We want to continue to thank the high school football coaches who have submitted the information that is enabling SportZine to recognize their schools and, especially, their athletes in our Preview.
ROUNDING OUT our segment on those schools trying to make the turn this year after posting sub-par seasons in 2007, we are featuring Agua Fria HS, Arcadia HS, and Bourgade Catholic HS.
NEXT UP... the schools that were successful in 2007, but have set their sights on continuing their winning ways in 2008. Coming in the next segment: Brophy Prep HS, Buckeye HS, Corona del Sol HS, Deer Valley HS, Higley HS, and Mountain Ridge HS.
Agua Fria coach, Kelly Epley, says his Owls will know this week which way their season will go. They play Apache Junction HS Friday night and Epley says, "That's the game that's going to make or break our season. It's a game that we can win."
The Owls are a 4A I team that play in the West Valley Region. They are coming off a 4-7 season last year, but still managed a playoff berth. This year, they are counting on 15 seniors to lead the way back to the playoffs. Last year, they started a lot of juniors and sophomores, but Epley points out that "Every team is only as good as its seniors." And he feels he has some good ones in Justin Lewis, who will play both ways at defensive end and tight end; running back Jordan Yancey; and 250 lb. offensive tackle Ramon Lopez. The Owls' strength this year lies largely in the offensive and defensive lines.
Rounding out the group of seniors that Epley expects to have an impact this season is Bryan Lawrence, a 165 lb. linebacker.
Arcadia High School
The Titans likely won't resemble the 2007 team. They have a new coaching staff, new offense, and a new defense.
Coach Jim Ellison has 10 returning starters to work with, as he tries to improve on a 6-5 record last year. Arcadia plays in the 4A II East Sky region.
Ellison sees a handful of upper classmen who were starters on lthe 2007 squad and are expected to play key roles in 2008. They include seniors David Carroll (WR/Safety), Adam Joffe (LB/TE), Trevor Brock (RB/LB), Edwin Zubiate (RB/LB),and Kevin Cosgrove (TE/DE), and juniors Colby Kirkegaard (QB) and Joey Artique (RB).
Many see the Kirkegaard-to-Carroll combination as one of the best in the state this year, with the added bonus of the tight end, Cosgrove.
A couple of other key players to watch are both juniors: Jake Hirschi at running back, a fast athlete with good hands, and linebacker Connor McClain, a strong player who Coach Ellison says has "good instincts."
Bourgade Catholic HS
Bourgade, a 2A school in the West Region, also presents a "new" look for the 2008 season, as the school's outlook for this year is... "a new coach, a new attitude, and optimism."
Coach Chris Andreadis inherits a team that posted a 3-7 season in 2007 and has a small cadre of returning starters that are expected to make an impact this year: a couple of seniors that will provide help at wide receiver and defensive back, Robbie Garcia and Tyler Comella; and two more seniors, on the offensive and defensive lines, Grant Harper and Nick Sawyer. Add to that, junior Alex Minnes at tight end.
But Andreadis also points to some up-and comers who he hopes will step up to the challenge this year: senior Dan Casey, the center and leader of the offensive line; senior wide receiver Josh Steuter, who has the speed and athleticism to make the big plays; senior Eliot Alston who, because he is a team leader and can play running back on offense and linebacker on defense, his coach says "might never come off the field."
Add to the mix a trio of sophomores: Blake Comella, a quarterback with a strong arm and leadership qualities; Ryan Burke (FB/LB), a tough hard-nosed player; and Mike Enriques, a big hitter in the defensive backfield and versatile enough to also play running back.