40th Anniversary Summary

Waking to sunshine cascading in its brilliance upon the Catalina Foothills on crystal clear air breathed by regal Saguaros and green Mesquite brings forth the warmness of abundance of energy and inspiration to dream and to relive your dreams. 40 years ago nestled upon these Catalina Foothills, a dream shined through a community, a school and a team to win its first ever against the odds, coveted State Football Championship of the biggest league in Arizona. This vaunted illusive quest, that began in 1968 of a farming school of Amphitheater High School led by Jerry Loper against the backdrop of dominance of state championships of Tucson High School and others in Phoenix since the beginning of football being played in Arizona came to the conquest of victory on December 5, 1975. This special team made up of the economic disparity of the barrio, the wealth of the Catalina foothills and the working class of Tucson was a cultural phenomenon that collected young men's hearts from the borders of the foothills to the low income housing in the establishment of the most powerful Arizona High School Football Dynasty from the mid 70s through the 90s that was led by 336 wins by Arizona's most winningest High School Football Coach, Vern Fredli.

It was this first Championship Team, that broke through all the barriers and blazed the trail to set the standard of excellence, expectations and legacy to follow but most of all made the impossible dream come true for so many in its school, its community, its families, its students, its staff and coaches. This team was brought back together under and by the rightful leadership of its star Quarterback and legend Jim Krohn to the same field, the same stadium of his Alma mater, the University of Arizona where the 1975 Arizona State Championship was won on the exact night and time 40 years ago. The Amphitheater High School Band was on the field playing our fight song "On Wisconsin" to greet us as we walked up to the suites in an impressive view of a lighted stadium in the coolness of the desert night in Tucson in December with highlights of our team on the big video board.  Dressed in a black tuxedo with a bright green vest, our host Jim Krohn greeted us all like champions and put forth a elegant evening of formality, elegance and class for our loved ones, wives and families in the celebration of honor bestowed upon this special group on this special night. 

With the emotions, memories and feeling the power of the team, the recollections, the laughs, the awakening of memories lost and reliving the miraculous, we were asked to go into the stadium to sit and watch together the actual game film of a comeback tremendous victory against the powerhouse of Maryvale  High School from Phoenix who were bigger, stronger, faster across the roster on the Big Video Replay Boards of the University of Arizona's Stadium. It was a remarkable game that came down to the winning extra point as time ran out, a complete team effort that over came so much from fumbled punts, 3 interceptions and a very physical team to win it. The field was rushed by our fans and students in epic celebration because of the upset and being in our home town of Tucson, the film captured the flow of hundreds on the field celebrating in 1970s era garb with all of us.

In the post moments of awe, bewilderment and grasping on to what we saw and once were at the very place it happened, we moved back in to the suites for the formal ring presentation ceremony where each of us alphabetically were called out, by last name, height, weight and number we were listed in 1975. Each player shared a special moment in time in receiving the emerald ring, shaking the hand of the team captains Art and Jim that represented our cultures and our team the best of the best. Our team members came together from the distances and time traveled from Kentucky, Tennesse, Texas, Ohio, Utah, Virginia, California and Arizona. Very few could not make it and some died young who sent their families to accept the ring and share the experience. Ken Brown and Jerry Krohn were our teammates that have left us in their passing but never will leave us in their play as teammates. Our greatest fan, school teacher at Amphi, John Edwards that passed away 20 years ago today was too part of us and this team. The two major families of the Felix's and Daminani's that shepherded our flock were with us for all of our parents.

The invincibility of a collective unit, a team, that once in a life time feeling of trust between each one of us to win no matter what the circumstances were, who we were facing, what the size and talent each of us had on a fair playing field with in the rules of the game with our hard nosed old school coaches of Loper and Rowden embedded into us for the rest of our lives how to win and how it feels to win. That precious lesson for each of us carried us through those 40 years to what we are today as men with character, values and leadership. We carried those once in a lifetime traits not given or entitled but earned and the values of the men that coached us and for some of us the great Vern Fredli. For Amphitheater Hight School never lost a home football game from 1973 until the 80s. It was a dynasty and we were all part of it, setting the foundation and commitment to excellence that no other program had in the state of Arizona.

We are winners for life and we cherish and give thanks to the grace of god our fates collectively came together 40 years ago setting each of our paths in life.

It is with grandeur of a gentlemen, a great leader, our humble leader that made this happen, provided the resources and implemented the vision, of our team captain Jim Krohn that gave back to each of us these special memories and rings of honor that will last the rest of our lives and to our children of what was accomplished.

Each of us has the opportunity to lead, to win in whatever fate our lives have given from our what we were taught at Amphitheater High School that made the dream come true on December 5, 1975.

We will always walk on sunshine
Riki Ellison