For a pair of Mesa schools it’s time to wrap-up the season and look toward next year. However, for one, it is a decidedly different position than usual.

For Mountain View – a nine-time state champion – it will be its second consecutive losing season. Until last year, the school had never ended the season below .500. And no playoffs this year, the first for coach Chad DeGrenier, who took over for the fired Tom Joseph. DeGrenier was facing a transitional year this season anyway, trying to put in a new system and having new players at key positions, including quarterback. But the Toro faithful are not used to transitions and losing. In Joseph’s first year, 2002, Mountain View won the state title. They went back to the championship game twice. In 2008, the Toros were undefeated in the regular season and reached the state semifinals.

This year has been a different story. Mountain View has struggled on both sides of the ball. The Toros have lost four in a row and are just 3-6 on the season. They have been outscored by more than 10 points per game. Sophomore Chase Funk has had some success but changing from a run-first mentality doesn’t happen overnight. Last week, Funk split time with wide receiver Tyson McDaniel at quarterback but McDaniel is a senior.

For Mesa, it has been a tough year just a couple of seasons removed from the magical run to the state championship game. The Jackrabbits started the season with four losses – but two of those teams are in the top seven in power rankings and a third is 17^th. Mesa got back on track with wins over intracity rivals Dobson, Westwood and Skyline. But a rout at the hands of Desert Ridge showed how much the Jackrabbits still need to improve. Quarterback Jeremy Noble has had some success with the Mesa running game, keeping the game close before their bigger, faster opponents get going.

Both teams may use different personnel in looking toward 2012, ranked No. 29 and 30 in power points means tonight is the season finale.

-Al Bravo