East Valley Tribune: Gilbert Edition - August 13, 2017

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THE VOICE OF THE EAST VALLEY SINCE 1891 AND WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE FOR LOCAL REPORTING

THE SUNDAY

Mobile treadmills keep dogs fit out of the heat

Tribune

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Gilbert Edition

INSIDE

This Week

Teachers, students cope with deaths of popular staffers

COMMUNITY ........ 11 Melanoma scare prompts Gilbert woman to warn others

BUSINESS . ................ 14 Area fashion designers now have local fabric source

MUSIC ....................... 22 EV-based Cinematic Pop covers the chart-toppers in classical style

BUSINESS.....................14 OPINION..................... 17 SPORTS........................ 18 FAITH............................. 21 CLASSIFIEDS............. 27

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Sunday, August 13, 2017

How Chandler conquered high school football BY GREG MACAFEE Tribune Sports Editor

High school football preview: p18 NEWS ............................. 4

EAST VALLEY

Gilbert shuts out Brewers’ pitch for stadium

S

ince 1959, schools throughout the state of Arizona have had their time as the top team in high school football. Schools from Tucson, Phoenix, Mesa and Tempe have all had their moment of glory. But since the beginning of the new millennium, one city has been a constant on that list. “It has kinda gone around,” said former Chandler Unified School District Athletic Director John Carlson, who was with the district for 38 years. “Now, it’s Chandler’s turn.” The four 6A Chandler teams – Chandler High, Hamilton, Basha and Perry – along with Brophy Prep, make up the Premier region, arguably one of the toughest regions in Arizona. Last season, the Premier region combined for 33 total wins, and all five teams captured a berth into the Class 6A state tournament. The success of high school football in Chandler began in 1998 when Hamilton High School opened at 3700 S. Arizona Ave. After his success at the high school level in Illinois, John Wrenn quickly began building the Huskies football program from the bottom up, with one goal in mind. “From the day we opened, I told them we were going to win state,” Wrenn said. “I had won state in Illinois at the highest classification. So, when I came to Hamilton, we set our goals for that. That first year, we were good,

and within three years, we were in the state finals.” In 2001, the Huskies made their first appearance in a state championship game. They lost to Mesa Red Mountain, 13-10. Two years later, they were back, capturing the first of seven state championships in a triple-overtime thriller against Mesa Mountain View. The two-time state champion coach in Arizona attributed his success at Hamilton (Ray Thomas/Tribune Contributor) to many different things. One thing stood out to him Chandler quarterback Jacob Conover scrambles while looking for receivers more than any others: imple- down field against Centennial during their scrimmage game Aug. 8. menting a two-platoon system. Starting 22 players, 11 on offense, 11 on defense. “I believed you needed two platoons because you can get twice as much practice in, and twice as many kids play, so you can get a better environment,” Wrenn said. “When a good player gets hurt, and he’s playing both ways, you lose two players. When a good player gets hurt and he’s only playing one way, you lose one good (Ray Thomas/Tribune Contributor) See

FOOTBALL on page 4

Chandler High School wide receiver Gunner Romney breaks off the line during a scrimmage last week against Centennial High in Peoria.

Flight noise, encroachment are neighborhood issues for Gateway Airport BY SRIANTHI PERERA Tribune Staff Writer

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aving an airport in your backyard can be somewhat noisy. But it can also mean more convenient flights and economic benefits to your community. How does an airport grow its operations, while balancing the impact on those who live and work around it? Conversely, how does it protect itself from inevitable new development encroachment?

These are the concerns that Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport sought to address when it began updating its land-use plan. The current one was compiled in 2000. Between 2000 and 2010, the airport planning area’s residential population burgeoned from 100,000 to 250,000, a jump of 150 percent. From 2010 to 2017, that population is estimated to have grown to 300,000. “The goal is: How do we provide guidance to ensure not only orderly growth but compatible new development while we preserve

the capacity and the potential of Gateway airport,” said Tony Bianchi, airport planner. The plan took nearly two years to update and included conversations with stakeholders in Mesa, Gilbert and Queen Creek and unincorporated areas in Maricopa and Pinal counties. The plan was capacity-based, Bianchi said, wherein the airport analyzed a reasonable capacity of the airport for the amount of opSee

AIRPORT on page 5


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