Teams put in groundwork for 2010 season
MARC BUCKHOUT ~ MANAGING EDITOR ~ 6/30/2010

There’s no pass rush, tackling, helmets or shoulder pads and the 110 plus degree temperatures don’t exactly scream football, but high school teams around the state spend the month of June working out in preparation for the 2010 season.
On Friday and Saturday the Cactus Shadows Falcons, coming of an 11-1 season, in which they advanced to the 4A Div-I state quarterfinals, were at Brophy College Preparatory in Phoenix to compete in a 16-team passing
league tournament.
“The great thing is you get a lot of reps,” Cactus Shadows coach Chad DeGrenier said. “We’ve got a young team with a lot of people at new positions so it’s exciting to be able to get them so many opportunities.”
Following a 2-4-2 performance in which his team was in every game, a showing similar to what they did at an event earlier in the month in San Diego DeGrenier said there were a number of encouraging things to take away from the summer’s work put in
by his team.
“We got better as the tournament went on,” he said. “We were able to beat two 5A teams, which is encouraging. In the games we lost they were both one-possession games. It’s frustrating to lose those type of games, but we showed we can compete well with anybody.”
Like the Falcons from the 4A Div-I ranks the Boulder Creek Jaguars also are coming off a trip to the postseason a year ago.
Jaguars coach Dan Friedman tempers what should be gleaned from passing league tournaments, 7-on-7 event in which a center is the only lineman on the field and a quarterback has four seconds to release the ball while receivers attempt to work clear of cornerbacks, safeties and linebackers.
“About half of a pinky’s worth,” Friedman said when asked to evaluate how comparable what goes on in passing league to actual football.”
Friedman still said it’s a good tool to evaluate players.
“You get to see who understands coverages,” he said. “It’s great experience. You want to see what kids can catch the ball in traffic. On 3rd-and-5 you want to see what kids will compete and find a way to make a play.”
On Saturday in Surprise Boulder Creek competed in a 26-team event, going 3-3.
While the quarterbacks, receivers, running backs, defensive backs, safeties and linebackers compete in the 7-on-7 competitions the lineman compete in big man competitions in which their strength in various weight lifting competitions is measured.
Friedman’s group didn’t fare well in Surprise due to a couple of absences, but he thinks his offensive and defensive line have made the greatest strides from a season ago.
“We’ll definitely be better up front,” he said. “We were top five at a big man competition at ASU and we were top three at an event at Sunrise Mountain High School,” he said. “We have some experience up front now and the bodies have changed. We don’t have sloppy bodies. We have tall and athletic talent up front.”
While DeGrenier is looking forward to having an experienced offensive line as well both teams fortunes will ride on new quarterbacks.
While junior Trevor Bonifasi turned heads in starting the final half of the season for Boulder Creek, Cactus Shadows turns to a sophomore in Bryce Kinsler, coming of a 7-2 season on the freshman squad.
Both coaches have high expectations for their signal callers.
“Trevor looked incredible the other night at Pinnacle,” Friedman said. “He has improved a bunch from where he ended last season.”
DeGrenier said Kinsler’s older teammates have taken to him quickly.
“He did a very good job with the freshman squad and he has a lot of intangibles,” he said. “The Friday night lights are a little different, but he has been put under a microscope and the kids have rallied around him with the skills he has shown.”
While the month of July is mostly limited to weight lifting workouts for the players on both squads the teams aren’t far off from beginning practice for the 2010 season.
Boulder Creek opens its season Aug. 27 at Pinnacle, while Cactus Shadows will begin defense of its Desert Sky Region title on Aug. 27 when they play host to Salpointe Catholic.