High school can be a time for teenagers to try new things. It could range from seeking out a new group of friends, signing up for an elective you have an interest in, joining a club, or trying your hand at a new sport.
It is in the latter that Logan Guilford applied himself. He grew up playing baseball during his entire childhood, but in the fall of 2022 when he started his freshman year at Sunrise Mountain, he gave organized football a try for the first time.
Fast forward three years (my, how time flies!) and Guilford is now a 6-3, 220-pound linebacker who has just started his senior year with the Mustangs. He also plays a some tight end on offense, but it’s on the defense where he leaves his mark on opposing ball carriers. In his third year as a varsity starter, Guilford has 169 career tackles and 5.5 sacks.
He plays the middle linebacker spot, which is considered to be the “quarterback of the defense”. It’s a place where you can have an impact on all parts of the defensive game, and it’s a role Guilford relishes.
“Whether it’s the pass rush, run stopping, or pass coverage,” Guilford said in an e-mail interview. “We get to be versatile in our skills. I also get to fulfill a leadership role on the defense because I know the calls and plays for every position on the field.”
Through his first three years playing a pair of sports for SMHS, he already has been a part of some exciting games and is hoping to make more memories before he graduates.
“I have a couple close options for football,” Guilford said. “But, I’d say my favorite game was against Verrado my sophomore year, where I had two safeties and we came back for the win (39-20) after being down 20-2 at halftime.”
Seven months later, Guilford was on a Mustang baseball team that was making a postseason run.
“My favorite baseball game was definitely the semifinals of my sophomore year,” Guilford said. “Where I hit a go-ahead home run in a professional stadium (Hohokam Stadium in Mesa).”
That bomb gave the Mustangs an early lead in what would become a 12-6 victory over Nogales to reach the 5A title game.
Prep Baseball Nuke Cam
26’ OF Logan Guilford
(Sunrise Mt.)@PBR_Uncommitted with a
shot over the right field wall in the bottom half of the 3rd to give Sunrise a 3-1 lead over Nogales.@LoganGuilford ll @SheaSbranti pic.twitter.com/mtn4pVasqQ
— Prep Baseball Arizona (@PrepBaseballAZ) May 8, 2024
Through all of the practices and games, Guilford maintains a perfect mark in the classroom. His favorite subject is math (which helps for computing those high batting averages) and he carries a 4.0 unweighted GPA.
Much gets said about how we are in an age of specialization in sports and some athletes center in on just one throughout the year. While it can be difficult to balance both sports, the payoffs are worth it for Guilford.
“Playing multiple sports in high school is super fun because you get to play with so many teammates and meet lots of people,” Guilford said. “It’s also nice to not always have to focus on one sport and be able to play sports that require different abilities.”
Coaches, family members, and his religion are all things that help in Guilford’s drive to be successful. He is a hard worker committed to both winning and helping his teammates.
“I’ve been lucky that I’m surrounded by people who have constantly supported me and been on my side,” Guilford said. “These people and my faith are what drive me to keep going whether it’s in my athletic or academic disciplines.”
While the linebacker position demands a constant focus for half of the game, baseball is of a different mindset. You have to wait for your turn in the lineup and when you play outfield (as Guilford does), you can have innings with no action.
Through two years on varsity, Guilford has played in 63 baseball games and consistently hits the ball (.362 average sophomore year and .365 in his junior season).
“Baseball is a very difficult sport that requires lots of discipline and mental toughness,” Guilford said. “This makes it worth it when you pull through and get those moments that you succeed.”
Aside from football and baseball, Guilford leads the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) huddle on campus. He credits that group to helping shape him into a better leader for his teammates. Guilford is also active in continuing a football tradition in the community. Players put their jerseys on and go to some of the elementary schools in the Peoria District to interact with them.
“We can do a bunch of things with them, like reading, playing games, doing crafts, and whatever their teachers would like us to do,” Guilford said. “It has been an amazing way to give back to our community and encourage the younger kids that are going to fill our roles when we’re gone.”
As a sophomore on varsity in 2023, Guilford was blessed to be surrounded by senior leaders that helped improve both his athletic and personal life. Now, the time has come for him to serve that role. Guilford is a captain on this year’s Mustang team and leads by example in the weight room. He can deadlift 500 pounds and squat 405.
There’s one more football and baseball season for Guilford at SMHS before he decides on the next phase of his academic and athletic life. He holds eight college offers for football programs ranging from Black Hills State (S. Dak.) in Division II to others from Division III and NAIA schools.
“I am excited to finish my senior year of football with my boys and see where we can take this season,” Guilford said. “I’m pumped for what this program can look like by the end of the year and I’m already enjoying what we’ve made it to be. I hope to be a leader on campus and in my sports this year by helping others in everything I do”
Sunrise Mountain hosts Ironwood this Friday night in Peoria at 7 p.m.
Reach Chris Eaton at gridironarizona@yahoo.com or DM at @gridironarizona with story ideas.
The post Mustangs’ multi-sport athlete Guilford making most of HS experience first appeared on Sports360AZ.
