Tempe Marcos de Niza coach Roy Lopez mentioned recently that his players wished they were getting more coverage this season.
They have a point. The Padres have gone 8-1 and have been ranked in the 5A-II top-5 all season, yet haven’t gotten much buzz. The main reason has been the schedule. A soft non-region slate hasn’t presented marquee matchups.
It changes Friday.
Marcos de Niza will play Mesa Desert Ridge to determine the 5A-II Pima Region title, and Lopez said everyone around campus is excited and there should be a big turnout. He said television stations have told him they are coming, so it should be a fun atmosphere.
Then come the playoffs, where an extended postseason run will guarantee bigger headlines for Marcos de Niza.
Friday should be a very fun game to watch. One team that scores at will against another that prides itself on defense. Desert Ridge’s Chris Heldore and Chris Jamison, and Marcos de Niza’s Ramon Abreu and Anthony Rose are four of the best athletes in the state.
Lopez said he would love to be in the role of a spectator to watch two good football teams square off. Too bad he’s got a job to do.