Prep Football Previews: Sept. 21
Antelope at Phoenix Christian
Kickoff: 7 p.m. today
Records: Rams 1-2; Cougars 4-0
Last week: Antelope lost to Buckeye 58-0; Phoenix Christian beat Tonopah Valley 35-28.
Players to watch: With quarterback Beto Castro not playing, a brunt of the offense will fall to running back Fred Pearson, who leads the team in rushing and is also one of the top receivers. ... Senior quarterback John DeBus has been an accurate passer this year for the Cougars, leading an offense that averages 42 points a game.
Antelope coach Dan Gardner's comments: “We have to come out and play a full game. We have to be confident in what we are doing and work hard from the opening kickoff to the last section of the game.”
The lowdown: The Rams are dealing with both grade and injury issues. Gardner said the team will be missing nine or 10 starters, including Castro. In all, he said, about half of his varsity roster won't be available. With that many holes, Gardner said he will go with a slightly more traditional offense. ... For the second straight week, the Rams must face an extremely strong opponent. Last week, they played against an undefeated Buckeye team and this week they face an undefeated Phoenix Christian. The Cougars, who are second in AIA Power Points, will provide another example of where Gardner wants to take the Antelope program.
Cibola at Brawley
Kickoff: 7 p.m. today
Records: Raiders 3-1; Wildcats 2-1
Last week: Cibola beat Kofa 57-3; Brawley beat Gila Ridge 41-7
Players to watch: Cibola senior running back Jordan Mitchell is having the season most expected him to have. Last week against Kofa, Mitchell ran for 141 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries. ... Brawley's junior 5-foot-6, 155-pound running back Izaak Comparan ended the Wildcats' win over Gila Ridge with more than 200 yards rushing on 26 carries.
Cibola coach Lucky Arvizo's comments: “They're a real disciplined team and use a lot of misdirection, so we have to make sure we are disciplined on defense.”
The lowdown: After two straight easy victories, the Raiders will have their hands full when they head to Brawley. The Wildcats feature a strong, grinding running game that should test the strength of Cibola's defensive linemen and linebackers. The Raiders' defense has been strong so far this year, allowing a combined nine points in their three wins and 21 in a loss at Imperial.
Gilbert-Perry at Gila Ridge
Kickoff: 7 p.m. today
Records: Pumas 2-2; Hawks 3-1
Last week: Perry lost to Marcos de Niza 21-7; Gila Ridge lost to Brawley 41-7
Players to watch: Quarterback Austin Nightingale missed most of Perry's game last week against state power Marcos de Niza, a 21-7 Puma loss. His backup had problems completing passes, something Nightingale doesn't have — completing 60 percent of his passes this year. ... The Hawks also may have to use a backup quarterback, Brandon Kehl. Scotty Nickerson is doubtful for the game. Kehl has completed all three of the passes he's attempted this year, including one for a touchdown.
Gila Ridge coach Jay Denton's comments: “They have a real good team this year as usual. We're going to have to maintain blocking on the line and try to get more consistent each game.”
The lowdown: Denton said he feels Kehl will do fine filling in for Nickerson, who has completed 48 percent of his passes for 473 yards, five touchdowns and one interception. ... Whoever is at quarterback, Dalon Perkins figures to be his top target. Perkins has 19 of the Hawks' 30 receptions this year. ... Both teams came into existence in 2008 and have played every year except for 2010. The Hawks are 0-3, losing 41-24 last year and in 2008, and 54-35 in 2009. ... The two teams that have defeated Perry are a combined 8-0.
San Luis at Kofa
Kickoff: 7 p.m. today
Records: Sidewinders 0-4; Kings 0-4
Last week: San Luis lost 55-6 to Blythe-Palo Verde; Kofa lost 57-3 to Cibola
Players to watch: Manuel Gonzalez got the Sidewinders' first touchdown of the season last week on a one-yard run. ... Dion Merriweather emerged as a solid receiver last week for the Kings, catching seven of Kofa's nine completions and accounting for 145 yards of total offense — the Kings had only 142 total yards as a team.
San Luis coach Mark Shields' comments: “Our defense is really coming along and we're seeing other improvements. We were able to drive and get a touchdown against the starters of the other team. ... We know it's their homecoming, and it's going to be high emotion. But we never give up.”
Kofa coach Kevin Moore's comments: “We're on a losing streak of our own. They are hungry, and we need to match that hunger.”
The lowdown: Shields said his team will still be without Jorge Sanchez, who through the first two games was the top offensive weapon for the Sidewinders. ... The game reunites the Sidewinders with Kofa assistant Fernando Solano — who was the head coach of the Sidewinders for four years, guiding them to their last win 40 games ago. When Shields was linebackers coach at Arizona Western, he recruited Solano. ... Solano coached the Kings last week because Moore missed the game. Moore said he could not comment on his absence last week. ... The last time Kofa beat a team that wasn't San Luis was a 49-13 win against Gila Ridge on Oct. 23, 2009.
Yuma Catholic at Buckeye
Kickoff: 7 p.m. today
Records: Shamrocks 3-1; Hawks 4-0
Last week: Yuma Catholic defeated Wickenburg 40-22; Buckeye defeated Antelope 58-0
Players to watch: Senior left guard Glen Justice has been hobbled all season and sat out last week's win against Wickenburg. He's supposed to be suiting up against Buckeye and could have a big influence on how well the Shamrocks' run game and pass protection will be. ... Senior running back Jabril Taylor has four straight 100-plus rushing yard games for Buckeye on the year. Last week against Antelope, he rushed for 107 yards on eight carries and three touchdowns.
Yuma Catholic coach Rhett Stallworth's comments: “Our biggest concern is to stop their run game. When you run as much as they do, we're going to have to come into the game with a nasty disposition.”
The lowdown: Traveling to Buckeye, which is ranked No. 3 in the Division IV AIA Power Points, could be the toughest test of the year for the Shamrocks. The Hawks will run the ball frequently and occasionally use play-action to come up with a big play. Considering Buckeye is a top team in Division IV, this is a huge game for the Shamrocks as far as positioning when the playoffs roll around.
Sahuarita-Walden Grove at Yuma High
Kickoff: 7 p.m. today
Records: Red Wolves 2-3; Criminals 1-3
Last week: Walden Grove lost 44-0 to Glendale-Joy Christian; Yuma High lost 47-0 at Sahuaro.
Players to watch: Junior Carlos Martinez is the quarterback for the Red Wolves' offense, which Yuma High coach Tom Fox said “throws the ball around a lot.” ... Chance Hamilton, a 6-foot-3, 240-pound senior, was moved from the line to the fullback last week and Fox feels that he'll use Hamilton there today, considering Hamilton helped open up holes for the running game.
Yuma High coach Tom Fox's comments: “In a way it's refreshing because we can just work on our own stuff and knock the kinks out.”
The lowdown: Very little is known about Walden Grove, which is playing its first varsity schedule after opening up in 2011. Fox said that this week, instead of planning around the opponent, he's been able to focus more on improving what the Criminals do on offense and defense. After opening the season with a 45-0 win against San Luis, the offense has scored just six points in their last three games. However, Fox believes his offense is improving every week and should give the Criminals a chance to pick up their second win against the Red Wolves.
Harvest Prep at Tempe-Madison Prep
Kickoff: 7 p.m. today
Records: Eagles 3-0; Patriots 1-1
Last week: Harvest Prep defeated Casa Grande-Mission Heights Prep 48-36; Madison Prep lost to Glendale Prep Academy 58-26
Players to watch: Junior defensive end Armando Moreno had two sacks in Harvest Prep's win against Mission Heights Prep, but coach Nathen Baker said he was in the backfield all game long. ... Madison Prep's running offense revolves around senior Raul Samayoa, who rushed for 207 yards in their season opening win over Orme.
Harvest Prep coach Nathen Baker's comments: “In the past week, we're a lot less overconfident than we were a few weeks ago. They know that although we're 3-0, that doesn't mean much.”
The lowdown: Last year the Eagles went on a three-game win streak to improve to 3-1 halfway through the season. They responded by losing three straight to finish the year 4-4. Baker says his team realizes that starting the 2012 season 3-0 won't matter much if they can't sustain their level of play. Samayoa is a major weapon on offense for the Patriots, so the Eagles must find a way to contain him if they want to have a four-game winning streak for the first time in program history.
-Edward Carifio and Jesse Severson
