Efforts from coaching staff plus academics made Upper Iowa right fit
This is No. 2 in a month-long series of profiles of Arizona high school seniors that signed with four-year colleges. Here's the full list (currently totaling 223) of players from within the state moving on to the next level.
SPOTLIGHT: 2/6/22
The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (Div. II) has several schools recruiting Arizona, both this year and in the recent past. A newcomer to that list for the '22 class is Upper Iowa University.
I don't recall the Peacocks signing anyone from Arizona high schools in past recruiting cycles. A check of last season's roster shows sophomore defensive back Biingo Lewis as the only Arizona player. He started at Mountain Pointe and then went to Phoenix College before making his way to Upper Iowa.
Joining Lewis on next season's Peacock team will be Dematris Azcueta.
Azcueta, a cornerback at Casa Grande, committed to Upper Iowa just a few days before the Cougars took the field at Sun Devil Stadium for the 4A Conference championship game. He had received his offer from the Peacocks just over a week prior. Azcueta confirmed everything with his own eyes while taking an official visit in January before making it official last Wednesday.
"I felt like it was the right fit for me, culturewise, and just the way they welcomed me to the family while also recruiting me heavy," Azcueta said in an e-mail interview.
While many sports fans in the desert might be unfamiliar with Division II schools in the Midwest, Azcueta was first introduced to UIU through Adam Farag, who was a grad assistant with the Peacocks last year. Farag is now at William Penn, where he is working on a Master's degree.
"Coach Farag and (UIU) Head Coach (Jason) Hoskins got in touch with me around August," Azcueta said. "Academics were the top priority when it came to making a decision."
Azcueta carries a 3.2 GPA and scored a 28 on his ACT. During his time at CGUHS, he was named an Academic Scholar and the Student-Athlete of the Month. He plans to major in Pre-Law at Upper Iowa.
Azcueta has played football since he was six years old and did so at Casa Grande for all four of his high school years, three of them on varsity. The Cougars' Frosh team in 2018 went 6-1. That core provided the start of bigger things to come when they were seniors. Casa Grande won its first championship since the advent of playoffs in 1959 with an undefeated 14-0 season.
"It was amazing," Azcueta said. "Finally being able to do something we've worked for since freshman year and being able to make school history was great!"
In addition to being dedicated, Azcueta is a fierce competitor. That's an important skill to have when you sometimes have to go 1-on-1 against the top receivers in the state.
"It's always going to be competitive with wide receivers," Azcueta said. "I love to step up to the challenge."
He added a new dimension to his game as a junior - return man. Azcueta brought back kickoffs and punts and ended up as the First Team All-4A Kino Region punt returner last season.
"I didn't expect to be a punt returner in high school," Azcueta said. "Coach threw me back and I did everything I could to help the team. He saw I had potential and I thank him for that."
Against Douglas, he had a 46-yard punt return for a touchdown.
A multi-sport athlete, Azcueta runs track and is currently playing on the Cougar basketball team. In December, he had three steals in a game at La Joya. He's been involved in other things aside from sports as well, with student council, link crew, and upward bound.
This year's signing class for Upper Iowa consists of 38 players. Six of those are defensive backs. The highlight of last season for the Peacocks was a 42-41 overtime victory at home against Wayne State (Mich.). The game was won with a blocked extra point that would have sent it into a second overtime. It was one of six blocked kicks for the season for Upper Iowa, which led the NSIC. The Peacocks wrapped up the season with a 1-10 mark.
Azcueta has the leadership skills and feels like he could go in as a freshman and compete for a starting spot. With an attitude like that, he believes that record could turn around during his time in Fayette.
"Just like to thank all of my family, friends, coaches, and teammates," Azcueta said. "And the whole community for the help and support to put me in the position I am in today!"
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