Rivera brings Toro past into rebuilding Lions
WEEKLY BLOG: 1/23/21
It was late in last weekend's playoff game on NBC when Cris Collinsworth noted that he had a sigh of relief that the NFL had made it through the Divisional Playoffs on schedule without missing any of the 256 regular season games or 10 postseason games over the first two weekends.
The Baltimore-Buffalo game was the last of the season for NBC so the former Bengals receiver had crossed the finish line. I have to say I felt a similar feeling after Championship Saturday in December. We had made it through eight weeks of high school football and three weeks of playoffs.
But, it wasn't the same for everyone.
While most of the Metro Phoenix schools had a full season (save for a game or two of cancellations), the public schools in Tucson only had 2-4 games. The six schools in the Tolleson District never got to play. Neither did about a dozen reservation schools up north.
One of the oldest districts in the state, the Phoenix Union High School District (or PXU), was also in the incomplete category. Its schools were held back by the district until Week 5 (Oct. 30). The plan was to play seven games and then have a championship along with the Tolleson schools a week after the gold balls were handed out. However, during the third week of this new "season" the plug was pulled once again.
Alhambra was able to play just twice - a Saturday afternoon and then once under the Friday night lights during the first two weeks of November. Both games ended in defeat. After the season, defensive coordinator Charles Rivera was promoted to the head coaching position for 2021, taking over for Chris Crockett.
"Coach Rivera has a very strong, personable, and infectious personality that will no doubt be the X-factor in turning our program around," Assistant Principal and Athletic Director Dr. Wendy Truvillion said in an e-mail interview. "He's very knowledgeable, obviously in the game of football, on both sides of the ball due to his experiences as an athlete and as our defensive coordinator and assistant head coach."
A turnaround is indeed what is needed at the West Phoenix school located at 39th Avenue & Camelback. The Lions last had a winning record in 2016. The past four years since have resulted in a mark of 6-26.
Alhambra played its first varsity season in 1962 and had one of the best programs in the state during the 1970's and 80's. Names like Bob Breunig and Nathan LaDuke played for the Red & Green. Even as recently as 2015, in which the Lions primarily played a district schedule, AHS put together an eight-win season.
Lack of a recent tradition poses challenges in the areas of support, program numbers, and financial resources.
"Without tradition, it is extremely difficult for the athletes to be able to relate or embrace the program," Rivera said in an e-mail interview. "Although there may be a lack of tradition, we are rich in history and I plan to tap into our past to strengthen the program."
There is support within the administration as Truvillion understands that all of her students have suffered academically and socially as well as athletically. With all that has happened in the last 12 months, football has had to take a back seat for many families.
"One of our toughest challenges will be increasing our numbers following this pandemic and getting our athletes re-acclimated to the physical conditioning and mental preparation that comes with football," Truvillion said. "Many students have made other choices and decisions and unfortunately, athletics have not been a primary responsibility for many of our students as they work with their families to regroup following the adverse effects of COVID-19."
Rivera played his high school football in the Valley at Mountain View. He was a part of the 1999 state championship team under head coach Bernie Busken. Those were Toro teams that didn't always have the top talent, but outworked everyone else in the weight room and on the field. Like Alhambra, the Mountain View players had solid red helmets. Every player had black cleats. The working harder mantra is what Rivera wants to bring to the Alhambra program, both on the football field and in life.
"The greatest strength of the teams that I was a part of was the bond we had with each other," Rivera said. "We genuinely cared about each other and feared no team. Our teams weren't the biggest or fastest, but we played disciplined and physical football. We were one heartbeat and were all the same, literally."
Rivera is close to completing his staff, which brings a variety of experience from playing Division I football to ones that have been a part of the PXU.
"The universal factor that all my coaches have is that they genuinely care about our athletes," Rivera said. "Our athletes will be able to relate to their coaches and know they are being put in the best position to be successful."
While there were just two actual games last season for the Lions, there were highlights and things to be excited about that took place throughout the year.
"I was pleased with the resilience of our boys," Rivera said. "To have the season off and on and off and then on again was quite the letdown for these kids. It speaks volumes for the kids that stuck it out and tried to make the best of nothing."
One of those kids that stuck it out was center Amarey Reid. The senior won't have Rivera as his head coach in 2021, but likes the fire that he brings.
"Coach Rivera brings heat and intensity to the game and he will ensure that players have fun and enjoy the game, but of course, make sure the job gets done," Reid said in an e-mail interview. "He will also make sure that the players will have competition on a daily basis, whether in the weight room or on the field. It will always be there."
Reid is one of the few players in the district that is planning to play football at the next level. He has college offers from McPherson (Kans.), Muskingum (Ohio), Nebraska Wesleyan, and Whittier (Calif.). He said he will be committing soon.
Among the lessons that Reid has learned in high school that he'll be taking forward with him to college is sticking it through when in a tough situation.
"Through hard work and adversity, I can become a stronger and smarter man that can withstand any and everything that I do," Reid said. "I have also learned that quitting is never an option. Finish what I have started. And if I get knocked down, always bounce right back up!"
As of right now, the PXU schools are on hold for winter sports. The hope is to be able to join in with those before the end of the season. Come springtime, Rivera is looking forward to resuming all the offseason activities the Lions weren't able to do in 2020 such as weight training, 7-on-7 tournaments, spring ball, and football camp.
"Most of bonding and team unity is created in the weight room," Rivera said. "This is where teams are truly able to become one. I am a huge believer in the weight room and am excited to develop our team starting in there."
Truvillion feels Rivera has diligently worked on maintaining a strong coaching staff that will be ready to engage the athletes once the district and the Arizona Interscholastic Association gives the OK for football activities to resume.
"We have very high hopes and expectations for our football team for next year as they return back to the game," Truvillion said. "Having so much time off and working virtually with our coaching staff on perfecting the X's and O's of the game as well as working individually on their own physical stamina, we expect our athletes to return with a positive mindset, focused, determined and ready to perform."
It will be a very young team in 2021 for Alhambra. The only two games played were a pair of varsity ones, none for the JV or Freshman teams. The Lions have a couple seniors coming back, but a big class of juniors.
Alhambra has two quarterbacks who will be juniors in 2021. Roman Moreno (5-10, 170), who Rivera called an 'outstanding athlete' will compete with Matthew Green, who Rivera said is 'a great leader that brings experience at the position'. Rivera expects running back James Kane (5-9, 160) to open a lot of eyes this season with his speed and a physical running style. Also, James Gaie (6-0, 155) plays wide receiver and cornerback and can contribute in a variety of ways.
Reid gave his own list of players to watch on the Lions in 2021 as well. His successor at center is Angel Quijada. Other prospects on the rise are Angel Salgado Ruiz (OL/DL), Angel Valenzuela (OL/DL), and Yancarlos Hernandez (DE/TE).
Alhambra is currently in the 5A Metro Region along with three other PXU schools (Central, Camelback, and Maryvale) plus Apollo and North Canyon. Hopefully, the schedule will be kinder to the Lions than it was in 2018 and 2019 when they were dealt Highland, Westview, La Joya, and Brophy by the conference scheduling committee.
But more importantly, having the coronavirus case count come down through vaccinations and allowing the district to open things up for a spring ball season and summer offseason would not only begin the physical work, but do so much more mentally for the kids. It would also be the unofficial start to a 2021 year in which we'd like to see every team be able to say they crossed the finish line.
