Head football coach Steve Darby hopes his most complete Camp Verde High School team of the fall can turn around an 0-2 start in its 2A Conference Central Region opener Friday, Sept. 16.
“This week, we should be close to a complete team,” Darby said prior to the 7 p.m. home matchup with Kingman Academy. “We just need to get into our rhythm and better execute blocking and tackling opportunities.”
But after a 48-6 loss to Scottsdale Christian Academy in their Sept. 2 home opener, a touchdown pass from junior quarterback Payton Sarkesian has been all that has kept a team ravaged by ill, ineligible injured and late-arriving players from being outscored, 100-0.
“Scottsdale Christian shut down our run game,” Darby said. “Our line was not executing their blocks consistently.
“Between academically ineligible players carried over from last year’s grades, injuries … clearance issues and illness, we have yet to have all our starters on the field at once.”
That discontinuity was a factor in the Cowboys secondary getting shredded for 477 yards by the sixth-ranked Eagles’ freshman quarterback, despite two interceptions by sophomore cornerback, kicker and wide receiver Dominic Bruno, who led the team with eight tackles.
“Dominic struggled when covering their top receiver, and they took advantage of this mismatch,” Darby said. “Dominic will continue on defense but will be limited on offense due to durability concerns.”
Better pressure from Bruno, sophomore Alec Moore and their teammates along the Cowboys defensive line will be needed, Darby said, against Kingman Academy junior quarterback Patrick Papilli and senior Jordan McDowell-Seybert, a “dangerous player on both sides of the ball,” in Darby’s estimation.
“He has a great deal of speed and agility,” Darby said. “Defensively, we just need to play our roles and know where he is on the field at all times.
“[Papilli] does a pretty good job of throwing short passes accurately, on the run, but does not have a big arm for the longer passes.”
The Tigers are also coming off their second loss, a 12-7 defeat at crosstown rival Lee Williams High School.
“After viewing [Tigers] game film, we have made some adjustments we think will help,” Darby said. “The short passing game was working for us, although our quarterback had very little time to pass.”
Breakout games from senior Carson Zale, who led the team with 117 all-purpose yards Sept. 2, and junior slotback Ryan Loza will be key.
