Following an unprecedented season last fall and the hiring of a new head coach, Sierra Linda football is looking ahead to more success.
In 2021 the Bulldogs program reached new heights. The Bulldogs shattered a program record four-win season with an 8-2 record and a region championship, the first in school history.
Although the Bulldogs didn’t qualify for the postseason, a new expectation was set for the future and first year coach Ty Preyer hopes to improve on last season’s banner year.
Preyer moved over to coach the Bulldogs after time spent as the offensive coordinator at Trevor Browne. While at Trevor Browne, Preyer’s offense averaged 32 points and 373 yards per game.
At Sierra Linda, Preyer will have three-star senior wide receiver Stephon Daily leading the Bulldog offense. During the summer, Daily committed to Colorado State. Last season in his first varsity season, Daily had 51 receptions for 1,001 yards and 12 touchdowns.
On the defensive side, junior edge rusher Lenoxx Hicks returns as one of the team leaders after wrecking havoc last season. Hicks had 13 tackles for loss, seven sacks, and three forced fumbles. He earned All-Region first team honors in the process.
“Lenoxx is a Division 1 talent, he can play every position on the defensive line. He’s a dominant talent,” Preyer said.
Another returning defensive impact player will be senior linebacker Abraham Gomez. Last season, Gomez had 35 tackles and three fumble recoveries.
Gomez’s most productive game came against Yuma when, without most of their coaches, the Bulldogs rallied to knock off the Criminals 23-21 behind his team-high eight tackles.
Gomez, Hicks, Daily, and junior athlete Jackson Baird were voted as team captains for the 2022 season.
The Bulldogs are young, with only five seniors on the roster including out of state transfer Jacorey McDaniel who will lead the offensive line. With a young team, creating a good foundation with the team has been a goal for Preyer.
“This year we want to show Arizona that even though we are young we can stand toe-to-toe with anyone any night,” he said.
Sierra Linda is setting a new strong foundation. Preyer and the Bulldogs have a favorable schedule, facing only one team that made the postseason in 2021 and two teams that finished with a .500 record or better.
With playmakers like Daily and Gomez, the Bulldogs may make the playoffs for the first time in school history. And with most of the team returning in 2023, this could be the beginning of a bright future for Sierra Linda.
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