The last time Santa Rita High School was victorious in a football game was Oct. 15, 2021, when the Eagles defeated visiting Catalina 40-6, snapping a 12-game losing streak in the process.
Some 1,785 days and a couple of coaching changes later, Santa Rita finally won again on Friday night, 7-6 at Desert Christian, under heralded alum Cam Gaddis as coach.
The streak of 26 straight losses was snapped after Santa Rita held on to the lead following junior Baylee Long completing a 10-yard touchdown pass to junior Omar Wright II in the third quarter. Freshman placekicker Carter Flores made the all-important PAT.
Desert Christian scored a touchdown in the fourth quarter but its conversion failed, allowing Santa Rita to stay ahead.
The Eagles openly celebrated the end of their frustration over the string of losses.
“This game meant a lot, not just to us as a football program, but to the entire Eagle community,” Gaddis mentioned to AllSportsTucson.com. “We know we didn’t play up to our full standard, and offensively, we left a lot of points on the field.
“But we also understand that winning is never easy, especially when you’re trying to accomplish something this program hasn’t done in five years. We knew that first win was going to take a complete effort, and I’m proud of the way our team continued to fight.”
The reason why the total was 26 losses over a span of five years: Santa Rita played only two varsity games in 2022 because of a lack of eligible and healthy players and it played only a junior varsity schedule in 2023 for the same reason. The Eagles went 0-7 that season but those were junior varsity games.
STRONGER DEFENSE IS KEY
Santa Rita hired Gaddis after last season with the hope of rejuvenating the once highly successful program. As a senior in 2009, Gaddis led the Eagles to a state championship game and 11-3 record under coach Jeff Scurran.
Gaddis’ forte is defense with his background as a defensive back, including when he played with the Tucson Sugar Skulls in 2019 when the franchise started.
Through the first three games, Santa Rita has allowed only 62 points, an average of 20.7 points a game.
Last season, in its 0-10 season, the Eagles allowed 51.3 points a game.
“Our defense played extremely well,” Gaddis stated about the win over Desert Christian. “They were physical, disciplined, and showed what EAT (Effort, Attitude and Toughness) is all about. Those young men competed all night and set the tone for our team.”
Members of Gaddis’ coaching staff wear that acronym “EAT” on their shirts.
“I’m also proud of our coaching staff,” Gaddis mentioned. “They show up every day and continue to pour into these young men.
“I knew when I accepted this opportunity that rebuilding this program was going to require some extra work, patience, and commitment. Our players have bought into the culture we’re building, and they’re beginning to see the results of of the work they’ve put in.”
DEMANDING PLAYERS’ COACH
Gaddis is certainly a players’ coach but he is also demanding, a good mix to have to get the attention of his young players. He has operated the same way with his 7-on-7 operation and training business Gaddis Gainz Athletics.
A noted difference in Santa Rita’s program this year from its struggles in recent years is the number of players in the program. The Eagles annually have struggled attracting more than 20 players. Santa Rita lists 41 players on its roster this season.
“This win meant a lot to our players, and I couldn’t be more proud of their willingness to be coached, challenged, and held to a high standard,” Gaddis stated. “I told them to remember this feeling and get used to it, not because we’re satisfied, but because this is the standard we want to continue building toward.
“We’re not here just to win a couple of games. Our goal is to continue developing, competing, and earning respect in the 2A division. We still have a ton of work to do, and our players understand that. But it feels good to finally get that monkey off our backs and take an important step forward.”
Santa Rita will travel to play San Pasqual Valley at Winterhaven, Calif., (located near Yuma) for a game Thursday night.
San Pasqual Valley is also 1-2 after winning its first game of the season Friday 28-22 over Keams Canyon Hopi. The win snapped a seven-game losing streak for the Warriors.
The Eagles will attempt to win consecutive games for the first time since 2019, when Richard Sanchez was the head coach.
“This was our first win of the season, but hopefully it’s only the beginning,” Gaddis mentioned. “We have a young team with a lot of potential, and the key now is continuing to improve every week, learning from our mistakes, and staying hungry.
“I’m excited about the future of this program. We’re done looking back. Our focus is on what’s ahead, and we’re going to continue working every day to build something the Eagle community can be proud of.”
THREE BACKS OVER 200 YARDS
Mountain View junior Drake Davis again continued to show he is an emerging talent, gaining 208 yards on 18 carries in the 39-13 win over visiting Phoenix Trevor Browne on Friday. Davis had touchdown runs of 61 and 55 yards and he returned a kickoff 73 yards for a touchdown.
Davis is at 360 yards on 37 carries after the first two games, averaging 9.7 yards per carry. He is on pace to gain 1,800 yards rushing in the regular season.
Sunnyside senior Aydan Tapia, playing his first game as a running back after the Blue Devils suffered injuries at the position, rushed for 273 yards on 32 carries with four touchdowns in the Blue Devils’ 25-14 win at Pueblo on Friday.
Douglas senior Cesar Gaxiola gained 210 yards on 17 carries in the 48-7 win at rival Bisbee on Friday. Gaxiola rushed for 188 yards the previous week in a victory over visiting Flowing Wells. His 398 yards after two weeks ranks ninth in the state.
Davis is at No. 14 with his 360 yards.
Eloy Santa Cruz Valley junior Diego Ibarra is second in the state with 567 yards rushing through the Dust Devils’ first three games.
DESERT VIEW DOMINATING
In their first three years at Desert View, many of the juniors are 23-1 dating to a 9-0 season on the freshman team when they were blowing out every opponent.
The Jaguars’ varsity operations increased their regular season winning streak to 13 games with their 42-0 win over visiting Sahuaro on Friday.
Desert View suffered a significant loss when star running back/safety Jaylee Abraham transferred to Peoria Centennial after last school year, but the Jaguars have a three-headed monster in the backfield now with junior Greg McKinstry III, junior Keanu Romero and senior Desmond Dowayee.
Desert View junior quarterback Andrew Godoy, 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, is emerging as one of the top players at his position in Southern Arizona.
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