Saguaro running back D.J. Foster was chosen as the Ed Doherty award winner on Friday afternoon, given annually to the state’s top football player.
Foster, the Tribune’s Player of the Year, ran for 3,058 yards and had 60 total touchdowns on the season, which set a new state single-season record.
Foster beat out Chaparral wide receiver/cornerback Davonte Neal, Desert Vista linebacker Mike Arredondo, Chaparral quarterback Connor Brewer and Northwest Christian running back Casey Jahn for the honor.
He is the fourth Saguaro player to win the award this decade, joining Kyle Caldwell (2002), …

Mountain View boys basketball coach Gary Ernst is one win away from passing Tucson Sahuaro coach Dick McConnell for the most wins in Arizona history.
Both coaches have 774 wins.
The Toros will play Desert Mountain in the first round of the Division I, Section III tournament on Wednesday at Desert Mountain. Mountain View is the No. 2 seed and the favorite to win that game.
Ernst has the majority of his wins at Mountain View, where he took over in 1985. Ernst led the Toros to the 5A Division I state championship …

The Suns are taking nominations for its annual Spirit of Cotton Award which honors a deserving boys or girls basketball coach in Arizona.
The award recognizes a high school basketball coach who consistently demonstrates the best qualities of coach, educator, mentor and community leader. All high school head basketball coaches are eligible to be nominated. Nominations can be made by a community member, fellow coach, teacher, school administrator or student-athlete. The Spirit of Cotton Award winner receives a $10,000 grant from the Suns for use in that school’s athletic program, plus …

Saguaro running back D.J. Foster, Chaparral’s Davonte Neal and Corona del Sol lineman Andrus Peat were named to the Parade magazine All-American team in its Jan. 15 issue.
Foster set state records for touchdowns in a season (54) and single game (10 vs. Peorial Sunrise Mountain). He also (unofficially) set a new big-school record with 508 rushing yards against Sunrise Mtn. as the Sabercats eventually won a second consecutive state title.
Neal rushed for 1,317 yards and 16 touchdowns, caught 62 passes for 1,113 yards and 14 TD and had five TD …

Perry senior kicker Rey Higuera was among those selected to the inaugural Ray Guy prokicker.com All-American team for special teams standouts.
Players were selected by the prokicker.com staff based on observations during the season and at camps, as well as statistics.
Higuera was named a first-team All-American as a long snapper. He was a first-team All-Section and All-State snapper and did the honors at the Semper Fidelis Bowl last week.
Queen Creek senior Chad Leonard was named an Honorable Mention as a long snapper.
 

Not to take away anything from kids/coaches accomplishments, but we’re never ones to get involved or think heavily on national rankings by anyone as it relates to high school sports.
But thanks to a tip I’ll pass these nuggets along anyway.
After winning the Division I football state championship, Desert Vista is No. 11 in the latest rendition of USA Today’s Super 25 rankings of high school football teams nationwide.
Las Vegas Bishop Gorman (the team that beat Chaparral way back in late August in the Barry Sollenberger Classic) finished No. 5.
There’s more.  …

In the interest of full disclosure — and because it’s pretty obvious by this point in December — some of our Varsity Xtra content is behind schedule.
And since I’m the one responsible for what’s late to the party, I guess you can blame me.
Maybe it’s shoddy work ethic. Maybe it’s the polar opposite: Trying to be too thorough.
Who knows? (Don’t answer that one either).
So, if it’s still better (way too) late than never, here’s a proposed rundown of what’s coming up to conclude 2011. The keyword, of course, is “proposed”:
All-Tribune …

Co-Sectional Players of Year:   Davonte Neal (Chaparral); Connor Brewer (Chaparral)
Defensive Player of Year:  Adam Pavlenko (Marcos de Niza)
First Team Offense
QB:  Josh Uhlorn (Perry)
RB:  Nick Cole (Notre Dame); Mauriece Lee (Marcos de Niza); Sammy Jones (McClintock)
WR:  Cody Weisenberger (Perry); Paul Elvira (Marcos de Niza); Jake Roh (Chaparral)
TE:  Grant Martinez (Notre Dame)
Utility:  Joseph Wells (McClintock)
OL:  Jack York (Notre Dame); Brady Gazlay (Notre Dame); Richard Castro (Marcos de Niza); Pete Greene (Chaparral); Jordan Bronowitz (Chaparral);
Snapper:  Rey Higuera (Perry)
Kicker:  Dylan Audsley (Chaparral)
Second Team Offense
QB:  Jordan Gehrke (Notre Dame)
RB:  Max Arredondo (Perry); Jaquese Moore (Marcos …

Basha linebacker Garrett Kaiser was selected as the Comeback Student Athlete of the Year by Phoenix Children’s Hospital Sports Medicine. Kaiser is also eligible for the Comeback Student Athlete of the Year awards, which will be handed out at a banquet in May 2012. The awards honor young athletes who have returned to athletic competition after receiving treatment for an injury, illness, or other physical limitation.
Kaiser was at a practice just before football season began during his sophomore year in 2010 when he tackled another teammate. Unbeknownst to him, he …

Similarly to football and other sports, the Mesa schools put together its own all-honors volleyball team in lieu of the AIA-sanctioned All-Section team.
Player of the Year:  MacKenzie Skousen (Mountain View)
First Team
Kelcee Munk, Jr., Mesa
Emily Franklin, Jr., Red Mountain
Heather Leavitt, Sr., Mountain View
Morgan Carman, Sr., Mountain View
Umata Tafuna, Sr., Mesa
Milani Pickering, Sr., Mountain View
Second Team
Jaden Green, Sr., Mesa
Shaley Sato, Sr., Westwood
Paige Tingey, Sr., Mountain View
Megan Hunt, Sr., Mountain View
Taylor Batten, Jr., Skyline
Emily Gosciminski, Jr., Red Mountain
Maicee Allen, Sr., Mesa
Honorable Mention
Dobson:  Kelley Harris; Shaela Reader
Mesa:  Madi Clement; Drea Farnsworth
Mountain View:  Brooke Bryson; …