Bruins joining new Fiesta Region with North & Mesa schools
WEEKLY BLOG: 2/28/22
Last season was the 50th in Trevor G. Browne's history. The Phoenix Union District school hadn't finished with a winning record in more than a decade (2009). Since that time, the Bruins had a pair of 0-10 seasons and in 2020, the team was only able to play in three games as the PXU started the season later than most of the state and then shut it down early.
With Trevor Browne remaining in 6A, it probably surprised some that the team was able to go 6-4. The Bruins were sitting at 6-1 heading into their bye week and were averaging 31.6 points per game. TGBHS actually improved on that scoring number in the last three games, but ended up dropping them all and missed out on both a playoff spot and a region title.
Over at the campus on 75th Avenue & Thomas, though, the Bruins were doing work behind the scenes. In years past, it was difficult to get the students to show up for offseason training and workouts, but the new coaching staff led by Francisco Rangel (hired in February of 2020) was seeing results long before the Friday night lights came on.
"Heading into the season, we knew we had a lot of talent as a team," Rangel said in an e-mail interview. "Our team was putting in the work together in the weight room, on the field, during 7-on-7, and in big man competitions. We were told so many times we'd be lucky to have 10 kids show up for the offseason. It's a huge credit to our kids in buying into the culture we are building."
In Trevor Browne's 3-0 start, it was the offense that stood out scoring 41, 55, and 32 points in wins over Yuma, Maryvale, and Cibola, respectively. It was a balanced attack with senior quarterback Alex Rivera, junior running back CJ Greer, and senior receiver Dawood Montejano putting up big numbers.
"I think the biggest strength was that we had the ability to score points many ways," Rangel said. "If teams loaded the box to focus on CJ, we knew with Alex we could go five wide and let him throw it all over the yard. It was fun to watch. The unsung heroes of our offensive unit were our OLs. They were as good as a group as you would find anywhere."
On the offensive line, junior Rodrigo Guerrero was a First Team All-6A Desert Southwest Region selection and senior Jesus Murrieta was named to the Second Team.
Greer, a team captain, scored 20 touchdowns with 16 of them coming via the run. He finished the season with 1,225 yards and averaged almost eight yards per carry. Greer was a First Team All-Region selection, but certainly one of the most underrated players in the state. He finished with the second-highest yardage total in 6A and did it without the benefit of any playoff games. Greer is also a safety that had 38 tackles and three interceptions.
"CJ's biggest strength is his vision," Rangel said. "As our one true two-way player, we always worry about the hits he's taking at RB. But, the way he sees the field, he seems to find a way to avoid the big hits. He's a special young man on and off the field."
The Bruins have a key returner back on defense for this season with defensive end Ralph Bernard. The 6-3, 235-pound junior lineman led TGBHS in tackles with 66 (23.5 for a loss). Bernard finished the season with 11.5 sacks and is a force to be reckoned with.
"He does a great job in using his length and hands to shed blocks," Rangel said of Bernard. "I think one of his biggest skill sets is he is a very smart football player. He notices the little things the opposing linemen are doing and takes advantage of them. Ralph is a great young man."
The test for 2022 will be showing that last year wasn't a fluke. The offseason work in 2021 will have to be carried forward into this year. The quarterback and receiver will need to be replaced and the Bruins will still embrace their underdog role.
"I think we showed we are an up-and-coming program, but we still have a lot to prove this coming season," Rangel said. "Our goal is to compete for a region title again and push for a playoff spot. We hear all the noise about why we can't or shouldn't be in that conversation, but we are just going to focus on what we can control and get to work this offseason."
One benefit Trevor Browne will have are the returning players that know what they did in 2021 can be done again. It is also a group that should be focused when the calendar gets the last week of October and into November. The mantra will be to finish strong.
"You must put the work in if you want to change the results our school's football program had been accustomed to," Rangel said. "I think the biggest thing with the three-game losing streak is making sure it doesn't grow to four. It's going to keep us focused and motivated knowing we need to change that our first chance next season."
Another refreshing thing is seeing all of the Bruin players that have had recruiting attention and will be not only continuing their football careers, but getting a college education. Montejano, who caught 16 TD passes and had 939 yards receiving, signed with Dakota State (S. Dak.). Isidro Balderas, a defensive end, signed with Mayville State (N. Dak.), Jose Ponce, a linebacker, signed with Buena Vista (Iowa), Murrieta, an offensive tackle, has a juco offer from Salt River, and Vincent Tallabas, an offensive tackle and state wrestling tournament qualifier, also has college interest. Linebacker Geovani Carvajal wrestled in the state meet at 215 pounds and has opened up some opportunities with his success in that sport. Rivera, who passed for 1,960 yards and 27 touchdowns, has 10 offers and is narrowing it down to a few schools.
That region Trevor Browne wants to compete in will be changing. Last season, the Bruins were in the Desert Southwest Region with three West Valley teams, Cibola (in Yuma), and North. TGBHS and North (another PXU school) will be in the modified Fiesta Region with three schools from Mesa (Dobson, Mesa, and Westwood). None of the five schools made the playoffs in 2021, so the region should provide some close battles.
"I'm excited about our new region," Rangel said. "Gives us some new opponents to play. We went 6-4 as did North and Westwood. Mesa (4-6) and Dobson (4-5) were both a win away from being .500. It'll be a competitive region."
One piece of business that will still need to be tended to this offseason is finding a new offensive coordinator. Last week, Ty Preyer became the new head coach at Sierra Linda. If the work that the coaches and team has put together on the field plays out the same way with the hiring of a new playcaller, the Bruins should be fine.
"The TGB football program is growing and getting better every day," Rangel said. "In two years, we ended the drought of no winning seasons. We'll have a total of 13 players who have signed to continue playing football in college. We've had a coach move onto a college job, and as of this week, we've had a coach move on to be a head coach in high school. We are building something special that we are all proud of and we are excited to keep this momentum going."
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