Fourth-seeded Salpointe Catholic has advanced to the Class 4A state semifinals, where they鈥檒l take on No. 1 Peoria Sunrise Mountain Friday at Glendale Ironwood High School.
The Star spoke with Chris Aguirre, the Lancers鈥 top defender and the Kino Region Defensive Player of the Year, and Washington-bound offensive lineman Matteo Mele.
Here鈥檚 what they said:
What are you looking forward to most about playing top-seeded Sunrise Mountain?
Aguirre: 鈥淭hey鈥檙e faster than any team that we鈥檝e played and it鈥檚 a Phoenix team 鈥 There鈥檚 always something between the 蜜柚直播 and the Phoenix teams, so we鈥檝e got to go out and make a statement against them.鈥
Mele: 鈥淭hey got a lot of publicity in being a good team and I think we鈥檙e a good team so I鈥檓 looking forward to a game and most likely getting a win.鈥
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What was it like being named Kino Region Defensive Player of the Year?
Aguirre: 鈥淚 have a great defensive line so they make it easy for me to get all of the tackles and it鈥檚 been a good year. I鈥檓 happy.鈥
Why did you commit to Washington as opposed to UA in your recruitment?
Mele: 鈥淲hen I got up there for my first visit to Washington, of course it鈥檚 such a great program and I knew that before I got there. Everything clicked when I was there, the campus, the city of Seattle, the coaches, everyone so I couldn鈥檛 not make that decision.鈥
What鈥檚 it like blocking for Bijan Robinson, your star running back?
Mele: 鈥淚t鈥檚 great. Bijan is one of those players where you can make a mistake and everyone will think you did your job well, because Bijan scores a touchdown. He鈥檚 so dynamic and explosive, it鈥檚 crazy.鈥
What was it like setting the school record for most shutouts in a season?
Aguirre: 鈥淚t鈥檚 special and it鈥檚 nice to have the record, but really what we鈥檙e going for is the state championship. It was nice to have the record and that looks good on our whole defense, but we鈥檙e not done yet. We鈥檙e looking for a state championship.鈥
