[ad_1]
It could soon be called Jim Jones Field.
Mesa Red Mountain has put in a request with the Mesa Public Schools to name its football stadium after its first head coach, Athletic Director Jason Grantham said.
Jones is the only coach to lead Red Mountain to a state football championship. He did that at the highest level in successive seasons in 2000 and 2001.
Red Mountain is hoping to have a field dedication ceremony for Jones some time this season. The Lions open at home Friday night against Mesa Dobson.
“They are going through process of approval,” MPS Athletic Director Tommy Eubanks said in a text. “Nothing on the books yet.”
Red Mountain opened in 1988. After serving as Jerry Loper’s defensive coordinator at Mesa Westwood, Jones opened Red Mountain as its coach and led the Lions for 23 years.
He was an assistant coach at San Tan Foothills for three years, before taking the head coaching job at Gilbert Mesquite in 2013. He led the Wildcats for three seasons, including taking them to the Division II semifinals in his first year there with an 11-2 record.
He was inducted in the Mesa City Sports Hall of Fame in 2015.
MPS named Mountain View’s field after Jesse Parker in 2016, a year before he died. Parker led Mountain View to four state championships.
To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at [email protected] or 602-316-8827. Follow him on Twitter @azc_obert.
Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today
[ad_2]
Source link