Before Friday's high school football opener between rivals Sunrise Mountain and Liberty, former Liberty offensive lineman Zach Hunzinger will be remembered in a ceremony on the Liberty field.

Hunzinger died on July 6, losing his four-year battle with bone cancer. The cancer caused him to miss his senior season at Liberty in 2018. But it never defeated his spirit, his will to live.

The school is honoring his legacy before the game. A gofundme page was started to help the family, which endured four years of medical bills.

"He was a big part of the program," said Liberty head coach Colin Thomas, who was an assistant coach at the school when Hunzinger played there. "He was a big part of the community. We're going to try to honor him the best we can. We're going to honor his legacy."

Thomas said that nobody at Liberty will be wearing No. 50 this season. That was Hunzinger's number.

In 2019, during National Signing Day, Hunzinger posted on Twitter, "Committed and signed to BEATING CANCER!! #50strong."

A week before that Signing Day, Hunzinger announced that he was cancer free after six chemotherapy treatments and having part of his femur bone removed with a steel rod and screws inserted.

In March 2019, he walked the Liberty hallways for the first time since first being diagnosed with cancer, greeted by the band, cheerleaders and his football teammates, along with the Arizona Cardinals' mascot who was holding a sign that read, "Zach is back."

The cancer returned in 2020, while he was training to become a police officer, following in his father's footsteps.

"The outpour and love from Liberty, Sunrise, and the community is more then we could ever imagine," said Megan, Zach's mom. "We are so thankful for everyone that has stuck with us from the beginning to the end or someone who just started to follow along. We are beyond thankful for everyone who loved our son.

"Zach told me many times that he could never have endured his journey without the support of everyone. Zach fought to the very end and never gave up his fight. He was too stubborn to quit and loved life."

Thursday night's River Rock rivalry game between Avondale Agua Fria and Tolleson at Tolleson will feature a halftime celebration for Dr. Charles A. Landis, a longtime Tolleson Union High School District superintendent, who died last year. His family members will be in attendance and the school will unveil a plaque in Dr. Landis' honor.

When the team captains from Peoria Centennial and Chandler Hamilton come out to midfield for the coin flip before Friday night's game at Hamilton, they'll be holding Centennial jersey No. 76 in honor of senior lineman Cesar Vazquez, who died in his sleep last month.

Vazquez's family will present the coin to the officials for the coin flip. Vazquez is an honorary team captain for Centennial. 

To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on Twitter @azc_obert.

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