A.E. Araiza / arizona daily star

More Photos (1):

Related articles:

Blue Devils expect Stevenson to play a big role in state playoffs Blue Devils have score to settle Blue Devils fall in rain

Other articles by Patrick Finley:

Early rivalry, trip by USC kick things off quickly Zona Zoo learns lesson from '07Majority of teams in Pac-10 will have inexperienced QBs Reaching a new level Questions answered after Red/Blue game Pac-10 Preview: History shows senior QB stigma overratedSenior Herring is a keeperBattle should be for 2nd behind USC Cats just want a keeper in goal Optimism running high by Cats coaches about fall season

General
Border States Electric
Warehouse Associates Trades/Construction
Best Paving
Asphalt Finish Roller Operators Trades/Construction
CIMETTA ENGINEERING
WELDERS General
Wasatch Property Management
Maintenance Tech Health Care
Old Pueblo Practice Management
Surgical/Medical Biller/Coder General
Independent Fire & Safety
Fire Suppression Systems inspector Engineering
SEARLES VALLEY MINERALS
PROCESS ENGINEER

This week in practice, the best running back in Southern Arizona was not a running back at all.

Sunnyside's Jovan Stevenson did not run a single play as a running back this week, instead lining up at wide receiver.

Friday night, it showed.

Stevenson caught two touchdown passes and ran for one in a 21-14 win at Ironwood Ridge in the Class 5A-II state quarterfinals.

"I like to call myself a playmaker," said the Oregon State-bound senior. "I'll snap if I have to."

Sunnyside advanced to face defending champ Peoria Centennial in a state semifinal Nov. 30 at a neutral site to be determined. The 5A-II title game is Dec. 7 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale.

At halftime, there was little indication the Blue Devils (10-2) would surge for the victory.

With about four seconds left in the first half, Ironwood Ridge offered a prayer from the 38-yard line. It was answered when, inexplicably, Jay Helixon raced past the Sunnyside defense, looked skyward, and caught a touchdown pass, uncovered.

The Nighthawks took a 14-7 lead — and so much more — into the locker room.

In the first half, the Blue Devils struggled to get the ball to Stevenson, who lined up at halfback, slotback, wingback and wide receiver, but touched the ball only three times.

The third time was a critical 26-yard touchdown catch on a post pattern where Stevenson showed how unfair it was to cover him with only a cornerback and a linebacker underneath.

That tied the game at 7. Ironwood Ridge had scored in the first quarter on a 10-yard misdirection play to Ben Swarts.

"That was our whole idea, to try to get him involved (at wide receiver)," Sunnyside coach Richard Sanchez said of Stevenson.

It's not like it hadn't been done before. Stevenson has thrived as a catcher and runner this season. Entering the game, he had rushed for 1,459 yards and caught 528 yards worth of passes.

The rushing totals ranked him fifth among Southern Arizona's 4A and 5A players, and his 10.6 yards per carry was the best in Southern Arizona.

"I knew they were going to key on me in the run game," Stevenson said.

With about four minutes left in the third quarter, Stevenson lined up at wide receiver and caught a pass, only to find no one in front of him. He streaked down the sideline for a 72-yard touchdown to tie the game.

Even more air was sucked out of the stadium four plays later when a botched snap on an Ironwood Ridge punt left the Blue Devils with the ball at the 1-yard line. Stevenson plunged in for the lead.

The Nighthawks' own stud running back, D'Juan Cherry, was used judiciously after missing last week's playoff game with an ankle injury.

In 10 games this season, Cherry rushed 138 times for 876 yards.

The Nighthawks won the regular-season meeting between the schools 15-14.

Cherry ran four times for 29 yards in the first half Friday night while IRHS (8-4) hammered Sunnyside with Jake Fischer up the middle.

Fischer finished with 112 yards on 20 carries, and Cherry added 31 yards on nine carries.

The Nighthawks had a good chance to tie the game, and faced third-and-one at the Sunnyside 19-yard line with about a minute-and-a-half left.

But Swarts was stuffed on third down, and quarterback Chris Carlson was tackled on fourth down on a bootleg gone awry.

Canyon del Oro throttles Prescott, and Santa Rita, which went 0-10 in 2006, joins the Dorados and Blue Devils in the state semifinals. C5-C7