The inaugural Scottsdale Chaparral football team will return Friday night to be honored during the homecoming game against Phoenix Shadow Mountain.
The 1973 squad had just 38 players and shared a campus with Scottsdale Saguaro while its school was still under construction. Former coach Les Unruh will travel from Missouri to take part in the festivities.
Phil Cancik was the team’s star, and he will have his jersey retired on the field. Cancik was an all-state selection at Chaparral, played four years at Northern Arizona and was the first Chaparral player in the NFL when he joined the New York Giants in 1980. Cancik led the Kansas City Chiefs in special teams tackles in 1981, and finished his career in the USFL in 1983.
Chaparral booster club member Mike Norris and Bill Cleverly, a player on the 1973 team, spearheaded the plans.
“I thought this would be great fun because the team had never before gathered through all these years,” Cleverly said in a press release.
Hi, this is a great honor for the whole 1973 first varsity football team, i want to say hello to,JERRY NUNEZ,RICK BONAFASI,DAVE FOUNTAIN,CHRIS VIDULICH,BILL CLEVERLY,COACH ANDERSON,COACH HANLEY,COACH UNRU,JIM WARE OUR TRAINER,JOHN HARPER,TOMMY DIX,SCOTT BIRD,MARK STEWART,MIKE AHEARN,ALAN COX,STEVE RYAN,MARK COX,CHRIS WILSON,JIM PALMER,ROB KREWSON,PAUL YAHNKE,ROGER WILCOX,LARRY EHRLICH,MARK GILL,BOB GLOCERI,MIKE MAJOR,TIM LEVANDOWSKY,STAN POSEY,DAVE THOMPSON,BRIAN TOLBERT, COACH DAWSON,BRIAN TOLBERT,TERRY SHORT,RALPH MUELLER,ERIC JOHNSON,TERRY HEDGER,BRUCE LAIRD,KEVIN KEENER,CHUCK LYNCH,DAVE MANNING,RW RODRIGUEZ,TOM BEASLEY,MIKE McCONNELL,GRAIG MILLER!!! I HOPE YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES ARE DOING WELL!! THIS IS A GREAT DAY THAT OUR SCHOOL IS PUTTING ON FOR OUR CHAPARRAL FIREBIRD HISTORY AND TRADITION!! A SPECIAL THANKS TO MIKE NORRIS AND THE CHAPARRAL BOOSTER FOUNDATION AND BILL CLEVERLY FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN!! GO FIREBIRDS ELEVATE YOUR GAME!! #61 PHIL CANCIK
I had the pleasure of playing with Phil at NAU. Those were some of the best days of my life. I had the opportunity of witnessing a player bring intensity to the game of FOOTBALL every day. WoW! what intensity. I respected his passion and love for the game because I had found the Gladiator that I could go to battle with.
To tell the truth, Phil challenged everyone to step into his arena and rise to his level. Because of this attitude the Lumberjacks excelled during this era. Currently we are the only team to have won the Big Sky Conference. This is not something I am proud of because great athletes have played on this domes green carpet and left behind blood, shatered dreams and the belief that they are the one’s that will represent NAU and it predecssor’s. Each year this has happened and each year theirs another Phil Cancik wearing Blue and Gold and raising each others level of play.
Like the commercial says: I still bleed Blue and Gold. NAU Pride and Proud.
Phil Cancik Chaparral Firebird 1975 NAU 1979 My former teammate James “Bootsy” Collins was a great tight end and teammate of mine at NAU,Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff Arizona,and then he was a Phoenix Policeman for many years and held the strongest man title in the southwest for Policeman as he could bench press 465 pounds! I feel very strongly for our Military,our Police and Fireman and Teachers,because they are our Foundation for this great Country!! These men and women protect and care for our young people,that is why i respect them so much,they are the true Role Models for our childeren! Thank You James Collins and all Police,Fireman,Teachers and the Military! May God Bless You all and Your Families Phil Cancik