The Big Park Community School boys basketball team started the 2012-2013 season with a new head coach, a boost of confidence and a 1-1 record.

The Coyotes have reloaded with hard-working, athletic basketball players this season, and Amy Parrella, the boy’s new head coach, is already impressed.

“They are incredible,” Parrella said. “They are coming together as a team better than I imagined.”

The Coyotes had to work out their first game jitters, and it showed. In their season opener at home on Nov. 27, the Coyotes lost to the Clarkdale-Jerome Mingus Rams 47-26.

“It was our first game and their third game,” Parrella said. “Our defense was incredible but we hadn’t smoothed out our offense yet. We are beyond ready for the next time we play Clarkdale now.”

The Coyotes were trailing the Mingus Rams by 12 points at halftime, but Big Park’s team shooting percentage was much lower than normal at 21 percent. The team was missing starting eighth-grader Chaz Rescigno due to a recent concussion injury he received in football, and starting post Walker Cox broke his arm in the second half while stealing the ball.

Randy Rodriguez was the leading scorer for Big Park with nine points. Seventh-grader Wyatt Gregson had six points. Neil Smith recorded six assists.

Big Park’s second game was a different story. With a 54 percent shooting percentage and a 75 percent free-throw percentage, the Coyotes beat Oak Creek 69-2 on Nov. 29 at Big Park.

Eighty-five percent of the team scored, and Rodriguez was the game’s leading scorer with

For the full story, please see the Wednesday, Dec. 5, issue of the Red Rock News.