran.
Yuma Catholic won the Division V championship two years ago.
“Our players and staff are extremely excited about the opportunity to play back-to-back games against the the past two state champions,” coach Pat Lavin said. “Last week, I spoke to our players regarding the intensity the Northwest players would play against us. For us to be successful, our players would have to play with the same intensity. As a coach, I was concerned that Northwest lost the previous Friday to ALA. It goes without saying, I’m extremely proud of the way our players played to secure the victory.”
This will be reunion weekend for Lavin, who has his 50-year class reunion at Phoenix St. Mary’s on Saturday.
Today, he will see some old friends at Yuma Catholic. Nine of the assistant coaches between Bourgade and Yuma Catholic played for Lavin over the years, including Jim Ewan, now an assistant at Yuma Catholic. Ewan played at St. Mary’s in the late 1960s, when Lavin was an assistant under Ed Doherty.
Record book
Last week, in a win over Phoenix Camelback, St. Mary’s junior Gabe Losada threw nine touchdown passes, tying an11-manstate record. It tied former Show Lowstar Rathen Ricedorff, who threw nine TD passes against Chinle in 2009.
“Gabe is a leader with great work ethic,” St. Mary’s coach Todd Williamson said. “He’s the first in and the last one out. He’s always looking to get better. He wants to play college football, and I believe he can play at the next level. He is a great student, as well as quarterback. Gabe has broken a lot of state records here at St. Mary’s, and he’s only a junior.”
Injury update
Top-ranked Phoenix Mountain Pointe played without junior run- ning back Paul Lucas in last week’s 31-0 win over Phoenix Brophy Prep because of a broken hand. Coach Norris Vaughan said that Lucas has been fitted with a brace and could see action tonight against Tempe Corona del Sol as a kick returner. Mountain Pointe (8-0) has a bye next week. Two-way star Wesley Payne returned last week, but only at running back. Payne suffered a dislocated elbow earlier this season.
Meanwhile, Chandler Hamilton coach Steve Belles said star senior offensive lineman Casey Tucker still is out with a high ankle sprain suffered in the game against Phoenix Pinnacle. Tucker could come back the final week of the regular season but more likely in the first round of the Division I playoffs, Belles said.