Deer Valley football boasts its first 2-0 record to start a season since 2015, after beating Washington 38-13 on Thursday.
With an influx of newly-developed talent and senior leadership tired of a losing tradition, the Skyhawks show promise in 2020.
“It’s incredible because we’re just learning how to win at Deer Valley. We’ve had a few hard seasons the last couple of years. We started putting it together a little bit at the end of last year, and we’re a very young team, so now that we have some experience it bodes well for our future," coach Dan Friedman said.
Defensively, Deer Valley figured to improve from last season, after returning each of its top five tacklers from 2019. But even after COVID-19 precautions shortened the offseason training, the Skyhawk offense has played dynamic football to begin 2020 in a way unseen in recent years.
Traditionally a run-heavy offense, sophomore quarterback Rudy Gonzales threw for three touchdowns in the win over Washington - as many as Deer Valley totaled in all of 2019 - and bell-cow junior running back Ashton Hill carried for two more scores.
Gonzales still has room to grow and become a more consistent passer. But, his play combined with the moving of former-starter Trenton Green to an already-capable group of receivers has opened the field to move the ball more efficiently.
And more attention paid to a passing offense bodes well for Hill and the already-potent running attack.
“We just like spreading out the field, and then when we do that we can come in and finish drives," Gonzales said.
“The kids have finally figured out the system, and we have a handful of athletes that we can put in space and they’re starting to grasp what that can mean offensively,” Friedman added.
Friedman believes there is a lot of improvement the Skyhawks need to make throughout the next five games to reach the heights they fancy for themselves. While 2-0 is promising, the last time Deer Valley began the season similarly, it lost eight consecutive contests to finish the 2015 season 2-8.
"There's some expectations now," he said.
A rare Thursday game allows the players to puff out their chests a little bit at school before the weekend comes. Deer Valley will prepare soon for its Oct. 16 contest at Agua Fria. But for at least a few days, the Skyhawks can revel in an undefeated start to 2020.
“We’re doing great right now. In a matter of years, we’re going to be really good," Gonzales said. "And this year, we’re going to be up there if we can do what we’ve been doing so far.”
