Steve Darby continues to make opponents expect the unexpected.
The Camp Verde High School head football coach, instead of employing returning junior starter Payton Sarkesian at quarterback or either of his two backups in their first seven-on-seven challenge of the summer, got four touchdown passes from a converted lineman, senior Trey Terry, in a June 1 win at host Tonopah Valley High School.
“We have about 20 linemen, but we’re hurting for skill guys,” said the fourth-year Cowboys head coach after Sarkesian threw one touchdown in an opening tie with Chino Valley High School. “The positions have talent still developing, but we came out real flat. Because this was our first seven-on-seven, we had a lot of kids playing new positions.”
Starting with another senior lineman, Reyes Hererra, who caught two passes for scores in the two scrimmages — including the one from the 6-foot, 170-pound Sarkesian, whom Darby may continue to split out at wide receiver against the Cougars and six other teams in home seven-on-seven scrimmages at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 8.
“We moved [Hererra] into the fullback position,” Darby said. “He’ll be doing everything, like providing power up the middle and protection for the quarterback.”
As will Jesus Curiel, who has added about 15 pounds to a 6-foot, 2-inch frame to enter his final year at about 260 pounds, Darby said.
“He’s been dead-lifting over 500 pounds, really bulking up,” Darby said of his lineman, one of just five seniors on the Cowboys’ 28-man summer football roster. “He’s been working really hard in the weight room and I’m expecting big things out of him.”
So have juniors Bryce Garcia at nose guard and lineman and punter Mikey Salas, who will be challenged along the line by Bradshaw Mountain High School junior transfer Tristyn Dill.
“We are working on a little bit of a void we have to fill with our leadership,” Darby cautioned. “We’re a young team, but we’re pretty experienced.”
That statement makes sense among the defensive coaches, where former line coach Fernando Diaz has added defensive coordinator to his coaching duties. In his place will be former Payson High School head coach Jerry Rhodes, who also was seven years a defensive coordinator at Desert Mountain High School, in Scottsdale.
“So we’re looking forward to him as linebackers coach and assistant defensive coach,” Darby said. “Fernando also coordinates the line as well as the defense.”
They saw linemen such as junior Rafeal Gonzales shift back and forth between that position and skill positions such as slotback, where junior linebackers Ryan Loza and Kevin Oothoudt caught passes for scores from Terry to make the difference in their two-touchdown win over the 50-man roster of Tonopah Valley.
“All those kids have been starting since their freshman year,” Darby said. “Our junior class is probably the best in recent history; we’re looking for them to do some special things.”
That has Darby excited for the potential of other juniors playing two ways at defensive back and wideout, like Jared Bush and new addition Matthew Newtown, a “great athlete” who also caught a June 1 pass for score from Terry, Darby said.
For the rest of the Cowboys’ summer football schedule, please see the Wednesday, June 8, issues of the Camp Verde Journal and Cottonwood Journal Extra.
