MOGOLLON, JOSEPH CITY STILL STRONG IN 1A

Note: This preview focuses on schools throughout the City of Phoenix, the northwest and southwest Valley, western, northern and northeastern Arizona.

By Don Ketchum

For six years in the decade from 2000-09, one of the teams playing for the Class 1A football championship was either Heber Mogollon, Joseph City, or in last year�s case, both.

The likelihood of that happening again in eight-man ball this year is strong. Rosters for the 1A North Region opponents always seem to be well-stocked.

John Bryant took the coaching reins at Joseph City last season and worked his magic as he had previously at St. David and Pima.

Running back Remington Baldwin, who scored a touchdown in Joseph City�s 34-14 win over Mogollon in last season�s state championship game, is one of the primary leaders for the Wildcats.

Mogollon has a new coach this season. Tim Slade replaces Ron Tenney as the field boss after Tenney took a step up to become an administrator and head coach at nearby Class 3A Snowflake.

Slade, who was head coach at Mogollon in the early 1990s and had been back on the coaching staff as an assistant since 2003, said the transition won�t be as difficult for his players as it might if he had come in from elsewhere.

�Ron and I liked to do a lot of the same things offensively, but there will be differences, too,�� Slade said.

Slade said his team should be improved, but so should Joseph City. He added that Bagdad from the West Region and St. David from the South Region should be among the teams that challenge for this year�s crown.

J.T. Maner is back as starting quarterback for the fourth straight season. He led Mogollon to the title in 2008. He should get a big boost from his mates in the backfield, junior Boone Baker and senior Betten Stephens. Baker accounted for 26 touchdowns a year ago.

Cory Emery, a two-way starter on the line, is ready for a strong senior season. Jacob Anderson will move into the center spot, and Slade is optimistic about the play of lineman Alex Fifita, a transfer from Mesa High.

Bagdad and fellow West Region team Orme reached the semifinals in 2009, and have the potential to reach that level or even greater this time around.

�Our region should be even tougher this season,�� said Bagdad coach Dan Corbin. �You have Orme, (Phoenix) Valley Lutheran, Salome, and (Glendale) Joy Christian is an up-and-coming team. They might not be there this season, but they definitely will in a year or two.��

Bagdad should have better play up front, and Corbin is charged about senior quarterback Zach Loveall, who threw for 2,300 yards and 30 touchdowns a year ago.

Also keep an eye on running back Gabe Owens, who broke his arm on his first carry last season (a 46-yard run). Owens is just 5-feet-5 inches and 175 pounds, but Corbin said, �He can run people over and he�s very quick.��

Solidifying the defensive front will be Jerhen Ertel, who at 6-6 and 260 pounds was third on the team in tackles and had four sacks last season.

Orme is led by running back Alfonzo Bloom, who rushed for more than 2,000 yards.