In a month of major ups and downs across Maricopa Unified School District athletics, Desert Sunrise High School head football coach Steven Beard announced he is stepping down after two seasons leading the Golden Hawks.

The decision, shared in a Tuesday statement with the DSHS football community, follows Maricopa High School head coach Tevin Rutherford’s resignation earlier this month.

Beard, who helped guide Desert Sunrise through a period of growth and competitive success, said the choice came after “much reflection and with a heavy heart.”

“These past two years have been some of the most meaningful and rewarding of my career,” Beard said in the statement. “When I first took on this role, my goal was simple — to help build a program that our players, school and community could be pro

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