Football Division II Preview(From L to R) Chaparral’s Keenan Walker (photo by Mark Jones/maxpreps.com), Deer Valley’s Brian Calhoun (photo byChris Hook/maxpreps.com) and Centennial’s Dedrick Young (photo by Duane Matsen/maxpreps.com)tackles) and defensive back Jared Stangler (50 tackles)were steady.Raymond Kellis: The Jaguars welcome new coachShawn Copeland. Raymond Kellis was last in the sectionand 2-8 overall. It won't be easy navigating a substantialturnaround this season. Copeland has two starters backon offense and three on defense. The junior varsity posteda 3-6 record last year so not a lot of winning experience.Top offensive returnee is wide receiver Austin Feaster (32catches, 367 yards). The defense is led by free safetyJacob Kessler, who amassed 65 tackles and picked offfour passes.SeCTion iVCibola: The Raiders have managed to rule over this sectionthe past several years and earn the one playoff berthallotted. Coach Lucky Arviso may get his toughest battleyet for section supremacy from Lake Havasu and GilaRidge, who challenged last year. Cibola returns fourstarters on offense and three on defense. The Raidersbiggest needs are at quarterback and all its starting linebackers,who graduated. Two talented skill players are asgood as any in the section -- running back Abe Thompsonand receiver Michael DeCorse-Hall. Thompson rushedfor 987 yards and 17 TDs and hauled in 17 passes for 291yards from the coach's son last year. DeCorse-Hall had 39catches for 786 yards and 7 TDs. The best returnee on defenseis safety Is<strong>aia</strong>h Brown, who had 62 tackles and threeinterceptions. The section has shrunk to five teams fromsix since San Luis no longer fields a <strong>football</strong> program. Cibola'sreplacement foe is Trevor Browne.Lake Havasu: The Knights won't win the section until theyfind a way to beat Cibola. The teams have met asregion/section opponents the last five years and Cibola is5-1 in those meetings. Lake Havasu returns 19 lettermenand veteran coach Karl Thompson has six starters back oneach side of the ball. Guys that carry and throw the ball fordecent yardage are among them -- quarterback GradyAtkins (1,489 yards, 13 TDs and six picks) and runningback Austin Stefick, who was 44 yards shy of 1,000 lastyear and scored 11 TDs. Thompson's focus is the trencheson both sides of the ball where experience and expertiseare in short supply as camp opens. Lake Havasu subs D-III Kingman for San Luis on its schedule.Gila Ridge: The Hawks are aching for a breakthrough inbeating their biggest rival Cibola and in securing a playoffberth. Gila Ridge opened in 2007 and is set for its sixthvarsity <strong>football</strong> season. This year's seniors are seeing afifth varsity coach in four years. The newest mentor is TylerKosel, who comes from North Dakota. Kosel's installingthe spread and like the number of coaches in recent years,it's also another new offense for players. Gila Ridge oper-page 22
ated mostly out of the wing-T last year. Top returningplayer is quarterback Brandon Kehl. Gila Ridge, 3-7 in2013, nearly upended Cibola last year, dropping a heartbreakerthe ninth week of the season, 16-14. Gila Ridge is1-4 in games between the schools, winning only in 2009,3-0. Gila Ridge is subbing D-III Mohave for San Luis in itsseason opener.Yuma: The Criminals posted a 4-6 record for fifth-yearcoach Curt Weber, but none of those triumphs wereagainst Cibola, Havasu or Gila Ridge in section play. Yumahas <strong>15</strong> lettermen in camp and close to half its startersback. Top players among the returnees are runningback Chris Gonzalez (634 yards, 6 TDs), quarterbackRiley McAdam and linebacker Octavio Rios. Rios wasbusy with 54 tackles. There is experience up front as well,though not as much with offensive tackle Alonso Soto andguard Michael Dorion. Yuma takes on D-IV Parker in thegame that replaces San Luis on its schedule.Kofa: The Kings picked up their only section win againstSan Luis on the way to a 2-8 finish. They also hired a newcoach in the offseason, taking on Ben Franz, who hailsfrom South Dakota. Kofa is the only team in the sectionsubbing out a D-I opponent for San Luis. Kofa's debutunder Franz will be against North High.Football Division II PreviewSeCTion VSalpointe: The Lancers are likely to have some dropoff offensivelyin attempting a title defense, but the defense withfive returnees and others ready to fill in sounds as thoughit will be another tough nut to crack. Salpointe has 40 lettermenback - at least twice that of everyone in the sectionexcept Ironwood Ridge. The Lancers have become aperennial D-II threat with the likes of Centennial andChaparral with only three losses in the last three years toArizona schools (Notre Dame Prep, Centennial andChaparral). With a 14-game winning streak in tow, everyoneon the schedule will be out to give the Lancers theirbest shot. The defense features linebacker Taylor Powelland Jaylyn Juan as the top returnees.Marana Mountain View: Like Salpointe, the MountainLions will be strong on the defensive side. Five starters returnscattered about the line, linebackers and secondary.Leading the group are linebackers JP Ramirez (47 tackles,2 interceptions), linebacker Sam Ross, defensive end EnriqueSparkman and safeties Justice Summerset andJustin Guana. The team is blessed overall with speed butoffensive productivity is the question mark facing ClarenceMcRae's team. The Mountain Lions added Demetriuspage 23Flannigan, a receiver-defensive back, recently via transferfrom Tucson High. A tough non-section slate of Mesquite,Desert Vista, Poston Butte and rival Marana precedes sectionbattles.Tucson: The Badgers reeled off a third consecutiveseven-win season, two of which resulted in playoff berths,including last year. Coach Justin Argraves (21-11 in threeseasons), fields a good set of skill players. Quarterbackand offensive line play are going to need time to develop.Picking up a win over Ironwood Ridge last year was huge,but may be tougher this season with a more mature IronwoodRidge. Tucson struggled with Mountain View, and ofcourse, Salpointe.Ironwood Ridge: The Nighthawks acquitted themselveswell as a defending state champ that lost 90 percent of itsstarters and played quite a few sophomores. Matt Johnson's6-5 team made the playoffs even though it was aone-game stay. They have 30 lettermen in camp and sixstarters back on both sides of the ball. Senior linebackerAustin Goddard (71 tackles, 4.5 sacks) and junior defensiveback Jared McKemy had good years in 2013. Juniorrunning back Cole McLafferty rang up 669 yards rushingand 7 TDs as team's second-leading rusher. Junior tightend Matt Solverson was very productive with 34 catchesfor 535 yards. Linemen Chase Laurita and KristianBecerra are solid on offense and could serve double duty.The kicking chores settle in the capable hands of NathanFarmer -- both punting and place-kicking.Vista Grande: The Spartans tallied a 3-7 mark in coachTracy Stuart's first season. They won once in the sectionbeating Rincon and triumphed over Central and rival CasaGrande in non-section games. Vista Grande has huge hillto climb to do to battle competitively with Salpointe, MountainView, Ironwood Ridge and Tucson. The Spartans lostthose four games last year by an average margin of 45-3.Top players are Keith Marson and Nate Agmata.Rincon: The Rangers finished 0-10 last year and sport anew coach in Lucius Miller. Rincon has one winning seasonin the last eight years and has dropped its last 20games in a row.SeCTion ViMesquite: The Wildcats managed a big season in veterancoach Jim Jones' first year on the job. They took home asection title and final-four appearance in to go with an 11-2record after dropping from D-I to D-II. Jones added twoveteran head coaches to his staff in the spring with Tom
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