Sunnyside and Desert View are roughly three miles apart, which is so close in distance, but so far when it comes to being fierce competitors on the football field.
In this brotherly meeting of cousins vs. cousins, childhood friends vs. childhood friends, and former youth teammates going against each other, Sunnyside is perceived to the big brother in its 71st year while Desert View is celebrating its 40th anniversary.
Although Sunnyside leads the series 16-7, Desert View has held the upper hand since 2016 with a 6-3 record.
Get this: Desert View has won the last three meetings when the game was held at Sunnyside, which will be the site of Thursday night’s game at 7 in the 24th edition of the Duel in the District.
The last time Sunnyside beat Desert View at home was all the way back in 2013. The Blue Devils have won four times since in the series but two of the wins have been at Desert View and two others at Kino North Stadium.
Robert Bonillas, a former assistant at Sunnyside under Richard Sanchez, was in his second year at Desert View in 2013, when the Jaguars last lost at Sunnyside. He is now in his 15th season at the school.
“There’s a lot of emotion going through it,” Bonillas has said of the rivalry to AllSportsTucson.com. “They’ve been playing since Pop Warner all together and now they are on different sidelines. Now, they know they better win. They have to rely on their buddies and teammates to make it happen.”
Thomas Romack is in his fifth season as Sunnyside’s head coach. He won his first two games against Desert View but has lost the last two, including a 29-28 decision in overtime to conclude the 2024 regular season.
“I’m trying to emphasize to the kids what this game means within the district and to our communities,” Romack has told AllSportsTucson.com. “This game affects these two schools for the next four to five years,where those 13U teams and those eighth graders, seventh graders decide where they go based on the records and the games.”
Desert View is now at 5-0 overall and 2-0 in the 5A Sonoran while Sunnyside is 2-3 and 1-0.
The Jaguars’ current 16-game winning streak in the regular season started with that 29-28 overtime win at Sunnyside two seasons ago.
Desert View is averaging 46 points a game while allowing only 4.4 a game.
Desert View players to watch
QB Andrew Godoy — 212 passing yards per game with 12 passing TDs for the season. He has completed 73.4% of his passes (No. 1 in the state) and has a 146.1 QB rating (No. 2).
WR/DB Anthony Rodarte — Desert View’s leading receiver at 91.8 yards per game with 5 TDs.
RB/DB Desmond Dowayee — 343 rushing yards, averaging 68.6 per game, with 4 rushing TDs. He also averages 6 tackles per game.
RB/LB Greg McKinstry III — 271 rushing yards, 54.2 yards per game, and a team-high 6 total TDs. He also averages 3.4 tackles per game.
DL/RB Cliffe Nsabarah — The defensive standout on the front with 6 sacks
LB/WR Robert Medrano — 3 interceptions
Sunnyside players to watch
RB/LB Aydan Tapia — 299 rushing yards in three games, averaging 99.7 yards per game, with 4 rushing TDs.
QB Ray Leon III — 278 passing yards, 23-of-37 passing (62.2%), with 2 TDs and 4 INTs
RB/FS Aaron Fontes — 91 rushing yards on 22 carries, with a 30.3-yard rushing average per game
WR/FS Ismael Martinez — Sunnyside’s listed team leader in receiving yards per game at 59.0
CB/WR Ja’kouree Bell — Sunnyside’s tackle leader at 9.0 tackles per game.
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