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The Cimarron-Memorial High football team will rely on a handful of sophomores and juniors this fall. That could be considered a formula for a difficult season, but coach John Parcells raves about the dedication and ability of those underclassmen.
“The thing I like about it, each day we are getting better,” Parcells said. “We are a young team. That’s an exiting thing, there is a lot of talent.”
Parcells has seniors such as linebacker Nathaniel Garcia and wide receiver Michael Soukup leading the way, showing the younger players the ins and outs of being in the program. Cimarron won a pair of state championships in the late 1990s and the school takes great pride in its tradition. It’s a way of football passed on to each generation.
“It’s a process,” Parcells said. “If you get better everyday, you give everything you have, you are accountable, you hold accountable the guy on either side of you, (and) you play more for them than yourself. It’s slowly but surely sticking with these guys.”
Sophomore Marcus Phillips at safety and George Tribble at quarterback are two of six sophomore expected to play. The Spartans open the season today against Cheyenne in the Duel in the Desert rivalry game, giving the younger players their first varsity action.
By time Northwest League play rolls around in early October, the hope is the younger players are seasoned enough to compete for a league title.
“We are just trying to bring the young guys up and get them used to the speed of the game,” Garcia said.
When Cimarron played in the Sunset Region title game in 2009, it was the last time a team other than recent Sunset powers Arbor View, Bishop Gorman, Centennial and Palo Verde reached the semifinals. It’s a playoff round the Spartans could eventually reach again.
“Eleven guys have to play. Eleven guys have to do their job every game,” Parcells said.
Defensively, Cimarron could have an advantage with Garcia (5 foot 8, 195 pounds) and junior defensive tackle KJ Gentry leading the way. Soukup plays both ways and anchors the secondary.
Parcells preached consistency to his players, knowing that when they play with toughness and bring a good effort they’ll have a chance to win on Friday nights. Eventually, the goal is to hang another championship banner.
“That is why we keep working hard, we want to live up to that name Cimarron has,” Garcia said.
Ray Brewer can be reached at 702-990-2662 or [email protected]. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21
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