Football previews: Aug. 31
Yuma High at Gila Ridge
Kickoff: 7 p.m. today
Records: Criminals 1-0; Hawks 1-0
Last week: Yuma High defeated San Luis 45-0; Gila Ridge defeated Mohave 20-14
Players to watch: Yuma High quarterback Jeremey Conde opened up the year with some positives along with some negatives. On the bright side, Conde threw for 93 yards and a pair of touchdowns. However, the Criminals lost three fumbles and struggled with the quarterback-center exchange all game. Playing against a team like Gila Ridge, the Criminals won’t be able to get away with giving the Hawks easy turnovers. ... Gila Ridge sophomore wide receiver Dalon Perkins provided a huge boost in the season-opening win at Mohave. Hawks quarterback Scotty Nickerson connected with the 5-foot-9, 125-pound Perkins twice for touchdowns.
Yuma High coach Tom Fox’s comments: “We were close last year, and I think the kids know how close we were and if they bring a little more to the table they think they can get it done. I feel good this year. This is a good group of kids to work with, they work well together and want to win for each other. ... I think there’s a great chance of coming out on top.”
Gila Ridge coach Jay Denton’s comments: “We have to be a lot more consistent than we were a week ago. We’ve got to be able to play the whole game. They have a good team and we have to make sure we do those things.”
The lowdown: Yuma High is going to be given a bigger challenge in the second week against Gila Ridge. The Hawks are coming off a narrow win against Mohave after stopping the Thunderbirds near the 20-yard-line as time expired. Last season, the Hawks swept the Criminals — beating them 33-12 at Yuma High and 20-14 at Gila Ridge. If the Criminals can play a cleaner game than they did against San Luis, they have a chance to beat the Hawks for the first time since 2009.
— Jesse Severson
River Valley at Yuma Catholic
Kickoff: 7 p.m. today
Records: Dust Devils 0-1; Shamrocks 0-1
Last week: River Valley lost to Dixie (Utah) 49-3; Shamrocks lost to Northwest Christian 16-14
Players to watch: Sophomore running back Brandon Long carried a heavy load for the Dust Devils as a freshman. Long led the team in rushing, gaining 948 yards and scored a team-high nine touchdowns. In last year’s meeting against the Shamrocks, Long led the Dust Devils with 77 yards. ... In his first start, sophomore quarterback Jagan Cleary threw two touchdown passes against Northwest Christian, who featured one of the best safeties in the state in Trevor Osborne. Both touchdowns — a 10-yard score and a 72-yard connection — were thrown to sophomore wide receiver Donovan Rooks.
Yuma Catholic coach Rhett Stallworth’s comments: “They were probably the second or third best team we faced last year. And they’re the second of a five-game stretch of a brutal schedule for us. ... It’s been a rough week (for us). We’ve had guys missing, we have some guys injured from last week that won’t play. We got guys that are sick with whatever it going around. It’s definitely hasn’t been the most productive week for us.”
The lowdown: For the second straight season, Yuma Catholic is facing River Valley following a tough loss to Northwest Christian. Last year, the Shamrocks responded with a 27-6 win — the first of a 13-game winning streak that ended with a state championship. The Dust Devils, who made the Division IV playoffs last season, are coming off a tough loss up in Utah but return their top running back and starting quarterback, so it may be hard to get a good feel on how they will be this season. But if they can come into Yuma and pick up a win, the Shamrocks will be 0-2 for the first time under Stallworth and the first time since 2005.
— Jesse Severson
Kofa at El Centro-Central
Kickoff: 7 p.m. today
Records: Kings 0-1; First game for Spartans
Last week: Kofa lost to Chandler 66-0
Players to watch: Senior running back Haden Beaty was responsible for all but 20 yards of Kofa’s offense against Chandler. Beaty carried the ball 17 times for 67 yards against a Wolves team that overwhelmed the Kings in the first week.
Kofa coach Kevin Moore’s comments: “It’s not the first time we’ve lost, and I told the kids it’s about how you respond. I expect the kids to come out hungry. They’re hungry for a win, and I think we have a great chance to go out there and get a “W.”
The lowdown: Kofa will get a much better idea on where they’re at as a football team this week against Central, which finished last year 5-5. The Kings were clearly out of their element playing against Chandler, which is one of the top teams in the state. We’ll get a clearer picture on the execution of the Kings’ offense and defense tonight against the Spartans. It is Central’s first game of the year, which means they could have some jitters in the early going.
— Jesse Severson
Cibola at Imperial
Kickoff: 7 p.m. today
Records: Raiders 1-0; First game for Tigers
Last week: Cibola defeated Lak Havasu 30-6
Players to watch: In a dominant performance by the Raider defense last Friday against Lake Havasu, senior defensive back Alex Moreno came up with two interceptions. Moreno could come in handy since the Tigers return their quarterback, Chris Carter, who threw for 13 touchdowns last season. ... Also returning for the Tigers is 6-foot-1, 218-pound running back Royce Freeman, who led the team by rushing for 2,075 yards and 35 touchdowns last season.
Cibola coach Lucky Arvizo’s comments: “They’re a pretty talented group. (Freeman) is big, he’s strong, he’s quick. He’s a load.”
The lowdown: The Raiders, playing in their second road game to start the season, should have their hands full with Imperial. The Tigers advanced to the second round of the playoffs last year and still returned their running back, quarterback and several key defensive players. For Cibola to be 2-0 for their home opener, the Raiders will need a big game from running back Jordan Mitchell — which means quarterback Lucky Arvizo Jr. will need to come up with some important completitions to keep the Tiger defense honest.
— Jesse Severson
