Sunrise Mountain football could have made the 5A playoffs for the first time since 2021 by relying on its passing game to gobble up more than 250 yards a game and using special sets like the single wing and Wildcat to run.
But Coach Santiago Maldonado and his staff want to battle with region leader Cactus and win once they get the playoffs. To do that, this team needed a running back to consistently out of its base spread set – and have the side effect of the Mustang defense facing less snaps.
So star junior receiver Ryder Hellbusch moved into the backfield this week in practice. He added gravity to the offense, rushing for 128 yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries, as Sunrise Mountain ended Willow Canyon’s five game winning streak 42-8.
