Close, but no win — yet.
Head coach Steve Darby and staff have finished runner-up with 20 Camp Verde High School football players the past two Wednesdays at home seven-on-seven and Big Man competitions.
In two weeks of games of skill and strength, the Cowboys have fallen short to Flagstaff by a touchdown and the Bradshaw Mountain High School varsity by a point, beating four other high schools at Sam Hammerstrom Field.
“We’re definitely ahead of where we were offensively and defensively the last two seasons,” Darby said. “I’m pretty disappointed in the lack of interest, but this core group is pretty solid and unique in the fact that they’re real coachable — they listen to what you say and put it into play.”
CVHS will also host Chino Valley, Coconino, Sedona Red Rock and Williams high schools in a final attempt Wednesday, June 24, to be the fastest and the strongest among high schools in north central Arizona. Games begin at 6 p.m.
Developing depth among players who will need to play both offense and defense, if not on special teams, has been the preoccupation for Darby this off-season.
“We’re working hard on developing backup roles for a lot of kids, if needed,” he said. “Bradshaw has a school four times our size and easily formed three teams with 125 kids — no one went both ways.
“I wish I had that problem. There’s just no way we could do that.”
For the full story, please see the Wednesday, June 24, issue of the Camp Verde Journal.
