It's no secret the 1990s have not been particularly kind to the football programs at Henderson-area schools Basic and Silverado.
While nearby Green Valley spent the decade establishing itself as a perennial playoff contender, the Wolves and Skyhawks struggled mightily, with both missing out on the postseason altogether.
In fact, it has been 10 years since once-proud Basic earned a berth in the Southern Zone playoffs. And Silverado? Since opening in 1993, the Skyhawks have never made the second season.
But if weeks one and two of the 1999 season are any indication, the tide may be turning in the southeastern part of town. Both Basic and Silverado bring 2-0 records into tonight's game and, more importantly, a world of confidence that their long droughts may be over.
"The kids are real up right now," Skyhawks coach John DeNardin said. "It's been a positive experience for them."
Thus far, DeNardin's charges have posted two rather lopsided victories -- a 35-20 Sunrise Division win over Rancho in the opener and a 55-0 thrashing of first-year Henderson school Foothill last Friday.
Tonight, the Skyhawks will entertain Canadian club Centennial in a game DeNardin expects will provide his team with a good test heading into next week's conference game against Chaparral.
"(Centennial is) a big, physical, ball-control type team," DeNardin said. "From what we've heard, they'll be very big up front."
For Basic, the season's first two Fridays have brought two non-league wins: a 26-0 victory over Foothill in week one and a 33-16 triumph over Class 3A's Boulder City last week.
Tonight, the Wolves will get their stiffest challenge thus far -- a home conference game against perennial Sunrise power Chaparral, a team reeling after starting the season with two losses.
"I know they're going to be hungry, but the feeling I get from the kids is that even though we're 2-0, we're just as hungry, maybe hungrier," Wolves coach Cliff Frazier said.
Frazier said his team's new winning attitude can be traced back to the end of the 1998 campaign, when the Wolves missed out on a potential playoff berth by failing to convert on a critical fourth-and-one in their final game versus Rancho.
DeNardin, meanwhile, said his club's new approach was born when his juniors and seniors were on Silverado's freshmen and junior varsity squads -- clubs that finished with wining records.
"These are the first two classes that won at the lower level, and that helps their confidence and helps them get prepared to win," DeNardin said. "They've learned how to win, and that's made a big difference."
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