Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 184

SCOTTSDALE REPUBLIC $14 OCTOBER 4, 2002 SPORTS Missing arm no handicap Tonight's games mi ,1 I. Desert Mountain (2-2) vs. Avondale Westview (3-0) it Desrt Mountain, 7:30 p.m. Westview partied all over Kingman's field last Friday night, winning 42-19, but Desert Mountain is not to be contused with Kingman. After getting shelled in its first two games, Desert Mountain has won its last two games, albeit against teams with losing records.

It will be interesting to see if Desert Mountain's defense, which limited its past two opponents to 22 total points, can shut down a Westview offense that has lit up the scoreboard with 104 total points in its first three games. Horizon (2-1) vs. Trevor Browne (0-3) Horizon. 7 The Huskies haven't won convincingly over teams they should beat. The Bruins aren't as bad as their record looks.

Their losses were to Desert Vista, Paradise Valley and Mesa Westwood, who have a combined two losses among them (and they were to highly ranked and unbeaten Peoria and Chandler Hamilton). Expect a quick game with both teams relying on the run. Cactus Shadows (0-3) vs. Prescott Valley Bradshaw Mountain (1-2) Bradshaw Mountain, 7 ml Will this be the week that Cactus Shadows gets rid of the goose egg and finally gives Gerry LaBelle that elusive 100th coaching victory at the Cave Creek school? It would seem doubtful on the road against a Bradshaw Mountain team that blew away Chinle 61-20 last week after losing each of its first two games by a touchdown or less. Cactus Shadows appears to have a quarterback in Chris Clarke, who completed 9 of 17 passes for 174 yards and a touchdown last week against Arcadia.

It's a running game that the struggling Falcons can't seem to find. Chaparral (3-0) vs. Pinnacle (1-2) at Chaparral, 7 p.m. Poor Pinnacle. A week after winning its first game of the season, the Pioneers had better circle the wagons.

Chaparral has outscored its first three opponents, 108-24, and last week the Firebirds rolled up 346 yards of total offense in a 47-14 victory over Tempe McClintock. Keep an eye on Chaparral's Kameron Kranz if you can. The kid is all over the place. Against McClintock, he scored a touchdown three ways (rushing, receiving, kickoff return). Fountain Hills (1-3) vs.

Wickenburg (3-1) at Fountain Hills 7 p.m. After three straight road games, Fountain Hills is back on its home turf. Will it matter? Wickenburg has a running back in Brian Herrington who averaged more than 10 yards per carry in rolling up 138 yards last week against River Valley. The Wranglers also have a "good-hands" man Colin Morse, who snagged two touchdown passes and caught two other passes that were thrown by the opposing quarterback. Desert Eagle (1-3) vs.

Fort Thomas (1-2) at Fort Thomas, 7 p.m. Desert Eagle needs to get off its three-game slide, but Fort Thomas likely will have the momentum after knocking Clifton around on the road last week 44-22. If only Desert Eagle could find a way to strengthen a defense that has allowed 142 points in its past three games. Athlete a starter in football, top scorer in hoops By Richard Obcrt Scottsdale Republic NORTHEAST VALLEY He is the varsity football team's starting free safety. He was one of the junior varsity basketball team's leading scorers last year as a freshman.

Oh, and one more thing: He only has one arm. But that has been the least of Richard Ramsay's worries since the day he was born with his left missing from the elbow. At Scottsdale Christian Academy, the sophomore swats away passes and pulls up for three-pointers in bunches and nobody seems to notice that something is missing. "There's a relentlessness, a fearlessness, a tenacity, whatever you want to call it, that you don't find in other kids," said Bob Fredericks, the school's athletic director and boys basketball coach. "I feel other kids have the handicap, because they don't work as hard as he does." Heather WaltonScottsdale Republic Lack of a left arm doesn't slow down Scottsdale Christian free safety Richard Ramsay.

has gained respect from basketball players around the tough Class 2A Metro Region. "If there is a tendency to not take him seriously, once he hits five threes (three-point shots) from outside, they know they'd better be," Fredericks said. There is nobody Scottsdale Christian football coach Larry Bandura would rather have in his secondary to try to stop big plays. said. Ramsay has a prosthesis that he hardly "Only for mountain biking, just because I've adapted so much without it," he said.

Ramsay loves to bike. Last summer, he rode his bike up and around mountains every day. But the prosthesis is put away as soon as he gets off the bike. Fredericks said Ramsay A.J. Rowen, a sophomore wide receiver, said Ramsay has the respect of those around him.

"He plays like he's got two arms," Rowen said. Ramsay's parents, Bob and Jody, said they never have made the missing limb an issue and always encouraged their son to pursue sports. "I'm sure when I was born they just took it as I was just another person," Ramsay Scottsdale Christian faces tough homecoming Chaparral likely to avoid fight, stay in 4A Chaparral High School ADDRESS: 6935 E. Gold Dust, Scottsdale. CLASSIFICATION: 4A.

REGION: East Sky. MASCOT: Firebirds. WEB SITE: chaparral susd.org. By Jim McCurdy Special for the Scottsdale Republic NORTHEAST VALLEY Scottsdale Christian Academy coach Larry Bandura knows a good football team when he sees one. And he's about to get a look at one of the best in Northwest Community Christian, which will try to put a damper on Scottsdale Christian's homecoming festivities at 7 tonight.

"These guys by far are the most talented team we've seen," Bandura said. "They are the top echelon. What we're trying to do is get ourselves in the top echelon. "Realistically, we know we're in for a war." There's a good reason why NWCC is the top-ranked team in Class 2A. The Crusaders (4-0) are dominant in all phases.

Tailback Kyle Young has run for more than 100 yards each of the past two weeks, quarterback Ryan Hoffner has been clicking in the passing game behind a sturdy offensive line, and Drew Bohannan is a big-play receiver. So, how do you beat a team that has seemingly few weaknesses? "I think it takes another team that has balance," Northwest coach Derek Wahlstrom said. "A team that takes away the things we do well. It's probably going to take a 28-27 type of game to beat us. The Eagles (3-1) are off to their best start since 1998, when Wahlstrom was their coach.

Tight end Joseph Herrod and quarterback Wil Munsil steer the offense, while defensive back Jeremiah Winship and linebackers Brian Spencer and John Matney lead the defense. very ugly process," Dawson said. "We had gone through it in '91 and again in '93. It was a lot of hard feelings on the coaching staff." And only now have those hard feelings started to mend. Chaparral's enrollment figure as of Monday was 1,873.

Schools with enrollments of more than 1,899 are put into 5A. Schools can't appeal with the Arizona Inter-scholastic Association to go down a class. They can appeal to move up, as have private schools such as St. Mary's, Brophy and Xavier. Notre Dame Prep, a Catholic school that is near Chaparral, opened this fall.

But Dawson said that opening did not affect Chaparral's attendance figures for athletics, after he discussed it with his By Richard Obcrt Scottsdale Republic SCOTTSDALE In 1993, during another realignment stage, Chaparral High School's athletic department was split into two groups: coaches wanting to compete in Class 5A and those wanting to play in Class 4A. Here comes another two-year realignment block, and Chaparral again hovering near that enrollment figure that puts teams in 5A isn't ready to open old wounds. The Firebirds likely won't petition to move up and will remain a flourishing athletic force as a 4A school, prospering in everything from swimming to baseball. The football team is ranked No. 2.

The baseball team has coaches. "I don't know if that will take some of our kids away or not," Dawson said. "Some of its sister schools (such as Brophy, St. Mary's and Xavier), it will." Dawson scheduled 13 schools in 5A to play against his 4A baseball team last spring. That won't change in this next two-year block.

Horizon, a 5A power in football and baseball, is a natural rival for Chaparral, which plays in Horizon's annual baseball tournament. But Dawson likes the 4A East Sky Region, which pits the Firebirds against their sister schools Saguaro, Coronado and Arcadia. "As an athletic director, you have to wear two hats," Dawson said. "Sometimes, your loyalty is divided." been a juggernaut, as it was before the Firebirds went down a classification. Girls basketball and softball are forces.

It has been a happy fit for a school that has its athletic department overseen by Jerry Dawson, who, in his other role as baseball coach, prefers the toughest competition. "In '94, we made this decision (to go to 4A), and it was a if At rHp Dixileta Gardens I' Nursery Garden Boutique lontSi LIQUID FENCE HERE NOW! PATIO READY ACCENTS STOPS THE DAMAGE HERBS ANNUAL COLOR Higher Yields for IRA, 401 and 4033 Transfers and Rollovers are available GARDEN GLOVES 30OFF UtaJfloustCAl CmtntvitOt CffKfnf 'sttGM. FALL FLOWERS WeM Reflects A Bom GERANIUMS Subject to Availability Certain Restrictions may apply POTTERY 20 OFF VEGETABLES Point Capital Group, i lc HANGING BASKETS COLOR BOWLS Let us help you match your plant selection with the perfect pot! PACK RAT PROBLEMS? TRY OUR NEW IT REALLY WORKS! tt F- HSW? "WWWif iJpS "fiPWUPW "RlfMff CALL US AT (480 1563-8900 5335 E. Dixileta Drive Between Scottsdale A Tatum floor sample sale savings on select upholstery dining, bedroom, cabinetry rugs, textiles, lighting and accessories PfiT .1 PROBLEMS? YOUR COMPLETE PATIO DOOR SERVICE 4 Specializing In: A th now thru oct 5 Rollers Handles Locks New Heavy Duty Screen Doors FREE ESTIMATES mon, tues, wed, fri 10arn to 6pm thurs 10am to 8pm sat 10am to opm additional merchandise markdowns up to SO ligne roset scottsdale the shops at ganey village 897 7 scottsdale rd 480.367.1808 Valley Wide Service 602-404-7549.