13 minute read
SPORTS
TheMesaTribune.com
@EVTNow /EVTNow
Eastmark enters off-season with championship mindset
From left: Austin Johnston, coach Scooter Molander, Kaden Armstrong and Ramar Williams are all part of an Eastmark football program ready to make a splash in 2022 after reaching the 3A playoffs for the first time ever this past fall. (Dave Minton/Tribune Staff)
BY ZACH ALVIRA
Tribune Sports Editor
Building a championship caliber football program in short order is no easy feat.
Especially at the high school level, it could take years to build up a student population large enough and with many athletes to quickly help a new program rise to that level of competition. But it’s not unheard of. Especially in the southeast Valley where new homes are being built by the dozens.
American Leadership Academy - Queen Creek won its first championship just two seasons into its stint with the Arizona In- seeEASTMARK page 28
terscholastic Association. Casteel followed suit with its first state title at the 3A level after just three seasons. Now, Eastmark hopes to do the same. “Certainly, there’s a goal, but there’s a process with it,” Eastmark coach
Their minds are set on competing for a Scooter Molander said. “When I was blessed to get this championship next fall, job, I wanted to do and the work they’ve all everything the right put in so far in the off-season shows that. way. If we get better every year, kids are going to want to come here. It’s a goal of ours to build something special.” Molander was hired to start the Eastmark program in 2018 when the school was built as part of the Queen Creek Unified School
Skyline recommends Schiermyer as next coach
BY ZACH ALVIRA
Tribune Sports Editor
Skyline High School announced Friday night it is recommending Eastmark offensive coordinator Adam Schiermyer as its next head football coach.
According to school Athletic Director Phil Wail, the hire is pending approval from the Mesa Unified School District Governing Board, which will take place in the coming weeks.
“We were looking for someone that had some youth to him, some energy to him and at the same time has had experience of being in a high-profile coordinator position at a big school like he has with Perry,” Wail said. “I think he has the hard-working pedigree. We had some players on our panel, and he related to them.
“They wanted someone who knows football and someone who can push them, get them to the next level and hold them accountable. Adam brought all of those to the table.”
Schiermyer spent the last three seasons as the offensive coordinator at Eastmark High School under legendary coach Scooter Molander. It was there he helped develop the football program, which went undefeated in the 3A Central Region and made the conference playoffs in its second year of varsity football.
Before Eastmark, Schiermyer served as the offensive coordinator for five years under Preston Jones at Perry High School. It was there he coached both Brock and Chubba Purdy, advancing to the 6A semifinals in 2016 and the state championship game in 2017 and 2018.
Schiermyer said learning under Jones and Molander has prepared him for the opportunity to take over a program.
“I don’t know very many assistants who have worked for, who I would say, are two of the best coaches in the state,” Schiermyer said. “I really feel blessed to have been able to work under Scooter and Preston.”
Both Wail and Schiermyer agreed transforming the Skyline football program won’t be an seeSCHIERMYER page 28
Skyline announced Friday night it has recommended former Perry and Eastmark offensive coordinator Adam Schiermyer as its next head football coach. (Courtesy
District in far east Mesa. The Eastmark community is one that has exploded over the course of the last three years, with several new neighborhoods and the newly opened Bell Bank Park in the area.
Before Eastmark, Molander was a state champion head coach at Brophy Prep in Phoenix. He won two state titles with the Broncos and took them to the playoffs in all but one of his 17 seasons. He stepped down ahead after the 2017 season and remained at Brophy as a teacher and part of the school’s baseball program.
He felt the desire to coach again following his year off from football and accepted the job at Eastmark. He has since become a member of the community and has enjoyed seeing the growth of the school and his players in the program.
“The biggest thing for a head coach who has been other places and has had success is to embrace the process,” Molander said. “There’s good days and bad days. We feel the support from the community. And this is a very good group of kids. When you have that, it’s easy to get up for work every day.” Eastmark played its first football season in 2019. The Firebirds, with all sophomores and freshmen, finished 6-2 while playing a junior varsity schedule. Their first varsity season came at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, where they were limited during the off-season. They finished 2-6 overall in 2020 but saw improvement this past fall when they Junior defensive lineman Ramar Williams has come into his own as a leader while looking up to seniors such as Austin Johnston and Kaden Armstrong. While trying to set a good example for the younger players, they remain focused on helping improve the program. (Dave Minton/
Tribune Staff)
finished 7-4, won their region and made the 3A playoffs for the first time. Despite a first-round exit, the program took strides in its second varsity season.
Not only did players, including Molander’s son, Mack, grow and start to show a true understanding for the game as taught by him, but some have also emerged as legitimate college recruits and leaders of the team.
“We have a lot of good guys coming back,” senior wideout and defensive back Austin Johnston said. “There’s a lot of younger kids who look up to us. It’s nice that we can set a foundation and have them come into the program knowing what it takes.”
Johnston led the team last season with 63 receptions for 1,186 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also had 36 total tackles on defense, two for a loss, and a team-high three interceptions. He is one of 22 seniors that will be on the roster next season – the biggest senior class in the history of the program. That is something he takes pride in, especially given the expectations that come from a program that returns virtually all of its players coming off a trip to the playoffs.
Their minds are set on competing for a championship next fall, and the work they’ve all put in so far in the off-season shows that. “Coming off our first playoff appearance, this off-season is huge,” senior linebacker Kaden Armstrong said. “We have to put a lot of work in, but we have a good group of guys who can do that. We are going to come into the new season fresh and with a new mindset.”
Armstrong has come into his own as a linebacker for the Firebirds. This past season, he led the team with 131 total tackles, eight of which for a loss and one sack.
He’s become a key leader for the younger players in the program, and he’s been one of the seniors constantly reminding them how a trip to the playoffs felt last year, despite the loss. Ramar Williams, a junior tight end and defensive end for Eastmark, has absorbed as much as he can from seniors like Johnston and Armstrong. He’s also found himself stepping into leadership roles as well this off-season, helping teammates during lifting sessions in school.
While still a young program, Eastmark’s players feel they’ve been around long enough now to make a splash in the state. They believe they’re ready to be considered title contenders.
“We have a lot of hard-working kids who will try our best every game,” Williams said. “We expect to go to the playoffs and go deep into the playoffs.” ■
SCHIERMYER from page 27
overnight success. The Coyotes’ last major bout with success came under Angelo Paffumi, who led the Coyotes to the Division II (5A) semifinals in 2015 and finished with a 12-1 record. A year later in 6A, the Coyotes finished 9-2 overall. Skyline’s last winning season came in 2017 when it finished 6-5. Paffumi was let go in 2018 after the Coyotes finished 5-5 on the year.
Skyline hired former Chandler assistant coach George Hawthorne to replace Paffumi for the 2019 season. He remained with the program through 2021. In his three seasons, Skyline went 5-23.
Wail, who won a state title in baseball and was a runner-up in football as a head coach in Illinois before taking over as the athletic director at Skyline, believes Schiermyer has the pedigree to build a winning program with time.
“We know it is going to be a process,” Wail said. “We know we have to lose by a little before we are going to start winning. The expectation isn’t for him to come in and win a championship right away. It’s for us to start being in some of these games and then learn how to win.”
Schiermyer said the process of putting his staff in place has already begun. He hopes to meet with the program soon and begin developing relationships. Wail believes his connections to the East Valley from his time at Perry and Eastmark will draw kids to Skyline, or at the very least keep them within the school’s boundaries.
While he knows turning around the Skyline program will be a challenge, it’s one that Schiermyer embraces. And he’s excited and thankful for the opportunity.
“I’m super excited to be able to get into a well-established school that has had success in the past,” Schiermyer said. “(Being in this position) it makes you realize you have guys counting on you to do the job and do it right. I want to build the program, put the discipline in place and get the best version of each player in the classroom and on the field.
“I want to build on that past success and build the program up to that championship level in the classroom, on the field and overall.” ■
Have an interesting sports story?
Contact Zach Alvira at zalvira@timespublications.com and follow him on Twitter @ZachAlvira.
The Air Force announces its intention to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of optimizing the special use airspace available to support Air Force missions in Arizona. Proposed Action: The Air Force is proposing regional airspace modifi cations to address existing and future training defi ciencies for aircrews stationed at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Luke Air Force Base, and Morris Air National Guard Base in Arizona due to insuffi cient airspace. The Proposed Action includes changing the times of use, modifying the horizontal and vertical dimensions, and adjusting the attributes of existing special use airspace to address training defi ciencies caused by insuffi cient airspace. The modifi ed airspace would support low-altitude training, low-altitude supersonic training, and use of chaff and fl ares. The Proposed Action does not include any changes at installations in Arizona (personnel, infrastructure, aircraft inventory, or airfi eld operations), ground disturbance beneath the airspace, or weapons deployment. The airspace proposed for modifi cation is located throughout southern Arizona and a small portion of western New Mexico. Public Comments: The Air Force is soliciting comments on the potential alternatives to the Proposed Action and information or analyses relevant to the Proposed Action. Comments can be made at public meetings, submitted online at the project website (www.ArizonaRegionalAirspaceEIS. com), or by mailing to: Arizona Regional Airspace EIS, c/o Cardno, 501 Butler Farm Rd., Suite H, Hampton, VA 23666. To ensure full consideration of all comments in preparing the Draft EIS, comments should be submitted by March 4, 2022. In-Person Public Meetings: In-person public meeting(s) are planned in Ajo, Bagdad, Congress, Morenci, and Superior, Arizona, and Animas and Reserve, New Mexico. Please visit the website for specifi c dates and locations. Please check with the meeting venue or the project website for any last-minute changes or cancelations due to evolving covid restrictions.
Virtual Presentation: The project website provides a virtual presentation of the meeting materials for those persons that do not wish to attend or are unable to attend an in-person meeting.
Best Dentist at Affordable Prices!
Missing Teeth? Embarrassed to Smile? Tooth Pain? Loose Dentures? We Can Help, Call Us NOW!
SUPREME DENTURES
starting at EXPIRES 2-28-2022 $999
IMPLANTS
from
$799
each
EXPIRES 2-28-2022
PORCELAIN CROWNS
from $699
EXPIRES 2-28-2022 Before
After
SNAP ON LOWER DENTURE
With Two Implants
from EXPIRES 2-28-2022 $3,999
FREE
Exam & X-Rays EXTRACTIONS
$150from
EXPIRES 2-28-2022
*All offers for New patients without insurance only. We Accept Most Major Insurances • Interest FREE Financing with Low Monthly Payments Emergencies Welcome & Same Day Appointments Available
1722 E University, Mesa La Fuerza Aérea anuncia su intención de preparar una Declaración de Impacto Ambiental (EIS por sus siglas en inglés) para evaluar los posibles impactos ambientales de optimizar el espacio aéreo de uso especial disponible para apoyar las misiones de la Fuerza Aérea en Arizona. Acción Propuesta: La Fuerza Aérea propone modifi caciones del espacio aéreo regional para aliviar las defi ciencias de entrenamiento y manejar las necesidades de entrenamiento en evolución para las tripulaciones aéreas estacionadas en la Base de la Fuerza Aérea Davis-Monthan, la Base de la Fuerza Aérea Luke y la Base de la Guardia Nacional Aérea de Morris en Arizona. La Acción Propuesta incluye cambiar los tiempos de uso, modifi car las dimensiones horizontales y verticales, y ajustar los atributos del espacio aéreo de uso especial existente para manejar las defi ciencias de entrenamiento causadas por el insufi ciente espacio aéreo. El espacio aéreo modifi cado soportaría el entrenamiento a baja altitud, el entrenamiento supersónico a baja altitud y el uso de chaff y bengalas. La Acción Propuesta no incluye ningún cambio en las instalaciones en Arizona (personal, infraestructura, inventario de aeronaves u operaciones de aeródromos), en la alteración del suelo debajo del espacio aéreo o despliegue de armas. El espacio aéreo propuesto para la modifi cación se encuentra en todo el sur de Arizona y una pequeña parte del oeste de New México. Comentarios del Público: La Fuerza Aérea está solicitando comentarios sobre las posibles alternativas a la Acción Propuesta e información o análisis relevantes para la Acción Propuesta. Los comentarios se pueden hacer en reuniones públicas, pueden ser enviados en línea en el sitio web del proyecto (www.ArizonaRegionalAirspaceEIS.com), o por correo a: Arizona Regional Airspace EIS, c/o Cardno, 501 Butler Farm Rd., Suite H, Hampton, VA 23666. Para garantizar la consideración completa de todos los comentarios en la preparación del Borrador del EIS, los comentarios deben enviarse antes del 4 de marzo de 2022. Reunión pública en Persona: Se están planeando reuniones públicas en persona en Ajo, Bagdad, Congress, Morenci, y Superior, Arizona, y en Animas y Reserve, New Mexico. Por favor consulte el sitio web para obtener la fecha y ubicación de cada reunión. Consulte en el lugar de la reunión o en el sitio web en caso de haber cambios o cancelaciones de última hora debido a modifi caciones en las restricciones por COVID.
A brighter future starts here
As the state’s largest district, Mesa Public Schools offers opportunities other schools don’t. Find out why we’ve been the No. 1 choice for Mesa families for over 100 years. • Certified, experienced teachers • Franklin traditional schools • Dual language immersion • Free K-6 Montessori • A+ neighborhood schools • Diverse arts and athletics options
