The season opened up on Thursday, October 1st at Maricopa High, as the visiting Willow Canyon Wildcats dropped a close one to the Rams, 27-19.
Here are my five standout players from the game:
Willow Canyon 2021 DE/TE Bryson Plueger (6-2, 221)
Bryson Plueger instantly stood out to me. Not only was he one of the more physically impressive players on the Wildcats defense, he played with a high motor and a great nose for the ball- especially in the first half. I was told that Plueger missed last season adter being injured in the first game, and knowing that he was probably out there shaking off rust made him someone I'm definitely excited to follow through the 2020 season.
Maricopa 2021 ATH Michael Moore (5-9, 155)
The Rams offense seems to be stale and stagnant until Michael Moore was inserted at QB in the second quarter, and immediately ripped off runs of 15 and 11. Moore provided a spark that reverberated to the entire team, and Maricopa ended up scoring their first TD on that drive. Moore also had a TD reception in the second half. He took some punishment late in the game and showed his toughness by shaking it off.
Maricopa 2021 QB Cipriano Childers (Height/Weight Unavailable)
Cipriano Childers isn't on the current iteration of Maricopa's online roster, but he made his presence felt against Willow Canyon, tossing the only TD of the first half, and responding to increased pressure by Willow Canyon’s defensive line in the seond half by throwing for two more scores. He definitely progressed as the game went on. While Pinal Central credited him with throwing the interception that put Willow Canyon in a position to try and tie the game at the end, it actually wasn't him in the game at QB, it was Michael Moore. Either way- this mystery man didn't just do enough to get the Rams the win, he's probably the biggest reason why they started the season 1-0.
2021 Maricopa RB Mister Chavis (5-10, 175)
Mister Chavis is an angry runner. He possesses the ability to cut, but the thing I like most about him is his dedication to getting north and south. I'd like to see him develop the vision to not seek out contact as often as he does, but if he's got the ability to get through the first level and lay out some punishment of his own, why mess with a good thing? If the Rams are able to have any success at the 5A level this year, it's probably going to rest on Chavis' ability to move the chains and keep the offense on the field long enough for Childers, Moore, or WR Dorae Scott to pick their spots to make big plays.
Willow Canyon 2021 WR Donovan Williams (5-10, 150)
If I'm being honest, I like Willow Canyon's entire WR corps. The standout on Thursday, however, was Donovan Williams. While he had some issues with his hands, and dropped a surefire TD pass in the second quarter, the coaching staff had enough faith to go right back to him on the very next play and it resulted in a touchdown. Williams turned a slant into a monster gain in the first quarter, and had the Wildcats in good position for most of the second half. If he keeps this up, he'll be in contention for some 5A postseason awards.
