In 2019, the football team at Sedona Red Rock High School will of course try to win as many games as it possibly can. The more important task, though, is to lay the groundwork for rebuilding a program that has gone 6-24 since the current seniors were freshmen.
Coach Bob Young was brought in to oversee that rebuild. He’s in his first year with the Scorpions, but is well known to football fans in the Verde Valley, having previously coached at Mingus for three decades. In 2018, Young served as defensive coordinator for a Notre Dame Prep team that went 13-0 before losing to Centennial in the 5A State Championship Game.
“We want a change of culture,” Young said. “We’ve said that since Day 1. The culture here has been that it’s okay to lose in football … we’ve heard ‘Sedona can’t be good in football.’ The guys haven’t worked hard in the weight room. The guys have kind of come and go at practice. We said, if you want to be better, then you have to change the culture.”
On the field, the rebuild will be led by seniors like running back/linebacker Jackson Coughlin and jack-of-all-trades Tama Scharnhorst. Both are four-year varsity players and are playing for their third different head coach since starting at SRRHS.
Another senior, Christian Welch, has earned the starting quarterback job. Unlike Coughlin and Scharnhorst, he is not a four-year football player. He does have experience at the high school varsity level, though, having previously run track. Being one of the best athletes on the team helped him earn the starting job in the offseason.
A number of younger players have stood out to Young, as well. These include linemen like juniors Lee Loughnane and Ramiro Alvarez, as well as sophomore Dorian Stephens. Also lending hope to the future of the program are a pair of fullbacks — Xavier Stimple and Kyle Ramirez. Both figure to be key defenders, as well, playing linebacker and safety, respectively.
Many of the rest of the Scorpions are short on football experience. Still, Young has been impressed with the work ethic that he’s seen and is optimistic about how the team will develop through the season.
“A lot of the other guys haven’t played football,” Young said. “They’re just trying to learn the game, trying to keep their heads above water. They’re going to get better as the season goes along. Our big thing is, if we can just stay healthy, we’ll get better and I think we’ll be competitive before it’s all over with.”
Big Games
- Kingman, Aug. 30: Openers are often rusty affairs. Still, it’s always important to set a good tone in Week 1. This is especially true for the first game under a new coach.
- Camp Verde, Sept. 27: One of Sedona Red Rock’s three victories in 2018 was a 14-0 win over Camp Verde. The Cowboys will no doubt be looking for a measure of payback as they play host to the always lively rivalry game in 2019.
- Scottsdale Prep. Oct. 4: One of the Scorpions most exciting games a season ago came in a 34-33 loss at the hands of the Spartans. SRRHS will get a chance to emerge victorious at home this season.
