Keith Dottley is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Coronado High School for AZPreps365.com

SCOTTSDALE-- Coronado defensive coordinator Javier Zuluaga entered Ed Anderson Stadium for a family reunion on Friday night.

While enjoying an appetizer of greeting former players and coaches from his time last season at Arizona College Prep, he prepared for the main course.

The Knights cooked up a steamy 56-6 defeat to Zuluaga’s Dons to offset a cloudy night in the mid-80s. Despite this heartburn-rendering performance from his team, the coach, sporting his endearing nickname “Coach Zu” on the back of his scarlet-and-navy polo, gladly stomached the personal evolution and improvement he noticed from his players.

Following multiple unsportsmanlike conduct penalties and sideline meltdowns during the Dons’ loss to Arete Prep on September 10th, "Coach Zu" emphasized the importance of coming together as a team and rejecting the selflessness that plagued them. Both lessons Coach Zu learned as a linebacker for the US Naval Academy football team in the 1980s.

“Whether it’s firemen doing their jobs, or a single mother working three jobs to put food on the table and send her kids to college, or teammates I’ve had in combat that haven’t come back and they gave the ultimate sacrifice,” said Zuluaga. “It’s not because they do it for themselves, it’s because they’re doing it for others. That’s when we’re the best, not just as a teammate, but as a human.”

The expected reconciliation turned hostile late in the first half, with Arizona College Prep (ACP) commiting four unsportsmanlike conduct penalties and opposing head coach Myron Bluefield being ejected. The transgressions were met with boos and heckles from Knight fans. Coach Zu witnessed his team act out these lessons in the face of adverstiy, banding together and failing to retaliate, as if they were receiving signals from Ghandi himself.

“I think the fans and parents recognized it didn’t convert into a win, but it converted into these guys handling themselves better,” said Zuluaga. The Dons’ fans’ vivacious cheers to drown out the boos from the opposing stands answered his opinion with resounding agreement.Javier Zuluaga coaches up his Dons defense in the second half of Friday's game. (Keith Dottley/AZPreps365)

Punter and part-time quarterback Andrew Spencer has learned more than just off-the-field lessons from Zuluaga, pointing to the coach’s pointers on how to connect his soccer background to his punting form as a large reason for his success. However, the red-headed freshman’s goalkeeper-like mentality at cornerback stopped the Knights from scoring right before halftime, contributing a pass breakup and a clutch tackle on the five-yard-line to Coronado’s cause.

“It’s crazy,” said Spencer, his cross-shaped eyeblack on each cheek barely visible due to his huge smile. “I honestly never thought I’d be out on varsity as a freshman. I’m making big plays and I’m impressing everybody.”

Junior running back Oakley Wilson impressed as well on Friday night, with the highlight of his 12- carry, 86-yard night coming halfway through the third quarter off of a trick play titled "Ghost."

With a diagonal snap from the center and the help of some misdirection from his teammates, Wilson stealthily creeped his way to the left sideline, toting the ball but largely ignored by the ACP defense. Near the sideline, Wilson broke into a full sprint that resulted in a 58-yard touchdown, the only score of the night for head coach Jerry Black's offense.

Wilson could be found on the sideline shortly after, holding a green Gatorade squirt bottle and shouting, “Tell coach Zu I need a break,” between breaths to avoid playing on kickoff team the next play.

Complementing Wilson’s lightning in the backfield, senior running back Manny Camarillo’s thunder was heard by many at Ed Anderson Field. Every missed tackle produced extra yardage, hard-earned turf juiced out of his eight carries. Nursing an ankle injury suffered during last week’s Cortez game, the curly-haired Camarillo fought through pain in the first half to emulate his hero, Cleveland Browns’ running back Nick Chubb, to the tune of 28 rushing yards.

After trading in white ankle tape for a bag of ice, he also credited his upbringing for his toughness and habit of perseverance.

“I didn’t have a dad growing up, so I would work with my grandpa and hang out with him a lot,” said Camarillo in his soft-spoken manner. “I’ve been helping him with construction since I was seven, so I’m used to it.”

His intense care for those around him also reaches beyond his teammates. Coronado cheer coach Sara Cain recalled that last year Camarillo promised that the football team would express more appreciation for the cheerleaders’ pregame notes and gifts once he became a team captain. He has remained true to this promise as a captain this season.

Despite standout games from Wilson, Spencer and Camarillo, the Dons had no answer for the Knights’ backfield duo of juniors Jayden Diaz and Biruk Stephens. Diaz, brown hair bobbing up and down out of the back of the quarterback’s helmet, finished with 192 yards through the air and a passing touchdown, while running for another 63 yards and two touchdowns. Stephens added 86 yards and two scores on the ground, serving as ACP’s bellcow running back.

While Zuluaga’s defense likely fell short of his expectations and hopes against his former team, he radiated an authentic appreciation for the journey his new team has endured to the halfway point of their season. 

Coronado travels to Chino Valley to continue this expedition against a fellow 2-3 team in the Cougars on October 1st.