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Football Preview: Eastmark ready to contend for 3A title

BY DREW SCHOTT Tribune Staff Writer

This is part one of a two-part series previewing the upcoming 2021 high school football season in Mesa.

For 13 seasons, Scooter Molander served as the head coach at Brophy Prep. During that time, Molander won two championships, took the Broncos to the state �inals three times and the semi�inals �ive times, and made the playoffs in 12 of his 13 years on the sideline.

Molander stepped down from his position in 2017 to care for his parents. While away from the �ield, he began assisting Brophy’s baseball program. For a year-and-ahalf, he took on responsibilities such as leadership of the team’s athletic enhancement program and assistant coach of the freshman team. These experiences made him fall in love with coaching again.

So when the head coaching position for Eastmark High School’s football team became available, he applied. On Dec. 18, 2018, Molander became the �irst head coach in Eastmark history.

Now heading into his third season in Mesa, he believes the Firebirds are ready to take the next step towards a 3A title.

“When it’s on, it’s on,” Molander said. “They understand how to work. They’ve Eastmark head football coach Scooter Molander, a legend for his time at Brophy, felt the itch to coach again after stepping down in 2017. Now three years in, he’s ready to lead Eastmark to the same success he had with

the Broncos. (Pablo Robles/Tribune Sta )

really matured just this last year in the offseason. That’s what I think really gives me the most hope and excitement about this team.”

Despite a 2-6 campaign in 2020, Molander saw benchmarks for future success. The Firebirds won two of their last four contests and developed a battletested unit, many of whom are upperclassmen in 2021.

Senior offensive guard and nose guard Ryan Maichl is one of these players. Transferring to Eastmark from Queen Creek High School ahead of his sophomore season, Maichl joined Molander’s �irst group of players in the school’s opening year. At �irst, Maichl was not aware of Molander’s gridiron success. When he learned his coach previously worked at Brophy, he looked up the program. Maichl reacted with surprise: “Coach Molander coached them?”

“I trust everything he does,” Maichl said. “He’s also a very trustworthy coach. He pushes us to our limits all the time, but it’s all for the greater good. We all get better.”

This summer, the Firebirds were hard at work. In June, Molander held practice from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. before sending his team to the weight room for a one-hour lift. Eastmark started donning helmets and shoulder pads last month and now with school in session, the squad usually starts practice at 3:15 p.m.

Working out in the Arizona heat are several impact players that Eastmark returns for the 2021 season.

They include Javien Celaya, who averaged 160 rushing yards per game in four contests last season. Cornerback Austin Johnston, a two-way starter, led the Firebirds in tackles and racked up nearly 10 interceptions on the way to a First Team All Region nod. Kaiden McCarty, a wide receiver and defensive back, notched a First Team All Region honor as well for his performance at wideout.

In addition to team leaders like Maichl and an abundance of juniors returning to Mesa, Molander is breaking in young talent such as outside linebacker and tight end Jordan Howard, who started on the defensive line as a freshman last year.

“I think we can win a state championship this year,” Johnston said. “We’re not losing any guys. Going into next season, we’re all going to be seniors and that’s going to help as well.”

Being a part of the Firebirds is personal for Johnston. His father Mike, now Eastmark’s special teams and tight ends coach, faced Molander on opposing sidelines when he worked at Hamilton High School.

At Eastmark, Johnston has found not only a supportive community from his coach, who invites players over for lifting sessions. It resonates throughout the surrounding neighborhood, as Johnston said supporters of the program live near the school.

���EASTMARK ���� 25

Fall preview: Westwood sees increasing sports participation numbers

BY ZACH ALVIRA

Tribune Sports Editor

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on schools and athletic programs since it began in March 2020. The spring season was canceled that year. Fall sports programs that summer were barred from having even a remotely normal offseason schedule. That carried over into the winter before spring sports, two years removed from competition, saw a break in cases. Even before the pandemic, schools were seeing less athletes participate in sports. Lower-level football programs were merged or canceled, and schools eliminated some sports all together.

That was worsened by restrictions and some level of fear toward COVID-19. But as fall sports begin to kick off once again across the East Valley, Westwood, one of the oldest schools in Mesa Public Schools, is thriving.

“Not only is our enrollment up but our participation is up,” Westwood Athletic Director Brady Pond said. “We’ve done a really good job of recruiting on campus and hiring coaches as teachers and teachers as coaches. We are all tied into the community.”

There have been 175 newly registered ���FALL ���� 24

As the fall sports season prepares to kick o , Westwood High School has once again seen an increase in participation among its students. Athletic Director Brady Pond credits the coaches on sta , most of which are Westwood alums. (Zach Alvira/Tribune Sta )

fall athletes in the last three years at Westwood. Bond gives credit to the coaches on staff for that growth. Kyle Ide, now in his �ifth year leading the Warrior football program, said most of his coaches are on campus and have a gift of �inding athletes in the school. He said it’s not uncommon for new players to show up after one of his assistants approach them in the school hallways. All three levels – varsity, junior varsity and freshman – have at least 40 or more players on the roster.

Some schools, where participation numbers are decreasing, have been forced to merge lower-level teams.

“Our numbers have been good, our commitment has been good, there’s a lot of really good things happening,” Ide said. “When I got the job, I think there was maybe me and one other guy on staff. Now we have maybe 10. And they’re all really good about connecting with kids on campus. It’s still hard. We’ve lost some kids because it’s hot. But our numbers overall are good.”

Similar growth has been seen in the volleyball program, where Westwood alum Laurel Beisner has seen �irst-hand how participation numbers in the program have �luctuated.

She was part of Westwood’s only championship volleyball team in 1994. She is determined to help lead the Lady Warriors back to the top of the 6A Conference. But to get there, it starts with the lower levels and club volleyball teams feeding athletes into the program. That has been Beisner’s main goal since she was hired to take over the volleyball program.

Finally, it seems to be paying off.

“We are starting them young to the point where when they get here, they already know how to play and are comfortable being in the programs,” Beisner said. “Being able to run clubs during the offseason has been huge for us. We don’t have as much money as some other schools, but we �ind ways to provide opportunities for a diverse population of students. I take pride in Westwood.”

Hiring coaches who graduated from Westwood has been key for Pond. It creates a different level of camaraderie within the athletics department. Athletes tend to trust their coaches more when they can relate on more than just the sport itself. These coaches truly understand what it’s like to walk the halls as a student.

Along with Ide and Beisner, the head coaches of the cross country, soccer, badminton and boys volleyball are all Westwood alums.

“It’s something cool where I think when the kids who go to the school �ind out their coaches played here, they want to see what it is all about,” Pond said. “The kids want to play for them. At the end of the day, we will win some and lose some. As long as they are learning the things they learned when they went here, that’s what is most important.”

Desert Ridge

Desert Ridge’s fall 2020 campaign saw 11 of its swimmers or relay teams place in the top 10 of their respective events, including a �irst-place �inish in girls’ 1-meter diving by Alexandra Robertson and twotime state champion Essias Smith. Head coach Brock Harr has become one of the top coaches in the state in recent years and will have his team once again primed to compete for a title.

Dobson

Dobson’s swim program saw some success last year from Carson Hamblin, who is now a junior. He will once again be leaned upon by the program to compete for an individual state title in the boys’ 500-yard freestyle, where he placed second last year. The Mustangs will look to rebound from a tough year that included a winless girls’ volleyball team and no state placers in cross country or swim.

Eastmark

In just its second year of existence, Eastmark High School has started to make a name for itself in the athletics community. The girls’ volleyball program, with all freshmen, sophomores and one junior, went 7-8 overall in the regular season. Now, that entire team returns, including sophomore outside hitter Kayla Wheaton, who led the team with 136 kills last season. Like the volleyball team, all Eastmark sports programs are still building. There has not been a graduating class as of yet, which could result in more competitive Firebird teams this season.

Mesa

Mesa’s girls volleyball program, a perennial contender in the 6A Conference, is under new leadership this season after legendary coach Vee Hiapo made the move from Williams Field. She inherits a team that made it to the postseason last year but fell in the opening round. The team’s top leaders in kills from last season, Jazlyn Jackson and Quincy Cummard, return for their junior and senior seasons, respec-

Since Pond took over as athletic director three years ago, Westwood’s fall sports participation numbers have increased by 175 athletes. All three levels of football are fi lled with rosters of 40 or more players. The same goes for other programs, including volleyball. (Zach Alvira/Tribune Sta )

THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 22, 2021 tively. Mesa hopes for more success in its other fall sports programs after a dif�icult 2020 season.

Mountain View

Mountain View’s cross country program had a strong showing in 2020, with the boys’ placing sixth overall and the girls seventh. Tessa Christiansen, as a freshman, led the way for the Lady Toros. The Mountain View volleyball program had one of its best seasons ever at 16-3 overall. With several returning varsity players, the Toros are poised for another big season on the court. The Mountain View swim team, a perennial contender, saw 16 of its swimmers place in the top 10 but will have to replace star Emma Becker, who �inished her high school career with a state title in the 100-yard breaststroke.

Red Mountain

Red Mountain’s boys golf program looks to improve on its ninth place �inish last season with returning starters. Noah Czajkowski, a state champion track runner, will once again be leaned upon by the Red Mountain cross country team. Last year, he placed fourth overall in the state �inal, which helped the Mountain Lions place fourth in the team rankings. The swim program also looks to build off a successful 2021 campaign. Last year, the girls placed third overall while the boys placed seventh. Trevor Dixon, Sophia Jahn and several other swimmers who hold places in the Red Mountain record books, will return this season.

Skyline

The Skyline girls volleyball program struggled to �ind a rhythm last year, winning just two games. However, the Coyotes return most of their starters, including Rebekah O’Day, Janae Moore and Faith Murray, who combined for 182 kills last season. The Skyline cross country team will look to build off its ninth-place �inish last season but will have to do so without its top two runners from last season. Diego Brown, a junior was the third-best runner on the team and will be leaned upon to improve in his third high school season. ■

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This supportive atmosphere can be linked to the growth of McCarty on the gridiron.

When he started at Eastmark, McCarty had never played tackle football before. Eventually, his coaches developed his technique and con�idence, allowing him to not only be one of the team’s top players, but also a mentor for future Firebirds.

“It’s showing the younger guys how to do things,” McCarty said. “Show them the correct ways. Being a role model or a big brother and helping them out with whatever they need, whether it’s school or football, or just being able to talk to them.”

Playing through the COVID-19 pandemic brought Eastmark closer together — a program already bonded by the creation of a recently-built school.

Molander knows his team isn’t the fastest or the biggest. But if he is sure of one thing, it’s that his team is united in reaching new heights.

“I get goosebumps when I say that I know these kids and they know me because I’ve coached them since they walked on that campus,” Molander said. “We know each other. We trust each other.”

The Firebirds kick off the 2021 season Friday, Aug. 27 against River Valley. ■

Eastmark’s Austin Johnston, “left,” and Kaiden McCarty are confi dent in their team’s ability to take the next step toward a state championship run this upcoming season. (Pablo

Robles/Tribune Sta )

Mesa

Following a 3-5 campaign in 2020, Mesa High School is looking to bounce-back and increase its success in Division 6A contests. The Jackrabbits return Tre Brown and Josh Irish, who combined for 766 yards and eight touchdowns through the air. Leading rusher Craig Montgomery will be back for his senior season after running for 711 yards and seven touchdowns in 2020.

On defense, leading tacklers Andy Nastal and Al Ynigues have graduated, opening the door for players such as cornerbacks Christopher Figueroa (55 tackles) and Etwood Williams (48 tackles). The team’s secondary saw success last season, notching seven interceptions.

Dobson

The Mustangs struggled in 2020, �inishing with just two wins and six losses at an average of 37 points per game, including three shutouts against Mountain View, Corona del Sol and Casa Grande. Now, the squad is looking to get back on track. With a passing attack that averaged 78.4 yards per game and 120.5 rushing yards per game, Dobson’s offense will need to click in 2021 for improvement. Junior quarterback Jordan Legg — who threw for 311 yards, two touchdowns and �ive interceptions — returns, as well as junior running back Jashawn Kinney, who ran for 228 yards and one touchdown.

Westwood

Last season, Westwood lost its �irst �ive games before winning two of their last three contests against Skyline and Mesa. Finishing its regular season with a 36-35 victory over Mesa, the Warriors are hoping to transition their late season momentum into the 2021 campaign.

Returning under center will be senior Gavin Letourneau, who threw for 1,313 yards, nine touchdowns and seven interceptions in 2020. Additionally, leading rusher Ryan Willis (351 yards and four touchdowns) and receiver Korwyn Brantley-Ellis (421 yards and one touchdown) return to help Letourneau lead an offense with a large upperclassmen presence. ■

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