Prior to scrimmaging a week ago, the sentiment for Cibola was likely a sense of just wanting to hit someone not wearing black and gold. A week later, the Raiders, poised to open the 2016 on the road at Horizon of Scottsdale Friday at 7 p.m., are ready to hit someone and have it count.
That stretch between spring football or passing league, and the first whistle of the regular season is never more arduous than the final days of training camp. There’s the pent up aggression, the anxiousness for a team like Cibola with several first-time starters, and a simple sense that it’s time.
The Raiders travel to Scottsdale on the heels of an 8-3 finish in 2015 against an opponent who was winless a year ago. However, the Huskies, who played in Division I (now called the 6A Division) had arguably one of the toughest schedules in the state. They took on, among others, Hamilton, Chandler, Desert Vista, Centennial (the reigning state champion), and Liberty.
“They’re a pretty tough team, a pretty tough program,” Cibola head coach Lucky Arvizo said. “Their record doesn’t really show that from last year. You’ve got to realize what division they’re in. They’re with the top 10-15 teams in the state: Hamilton, Mountain Pointe. You look at the scores the games weren’t really blow outs, either. Horizon’s a real good team. They just had a tough schedule last year.”
Arvizo seemed excited about the idea of getting tested so early in the season, especially with a new quarterback, a set of new linebackers, and several other positions lacking in experience at the varsity level.
“It’s going to be a tough game right off the bat, which I think can help us,” he said.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Curtis Wolfe, Cibola, QB. Donning No. 7, the senior signal caller will make his first start in Division 6A on the road. He’s thrown just two varsity passes in his career, but has the makeup of a poised, steady leader. He’s also 6-foot-4 and see over the top of the line to spot his three most important targets: Mark Walton, Miguel Alvarado and Gabriel Claudio.
Nick Gregory, Horizon, QB. Like Wolfe, Gregory is expected to be taking the reins as a senior. He threw 62 passes in seven games last year, including three touchdowns, but was the No. 2 quarterback behind Alex Peters. Also like Wolfe, Gregory is tall and lanky: 6-foot-3, 185 pounds. However, Gregory has the luxury of his first opening night start coming in front of his home crowd.
Jesus Romero, Cibola, RB. In the Radiers’ scrimmage against Kofa, Romero separated himself as the No. 1 ball carrier. Despite the efforts of Jalen Thompson and Isaak Contreras to unseat the stout 5-foot-7 Romero, neither could do so. Thompson and Contreras will get touches, but Romero will set the tone. Moreover, expect Arvizo to rely on Romero early to help Wolfe and the offense settle in.
NOTES
Cibola has made the postseason in six of the past seven seasons under Arvizo… Horizon’s Ty Wisdom will be making his head coaching debut after being named the replacement for Kris Heavner in February… According to Wisdom, there are more than 40 seniors on the Huskies’ roster… The Huskies gave up 515 points last season… Cibola had three shutouts defensively…
