Mike Steele

One of my many friends and teammates on the Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) baseball team is Mike Steele, one of the nicest guys you ever want to meet. Mike is a teacher, so his availability to play for the TOTS is limited, but during the summer and holidays you can bet Mr. Steele will be at Udall Park, playing, alongside the rest of us.

Once in a while, we meet on different sidelines and it usually occurs this time of year when the top teams collide at the 1A2A3A Boys' State Soccer Tournament. This year, it will once again (or should, depending on the outcome of the semi finals at Campo Verde High School in Gilbert today) come down to Tucson Desert Christian, the top team in Tucson, of which Mike is an assistant coach, and defending state champion Lakeside Blue Ridge of Pinetop. Now Blue Ridge, is unbeaten and ranked No. 1 in the nation by MaxPreps.com. They are also coached by Bryon Crain, who just happens to be the son of Sue Crain, my better half and partner in crime for the past nine years. So, there I'll be this Friday and Saturday afternoon, on the sidelines, or close to it as possible, while Sue squirms in the stands with, more than likely, ear muffs and a blanket (Can you believe it?)

It is supposed to turn cold this weekend in the Phoenix area). It should be a battle and Blue Ridge is favored to win it all once again. There's no question Blue Ridge is the odds on favorite. Blue Ridge has won seven titles since 1999. Desert Christian did win it all back in 1996 and 1997. The runnerup in both of those years: Blue Ridge. Dave Defer coached DC in 1996 and John O'Hair coached DC in 1997. Chris Ellis was the Blue Ridge coach back then and in the championship games the scores were identical: Desert Christian 2, Blue Ridge 1. Last year, it came down to Desert Christian and Blue Ridge in the state finale. Blue Ridge won 3-1 to finish the season 20-0. In the semi finals today at Campo Verde High School it'll be Northland Prep and Desert Christian at 5 p.m. and Payson and Blue Ridge at 7 p.m. The winners will face off at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. My prediction: DC and Blue Ridge in the finale.

Soccer Update: (11/05/2011)Surprisingly, DC falls in semis to Northland Prep, 2-1, while Blue Ridge beats Payson, 3-1. So, it'll be Blue Ridge and Northland Prep (from Flagstaff) in state final today.

Soccer Update: Blue Ridge blanked Northland Prep, 4-0, at Campo Verde High School in Gilbert this afternoon and won the State 1A2A3A Boys Soccer title for the third year in a row.