Westwood High opted to go young to fill its varsity football coaching opening, tabbing Queen Creek assistant Spencer Stowers as its new coach. Stowers hiring was made official by the Mesa Public Schools Governing Board on Tuesday night.

Stowers, 26, has served on Joe Germaine's staff the past  two years at Queen Creek  and coached there three seasons overall. Stowers was the head freshman coach in 2010 and head junior varsity coach in 2011 and has assisted at the varsity level. He is currently the dean of students at Queen Creek Elementary School.

Stowers played high school football at Mesquite High with twin brother Tyler, and older brother, Mike. All three played collegiately at Jamestown College in Jamestown, N.D., an NAIA school. Stowers also coached linebackers one year at Jamestown College before returning to Arizona to teach and coach.

"It's been a goal of mine since college to be to a head varsity coach," Stowers said. "When it comes to football, there isn't a better place to play of coach football than Arizona."

Stowers graduated from Mesquite in 2003 and played football there under coach Rich Iversen. He's aware of the caliber of football at the big school level in the state where Westwood is competing.

"I know there are challenges at Westwood," Stower said. "I believe I can step in there and overcome some of them. I wanted to be a head coach, and I wanted a challenge."

Stowers, who has been waiting nearly a month to be confirmed as the Warriors next coach, is the fifth football coach at Westwood since 1999. He follows Bob Young, Roger Suchomel, Eddy Zubey and Greg Mendez. Mendez was head coach the last four years before resigning in November.