Alice’s Arturo Elizondo (left) could have the quarterback job to himself after
splitting time last season.
ALICE - Jim Clark never had any doubts that spring training would
help Alice High School more than an extra week of workouts in August.
Having lost their starting quarterback and the entire offensive line,
the second-year coach figured 18 days of practices in full pads would give the
coaching staff a good look at who needed to play where. What Clark never figured
on was hiring a new offensive coordinator two weeks before the start of preseason
workouts.
Clark, however, isn't complaining much.
Despite returning just three offensive starters and a new offense-scheme
hampering development, the Coyotes are focused on making their 10th straight playoff
appearance.
"The new things that we're running are so similar to what we've done
in the past," Clark said of new coordinator Mark Reeve's system. "The thing is
we started out early in spring training. We feel like we have the right people
in the right positions, and that has helped us get comfortable with the new offense."
The offense also changed some
and we want to be the first to win district since (1985)."
For that to happen, Clark said, A
lice's defense must better last season's performance, during which
opponents averaged 22.5 points and 275.2 per game. Four starters, three of them
seniors, return from that unit, two on the defensive line: Tate Crews (6-foot-2,
190 pounds) and Moises Hernandez (5-11, 190), and two at linebacker, Duarte (5-11,
215) and junior Marcos Ramirez (5-10, 160).
Clark said those four, in particular the linebackers, have the early
task of helping Alice remain competitive.
"Our defense is really going to have to step up until the offense
gets off and running," Clark said. "Without a doubt, the defense is our strong
point."
Offensive surge
The offense likely won't need help for long, as the three players
slated to return to their positions in the backfield all had playing time last
season.
Though he wasn't the starter, Arturo Elizondo has experience at quarterback,
having often been used in a two-quarterback system with Charlie Forbes.
"Arturo, he played a bunch even with Charlie in the system," Clark
said. "He'll do a real fine job. Now we have to find him a backup."
Tailback Erasmo Aguilar rushed for nearly 700 yards and eight touchdowns,
mostly behind the crushing blocks of fullback Jose Losoya.
Clark's biggest concern is the offensive line, which must be pieced
together from last season's backups and junior varsity c
all-ups. Those prospects, center Damian Gonzalez (5-10, 215, sr.),
guard Jason Garcia (5-9, 225, jr.) and Andres Chavarria (6-3, 265, jr.), give
the Coyotes some size.
"We're really starting from scratch," Clark said. "The three that
had a backup role got a little playing time. They went in when the score was either
way far ahead or way far behind."
Also of help to the Coyotes, Clark said, is an open week before the
start of district after testing their system against three Class 5A teams, Moody,
Miller and Ray. In the return to an eight-team district, Clark said there's not
much time to prepare.
"It used to be eight teams for years and years, then they took a
couple out and that was awful nice," Clark said. "It would be nice to still have
those extra weeks to get ready for district."
Even if Alice is 0-3 when they open district against G-P on Sept.
27, it doesn't matter.
"We want to win our first three," Duarte said. "But if not, district
is the only thing that counts."
Undaunted, the Coyotes went on to finish 3-2 and in third place in
District 31-4A, then advanced two rounds into the Division I playoffs. Though
Alice averaged a little under 300 total yards of offense per game, the Coyotes
still managed to score 25.8 points per game, fourth best among Class 4A teams
in the area.
New competition
Now the district is 30-4A and has eight teams with the addition of
old mates Gregory-Portland and Rockport-Fulton. Some have their ideas as to whether
Alice survives the shootout.
"Alice has great tradition, but any one of six teams can be that
third-place team," Robstown coach Claude Bassett said. "It's a two-horse race
and then everybody else is fighting for third. Everybody says Alice. I don't buy
into that, but that doesn't mean I don't think Alice will get it."
The Coyotes have ideas of their own.
"We have a good offense. It's changed quite a bit, but we're learning,"
said senior linebacker Demetrio Duarte, returning for his third straight year
as a starter. "We have a lot of seniors coming back,
