Football ready to end losing streaks

 Editor’s note: the football team snapped its 29-game losing streak on Sept. 4

Ronald Hopper, left, and Nick Carlson do battle during training camp. Aztec Press photo by Ed Adams.

By Narciso Thomas Villarreal

It took the last game of the 2007 season, the entire 2008 season and the first two games of the 2009 season before the Detroit Lions of the National Football League ended their 19-game regular-season losing streak by defeating the Washington Redskins 19-14.

This fall, Pima Community College football team hopes for a similar stop to the bleeding of a 50-game losing streak in the Western States Football League. The Aztecs’ last victory against a conference opponent was over Arizona Western College, 62-20, on Oct. 30, 2004.

“I think this group of kids could put us over the hump,” head coach Pat Nugent said. “We have a lot of bad history here in the conference, but we feel our team is going to be a little bit better this year, so we’re hoping for a lot better season.”

The Aztecs have not beaten any college team since winning the 2004 Pilgrim’s Pride Bowl 10-7 over No. 3 Kilgore College. Pima’s overall losing streak is 29 games.

Their last win was 63-2 over the Verde Valley Coyotes, a now-defunct semi pro team.

In Nugent’s first season, PCC again went 0-10 but in 2009 the Aztecs used mostly freshmen. This year, the team returns 17 starters.

In 2009, Pima narrowly lost a number of games instead of getting blown out every week. Last year the Aztecs surrendered 352 points and scored 138. In 2008, they gave up 509 and scored 37.

The preseason coaches’ poll picked Pima to finish last in the nine-team WSFL, but Nugent was nominated for coach of the year last year despite going 0-10.

Nugent said offseason training and preseason camp have the players excited about playing this season. The Aztecs had a more extensive off-season training regime than last year.

The toughest teams this year will be conference rivals No. 2 Arizona Western, No. 16 Eastern Arizona College and Snow College, according to Nugent. Pima plays Eastern twice, at home in a non-conference game and on the road.

Scott Campbell sprints for more yards last year against Eastern Arizona. Aztec Press photo by Daniel Gaona.

“We got a lot more talent and there’s a lot more chemistry,” sophomore starting offensive lineman Erick Marquez said. “If we win the first game, it’ll pump everyone up for the season and help us get a better mindset to go to a bowl game.”

“I am very excited; we’re real fast at all positions,” sophomore linebacker Ernie Escarcega said. “We just want to play one game at a time.”

According to Nugent, the team is completely different compared to last season due to the addition of several new players.

In 2009, Nugent was hired just a month before signing day, so he scrambled to get recruits. This year Nugent was able to recruit athletes from outside of Tucson.

Two new freshman quarterbacks from Phoenix high schools, Zach Schira and Zander McKean, are competing for the starting quarterback job. Last year’s starter, Daniel Nicholas, left the team because of injuries.

Nicholas, the 2007 Tucson Citizen Player of the Year, missed the end of last season. Pima’s lack of quarterback depth led Nugent to move starting tight end Doug Steele to quarterback.

Nugent said the Aztecs go six deep at the running back position.

“We’re cautiously optimistic,” Nugent said.

Another hole Pima filled was at kicker. Last year the Aztecs lost to Scottsdale Community College because of three missed extra points. All-Southern Arizona kicker Chris Mayer joined the team this year.

“We finally got a kicker,” Nugent said on Signing Day.

Sophomore receiver Scott Campbell is expected to be the Aztecs’ top weapon on offense. Last year he led PCC in receiving, with 40 catches for 434 yards, good enough for sixth in the WSFL.

Returning players such as sophomore middle linebacker Brent Lush and sophomore safety Griffin Ronstadt will help bolster the defensive side.

“We are really excited about the defense we’re going to put out there,” Nugent said.

On the flip side, the Aztecs lost a couple of key players early. All-WSFL cornerback Avante Johnson went back to Florida and Steele transferred to the University of Northern Colorado.

Eligibility ran out on Pima’s leading rusher, running back Tony Sims, who ran for 481 yards, averaging 5.8 yards per carry.

The team’s first game will be on the road against Phoenix College in a non-conference game on Saturday, Sept. 4 at 7 p.m. Pima’s home opener will be Sept. 11 against Eastern Arizona at 7 p.m. at Tucson Electric Park, the Aztecs’ new home.

Last year Pima mostly played at Tucson High School but this year moved to TEP, located at 2500 E. Ajo Way. Tickets are $6 and $4 for students.

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Pima football losing streaks
Overall: 29
To college teams: 48
Western States
Football League: 43

Storm to Aztecs: Pima’s colorful football history