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BISBEE — During some of his meetings this summer, Bisbee High School varsity football head coach Truman Williamson talks about a saying.
It goes like this: The challenge to get to the top will be tougher. It will tax our spirit.
It alluded to the fact that the schedule will be one of the toughest, if not the toughest, in the Pumas’ history.
In nearly every football game this season before East Region play begins on Sept. 28, Bisbee could easily win but it could just as easily lose.
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“The teams we play will be tougher,” Williamson said. “Our schedule’s real tough. Last year we had about 52 kids. Five years ago we had 18.”
Two opponents will be Aug. 31 at Arizona Lutheran Academy and Sept. 14 at home against Antelope, two perennial powerhouses who routinely reside in the Class 2A State Football Tournament. ALA lost 33-15 at Bisbee in the first round of last season’s tournament. Antelope has qualified for state playoffs in five consecutive seasons.
The road to the state playoffs will go via the power point system. There are 50 points for a win over a 2A team, 55 versus a 3A and 60 if Bisbee wins its season opener on Aug. 24 at Warren Ballpark against Class 4A-II school Douglas.
“It’s a lot different,” Williamson said. “I think Benson will be tough.”
On Tuesday at Bisbee High’s practice field, 50 players showed up in shirts and shorts to run through some plays and do some non-contact agility, catching and running drills. The first two-a-day practice began on Monday, with the Pumas showing up at 7:30 a.m. in the morning and 3:30 p.m. in the afternoon.
With quality depth at just about every position, especially running back, Bisbee will be more of a running team from the offset I-formation this season. Last season, the first time in which the team made it to the state tournament, the Pumas had more of a spread offense.
This season, Tito Dagnino will step in for current Western New Mexico University redshirt freshman Brian Vertrees at halfback. Thor Acuna will fill in the slot of all-Region receiver Sterling Schuller, and Chris Munsey will spread the ball around in place of Aaron Farmer.
The receivers will be Dominic Gunasauley, Matt Becking and Albert Cardeñas. The offensive line, led by co-captains Jacob Holguin and Bryan Earnest, averages 220 pounds per player.
Bisbee lost 280-pound junior Robert Marquez, a two-year starting guard, to San Manuel. Marquez’s parents live in San Manuel, but he lived with relatives in Bisbee.
The team will ride around in a recently purchased Greyhound bus to their road games outside of Cochise County this season.
