OVERALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Damaria Norris, senior RB/P/KR, Cactus. A bit of a sneaky pick because the Cobras didn’t punt all that much and he averaged 36 yards per boot. He also split return duties with Gilliam, adding 368 yards on returns. But he’s here mostly because of his offensive production. Two other players that were virtually offense only (see below) were equally superlative — so Norris was the overall choice. Not only was he on the field more than offensive superstars, he had the most varied contributions of any offensive player, functioning as the Cobras’ Wildcat quarterback during Mahal Lee’s injury-shortened season and leading the team with 28 receptions for 262 yards. Oh and those 1,966 rushing yards and Arizona best 34 rushing touchdowns on 258 carries don’t hurt either.

Runner-up: Alex Escobar, RB/WR/S senior, Centennial. Escobar’s contributions were not measured in volume. His essential role in a state title team was more about when he was called upon. He gave Zidane Thomas crucial breathers as a second rushing and scoring threat (57 carries for 471 yards and 6 touchdowns) and served as the Coyotes’ main receiving threat from the slot (29 receptions, 438 yards and 7 touchdowns), while a young receiving corps grew up. And, as the only full-time two way starter on the offense, Escobar was the backbone of the secondary at safety, mentoring the wunderkind Jaydin Young.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Zidane Thomas, senior RB, Centennial. Conveniently, I did not have to change it from last year. Thomas has cemented himself among the Coyote legends with back-to-back 2,000-yard seasons and ending his career with a 273-yard tour de force in Centennial’s dominant 5A title victory. I’ve been covering high school football for 10 years — and watched Brophy’s Mike Mitchell run all over my Apollo Hawks during my school days. Zidane Thomas is the best Arizona high school running back I’ve seen in person — better than Mitchell, D.J. Foster, Jamal Miles or Casey Jahn. Catch coach Richard Taylor is an honest moment and he’ll say the same about the storied history of Centennial, including backs like Terry Longbons, the Hughes boys, Jalen Ortiz and Dedrick Young. Thomas an equal combination of speed and power to those aforementioned greats. What sets him apart is his ability to improvise during a run — ducking, stiff-arming, leaping and lunging to avoid being brought down — and the way Thomas keeps gaining yards he’s off balance. I’ve never seen anything quite like that.

Runner-up: Angel Ruiz, senior WR, Sunrise Mountain. If Thomas’ coronation was expected, Ruiz’s arrival as the most electric receiver in the Northwest Valley was a complete surprise. He was the Mustangs’ third-leading receiver as a junior, and top target Jay Anderson was returning. But from the 182-yard, two-touchdown performance in the win over Liberty, Ruiz announced that he was a game breaker. He also had a knack for saving his best for the biggest games, including a season high 197 yards against Saguaro and three touchdowns as seemingly the only Sunrise Mountain player that could shake loose against Salpointe.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Ryan Puskas, junior FS, Liberty. Puskas lead the Lions in tackles and interceptions and was equally comfortable defending the run or in coverage. A starter since midway through his freshman season, Puskas is as natural a safety that we’ve seen around these parts since Zach Hoffpauir. He tends to create havoc wherever he goes, running back interceptions and fumbles, blocking punts and kicks. In general, Puskas tends to wreck many best-laid plans.

Runner-up: Dominique Hampton, senior CB, Centennial. This time around, the shutdown corner had some statistical heft to go with his effect on an offense’s plans, which is often harder to quantify. Teams went after him more in big games this year, and his seven interceptions proved those decisions a mistake. Centennial’s biggest defensive problems this season came against teams like Liberty and Pinnacle with multiple good receivers, rather than one great target that Hampton could simply erase.

The Sunrise Mountain football team and coach Steve Decker run onto the field before the Mustangs' rivalry game against Liberty Sept. 8 at Sunrise Mountain High School in Peoria. [Jacob Stanek/West Valley Preps}[/caption]

COACH OF THE YEAR

Steve Decker, Sunrise Mountain. I tend to give this award to the coach whose team exceeded expectations the most. There was some last minute thought to award Larry Fetkenhier after his stunning and mystifying departure from Cactus, but that would feel too much like an empty gesture. Instead, let’s return to the trio of Peoria teams that dominated the season. Centennial ended the champion, Liberty was the foe that pushed them to the brink ... and Sunrise Mountain was the most surprising team in the area. Do not forget that record-setting quarterback Chase Cord graduated, along with the most decorated class in school history. Yet from the opening snap, this team was better and more complete. Ironically, the offensive mastermind of the Mustangs has instilled a toughness and physicality missing from previous editions. The schedule is tougher and the squad is more prepared. The second round barrier is breached. There are still hurdles remaining. Salpointe exposed in that semifinal that the Mustangs simply need more bulk to deal with the relentless ground attacks they will see plenty in their new 5A home. But the way Decker and his staff have addressed the program’s prior shortcomings, there is more confidence in them finding a solution.

Runner-up: Richard Taylor, Centennial and Mark Smith, Liberty (tie). If you wish to call it a cop out, fire away. But the two games between these teams pushed these coaches and their staffs to their creative limits. Smith and the Lions had to find the tiny weak spots in a nationally-ranked Centennial squad all but handed the 5A title. They did so with an exquisitely balanced spread offense and a defense determined to make someone other than Zidane Thomas beat them. Now, before a semifinal rematch, Taylor and his staff had to wipe out the predictability that Liberty was able to attack. They did so, just enough to win a game for the ages 42-37. Both staffs should take a bow for maybe the best-coached game I’ve witnessed.