Calling it bittersweet, Jeremy Soria on Tuesday stepped down as the Phoenix South Mountain High School boys basketball coach, saying goodbye to a program he had rebuilt into a championship contender.

The Phoenix Union High School District did not have an Arizona Interscholastic Association winter basketball season due to the COVID-19 metrics.

That kept South Mountain from having a season that Soria felt could have been special, one he felt could have made a run for the 6A state championship. Last year, he led South to the 5A state semifinals.

The district just began allowing the winter sports teams to start working out together on Monday as the COVID-19 cases have been on a decline in Arizona.

Soria said he is moving back to Hobbs, N.M., and “going to to hopefully help my home town get back to where they were in the past.” Soria’s father is former Arizona State assistant basketball coach Tony Benford. Soria’s uncle is former ASU head basketball coach Rob Evans.

“It was a great ride,” Soria said.

Soria calls South Mountain Athletic Director Brian Fair “the best AD in the state,” and assistant coach Erik Hood “one of the best coaches I have been around.”

“I couldn’t have done any of this without them and the kids that have given their everything for our program,” Soria said. “I hate to end on this note, especially with what we built and have accomplished over the past 10 years.

“We would have loved to take one more run at state, but the cards did not fall that way. I know for a fact that we have put South back on the map and it will continue to flourish.

“This is one of the most bittersweet feelings I have ever had. I shed tears on our exit Zoom call and rightfully so. There is is something about South tradition that cannot be explained. From Rebel to Jaguar, I will always love The Mountain.”

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