QB Marcel Jones among a few already picking up offers
WEEKLY BLOG: 1/22/23
After back-to-back appearances in the 6A Conference championship game (winning it in 2020), the Chaparral Firebirds were the first team just below the cut for the 16-team tournament last November. It ended a 25-year streak of making the postseason, which started in 1997 with Ron Estabrook.
Estabrook would go on to win titles in 1999, 2000, and 2002. He was followed by Charlie Ragle, who claimed a 5A-Division II championship three-peat from 2009-2011. Current varsity head coach Brent Barnes also took the Firebirds to the Open Division playoffs in 2019, the year before winning the 6A title.
So while last year took a downturn (3-7 record), it appears to be just a blip and not the start of a new trend because the future looks bright for the CHS football program as the Firebirds saw the freshman team go undefeated, a rare feat at any level. Once again, the varsity team will lose some key seniors as they graduate this May, and this strong crop of current freshmen will be competing next year along with returning players, hoping to help the Firebirds get back to conference championship and Open Division games.
For the first time since 2012, the 9th grade football squad was able to win all nine of its games and it was a dominant overall season performance. Only one game - the finale vs. Brophy (27-20) - was decided by less than 16 points. They played a schedule that included the typical 6A opponents such as Salpointe, Mountain Pointe, Queen Creek, Pinnacle, and Saguaro. The Firebirds outscored their opposition, 414-124. That's a 46 points per game average while only allowing 13.8.
Freshman head coach Jason Hersh, who has held that position the past two years, said this was a special group that was committed not only on the field, but also off of it.
"They were always competing, even at times to see who was the first on the field from the locker room," Hersh said in an e-mail interview. "They held each other accountable and showed up on all levels, but more importantly, in the classroom as well. They accomplished what others thought was unattainable and changed the narrative."
Some of the key players to watch for on Friday nights over the next three years are Marcel Jones (QB), Tristan Armstrong (WR), Nikolai Procopio (TE), Anthony Coleman (DB/KR), and Elly'jah Palmer (DB).
While we are close to the end of the 2023 recruiting cycle with National Signing Day on Feb. 1, this 2026 class has already had a few players not only getting looks, but scholarship offers. Jones received a Power Five offer from Arizona State and another one from UNLV. Last Thursday, Armstrong collected his first Division I offer from UNLV. Both players were offered from their freshman film, which shows you don't have to chase or force immediate time on varsity.
Another Class of '26 Firebird was pulled up to varsity before the season started. Jaylyn Colter started and played in almost every game and ended up leading the team in tackles with 64. Colter holds offers from Arizona State, UNLV, and Oregon.
They may play on Wednesday nights instead of Friday, but those players don't just represent freshman football.
"Football at Chaparral is a program top-down led by our head coach Brent Barnes," Hersh said. "All levels work together to ensure everything we do is to prepare our young men for the next level."
Not just at Chaparral, but at all programs across the state, it's vital to keep the freshmen invested in continuing in the program. Part of that is keeping the games and practices fun for the kids. At CHS, they define fun as competing.
"At this level, being a football player must be a lifestyle leading with family, faith, classroom, and community," Hersh said. "The reward is the field. However, to lighten it up at the end of a practice, we run some Potato Ball."
Reach Chris Eaton at gridironarizona@yahoo.com or DM at @gridironarizona with story ideas.
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