In the locker room and on the practice field, the Montezuma-Cortez High School football team appear physically bigger and much faster than it has in previous seasons. Ask players what they expect will allow the Panthers to improve on last year’s record, however, and nearly every one of them mentions the word “experience.”
“I think we will be better than last year because everyone has moved up a grade level,” said junior wide receiver Vinny Conklin. “We’re bigger, faster, stronger, and we know what we’re doing since we all played in the system last year.”
On the offensive side of the ball, the Panthers, who are coached by Scott Conklin, will be led by junior quarterback Ike Dennison, whose propensity to push the ball down the field was on full display last season before an injury derailed his season.
Fully healthy and motivated to show what he can do in a full season of good health, Dennison, who passed for 722 yards and eight touchdowns last season, will be flanked by athletic junior wide receivers Vinne Conklin and Cordell Baer.
In the backfield, the Panthers will rely on a variety of players, including former cross-country standout and well-known speedster Sonny Boren, who decided to join the football team in his final high school season. Junior Matt Barker, who stands 6 feet and weighs in at a hefty 220 pounds, and junior Matthew Broughton also figure to get plenty of carries out of the backfield.
“We have small numbers, but everybody on this team is a hardworking kid,” Dennison said, describing his expectations for the Panthers’ offense. “We go to the weight room every night, and we’ve gotten bigger and better. I’m looking forward to showing what we can do.”
On defense, M-CHS will rely on athletic linebackers and a stout defensive line anchored by 245-pound senior Romello Etsitty and 250-pound junior Kayden Stieglemeyer. Linebacker Cordell Baer will look to fill the shoes of older brother and recent graduate Coby Baer, who was one of the Panthers most effective defensive players last season.
“We’ve improved our mental toughness,” Cordell Baer said. “We also don’t have as many injuries as last season, which is good because our numbers are low.”
The Panthers will open at home against Grand County, which, according to some prognosticators, could end up being one of the top Class 2A teams in Utah. Grand County opened its season with a 39-6 victory over Monticello on Aug. 18.
The Panthers, who finished 1-8 last season and have won just three games in the past two years, will follow up their season opener with a home game against Kirtland Central on Sept. 8, before traveling to Ignacio on Sept. 15 for its first road game of the season.
“This town hasn’t won a lot of games since our freshman year, and now we’re trying to change our losing streak,” Dennison said.
“I think Friday’s home opener (against Grand County) is going to be good,” he said. “Hopefully we can get a lot of fans to attend.”