Three weeks into Sedona Red Rock High School spring football practice, and the battle to start at quarterback rages on.

“We’re going to go with one this year,” said John Bradshaw, coming off a 7-3 first season as head football coach in which three signal-callers led SRRHS to just one ranking short of the postseason. “They’re both really good kids, so no matter what happens, they’ll still play on the offensive side as a receiver.”

With the Wednesday, May 18, graduation of rushing leader Derrick Johnson, the battle to start is down to two: Juniors Dawson Barber and Chas Rescigno, who combined to pass for over 1,400 yards for the sectional runners-up.

“Chas has got a good touch on the throwing side of things,” Bradshaw said. “In the running game, Dawson’s got the whole playbook pretty much dialed in. He’s more consistent in both areas. He’s got a good arm as well, and is not that far behind Chas.”

Rescigno’s impact will also felt on the defensive side of the ball, where he had 40 tackles and three interceptions in 2015.

From 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 21, offensive coordinator Tony Hauserman will be closely reporting, to Bradshaw, the two incoming seniors’ performances at Camp Verde High School.

“They’ve both got some work to get done,” Bradshaw added, “but both are doing a good job showing up to practice every day.”

The Scorpions will cap spring practices with seven-on-seven and Big Man competitions against the Cowboys.

“I really hope, at this point, just to have a team of our own for the Big Man competition,” Bradshaw said. “The line is probably my biggest concern at this point.

“I’m not liking the dedication. I haven’t seen a lot of it from the line yet this off-season.”

Of the 13 underclassmen who played on the offensive or defensive lines in the fall, at most only four have consistently made it out to spring football practices in the SRRHS stadium.

“Of those four, only two to three guys have managed to show up to practices every day,” Bradshaw said of incoming senior Justin Aleman and sophomores Reaston McManus, Michael Ryan and Zachary Serrano. “Most of the line has been there last year, but I’ve been having the same struggles again.”

But those linemen struggled with eligibility and other issues in the fall and could not put together a complete season for the Scorpions, meaning Bradshaw will need more of a commitment from incoming seniors Danny Avelar and Jake Christensen.

Getting sophomores Wyatt Dutton, Xander Russell, Alan Ruvalcaba, Edgar Verdugo and Edgar Villalpando back would also help a line that graduated its leader, Timmy Hall, on May 18.

Although six more running backs and wide receivers have managed to make it to spring football since practices began May 2, at least 15 Scorpions will need to commit to summer trips to Monument Valley High School, Northern Arizona University and five more potential Big Man competitions in June, Bradshaw said.

“If I have to I’ll throw in my upcoming sophomore, Dean [Vivanco], on the line, but I’m not going to go with seven guys,” he said. “Fifteen’s about the most I’ve had at this point.

“I need to see that commitment, or we won’t be going to NAU either.”

The freshman tackle and defensive end was an inch shorter and at least 30 pounds lighter than most linemen last season. Bradshaw hopes Aleman, who tipped the scales at 325 pounds, can anchor the line at center.

“I feel a little better about the seven-on-sevens,” said Bradshaw, who expects a big summer from incoming seniors Kevin Zarate, at running back, and wide receiver Luke Doerner. “Luke’s our new kid who used to be in the program, but he felt like he was a little too small. Now, I guess, he’s got more size and feels a little more secure.”

Incoming seniors Jake Christensen and Xavier Turnbull are also expected to play big roles, especially to help Zarate with the running game in August.

But Bradshaw is waiting for them to commit and prepare now, as incoming juniors Branaghan Cunningham and Francisco Javier Pacheco are beginning to catch up from an inexperienced wide receiver corps.

“I’ve got some new receivers coming on the field for the first time,” Bradshaw said. “Kevin’s been working with us a lot this last week, and Branaghan’s been out there quite a bit. We’ve probably got 10 guys showing up, between our receivers and our running backs.”

Both fall starting receivers, Sam Serrano and Bailey Ehrlich, were also May 18 graduates and will need to be replaced.

The loss of Ehrlich, who led his section and was top three in the division in both interceptions and receiving yards, will be especially tough to replace.

For more photos and the Scorpions’ summer football schedule, please see the Friday, May 20, issue of the Sedona Red Rock News.