It has been a few years since I coached high school football, but last I checked you only use one ball. This gives La Cueva Head Coach Fred Romero the enviable task of figuring out of to get the rock into the hands of his multiple playmakers in an attempt to build on last season’s 8-4 district championship.
Talk of Bear playmakers begins with super talented junior Ronnie Daniels. The 6-2 195 pound running back, who has started since his freshman season and was All State as a sophomore, seems as if he has been playing forever. Along with Daniels, Marcus Baca returns. Baca averaged five yards a carry last season. Jordan Wade, a talented and versatile athlete played QB, but may be asked to take on multiple roles with the addition of transfer Meiko Locksley. It will be interesting to see how Coach Romero uses this group of talented and versatile athletes. Locksley, Daniels and Wade have all had time under center and could move around and create multiple matchup problems for defenses. Helping to project and pave the way for this group is big All-League lineman Dylan Sydenstrick. It is scary that an offense that averaged right at 30 points a game last season may be improved.
Defensively, keep an eye on Brian Richards. The 6-2 215 pound Richards established himself as a very good defender last season. Most of last year, the La Cueva defense was stout, allowing just 15 points a game, but in the four losses that number rose to over 30 points a game.
The talented offense should hold the fort while the Bears find defensive consistency. If these two units hit on all cylinders at the same time, beating La Cueva could be a bear.