Saguaro to wear green for ‘Tug’
The last time Scottsdale Saguaro played Queen Creek, the players and coaches wore green and held a memorial on the field just before kickoff for equipment man Mike “Tug” Garcia, who died at the start of the week leading to the Oct. 4 football game. Saguaro won 35-28. Players and coaches, who have dedicated the season to Garcia, will have some green on (Garcia’s favorite color) for today’s 1 p.m. Division III championship game against Queen Creek for the first time since then. It just happens to be Queen Creek again. Garcia’s big extended family also will be there.
They won’t come into Arizona Stadium in Tucson with the emotions of just losing a loved one, but the hype of playing for the state title for the Garcia family.
“I think we’ll be more loose,” junior receiver/cornerback Christian Kirk said. “We got the news early in the week. It was very emotional. It was rough for all of us. We were playing with heavy hearts.”
Utility man
Like Tucson Salpointe Catholic senior Cameron Denson, Scottsdale Chaparral’s Tyler Whiley is the ultimate utility man. Coach Dave Huffine will line up the receiver at running back, at quarterback to run the wildcat, split wide, in the slot. On defense, Whiley is a tough cover guy at cornerback.
“I’ll do whatever will help us to win,” he said.
Last year’s quarterfinal loss motivated Chaparral, which had won three consecutive state championships before that.
“We’re not used to losing early here,” Whiley said. “We’ve worked hard in the off-season.”
Brotherly love
Chandler Hamilton linebacker