Just three days after the unexpected death of head coach Steve McKane at age 38, the Florence High Gophers summoned the strength to honor the memory of their head coach with a 26-23 overtime victory over Combs on Friday night. For their courageous and emotional victory, the Gophers earned this week's Tire Pros High School Team of the Week distinction.
Steve McKane's father, Bill, who had been the Gophers' defensive coordinator, took over head coaching duties after his son's death. Bill McKane had been a longtime successful head coach at Mesa High, where he had coached his son, a standout player for the Jackrabbits.
Other teams under consideration were Tucson High, which upset Ironwood Ridge for its sixth consecutive victory; Show Low, which posted a victory over White Mountain neighbor Blue Ridge; Yuma Catholic; Bourgade; and Mesquite.
The Tire Pros High School Team
of the Week is selected by a panel consisting of
Jason Skoda of MaxPreps
and the Ahwatukee Foothills News, Mark Heller and Kyle Odegard of the
East
Valley
Tribune, Don
Ketchum and Les
Willsey of aia365.com, and Craig
Morgan, Matt Swartz and Dave Lumia of
FOXSportsArizona.com.
