One of the new faces on Camp Verde High School’s football team in the fall didn’t belong to an underclassman or to a player moving from a different area, but to senior Mason Rayburn.
Rayburn was no stranger to the Cowboys athletic program, having played basketball and baseball in his first three years at Camp Verde. But he had never played on the gridiron. When the fall sports schedule was announced and it became clear that the football season would happen, Rayburn decided to play.
“I just figured that the coronavirus would cancel all of the sports,” he said. “So I wanted to get a sport in, just in case corona canceled it.”
It ended up being a good decision.
Rayburn played primarily as a defensive back. While the Cowboys’ season was ultimately shortened to three games due to different COVID-19 cancellations, Rayburn intercepted three passes and also returned kickoffs and punts for Camp Verde. Although it was nullified due to a penalty, he returned one punt for a touchdown.
“I ended up having a good time, so it was good” Rayburn said. “I’m happy I did it. It was a lot of fun. I really liked the long bus rides.”
With football season now over, Rayburn’s attention will go to two sports he’s more familiar with — basketball and baseball.
Among Rayburn’s top memories in basketball are tournament trips that the team took to the Point Loma neighborhood of San Diego. There, he enjoyed playing spikeball, aka roundnet, on the beach with his teammates.
With tournaments not being played this year, Rayburn won’t get to enjoy another trip like that.
At this point, though, his primary hope is that the season — which has already been delayed to January — will take place.
“I just want to have a season,” Rayburn said. “Then I hope we can get into state and make a long run. It’s our first year in 3A but I think we can do it.”
While the Cowboys are moving up to 3A, they were one of the best 2A teams in Arizona last year. They won the 2A Central Region and reached the state quarterfinals. Rayburn averaged 5.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, three assists and 1.6 steals per game for the Cowboys as a junior. Among returning players, those are all the second best totals on the team.
In the spring, Rayburn’s attention will go to the diamond for his favorite sport, baseball. Like basketball, Rayburn’s best memories from past seasons involve a trip, this time to Laughlin for a tournament. While schedules haven’t been released, it’s likely that tournaments will not be part of the spring sports calendar, as they were canceled in both fall and winter sports.
Rayburn will be a key part of a team that, while young, has high expectations.
“We’re going to have a young team and better competition,” he said. “If we can even make it to playoffs, which I think there is a possibility, and win some games, that would be my No. 1 hope. Just to make it to the playoffs.”
During 2020’s abbreviated season, Rayburn hit .391/.444/.608 with three doubles and a triple. He also stole six bases. As a pitcher, he went 2-0, added one save and struck out 13 hitters over 8.2 innings in three appearances. In his last full season, Rayburn hit .419/.557/.540 with three doubles and three triples. In nine pitching appearances, he posted a 2-0 record, notching one save, all while putting up a 1.68 ERA with 30 strikeouts over 16.2 innings.
Long term, Rayburn noted that he’d like to go to school to eventually work in anesthesiology.
He wouldn’t mind putting that on hold, though, for more time playing on the diamond. While Rayburn’s high school baseball career will wrap up in the spring, he hopes his performance is good enough to continue his career at the collegiate level. If he can get to the next level, Rayburn hopes to continue playing as long as he can.
“If I can get a scholarship, I want to see how far I can go,” he said. “I want to ride that as far as it will take me.”
