MORENCI — A late-season 36-14 win over Litchfield last October might serve as the catalyst as Morenci enters 2026 under second-year coach Ryan McDowell.
“We finished at 3-6, obviously did not make the playoffs, but were able to go out on a high note with a home victory over Litchfield in our last game of the season,” said McDowell, whose team finished without a win in the Southern Central Athletic Association White Division, but went 1-1 against the league’s Red Division teams.
Injuries hit the team last season, but McDowell said he believes the lumps his team took will propel his team during his second season with the program in eight-man football.
“The expectation is that we will compete and show some toughness,” McDowell said. “Football is a physical game, and the kids need to embrace that aspect of the sport.
“More wins would be nice, but ultimately the goal is to learn how to work hard when you don’t feel like it or when you aren’t winning at the clip you want to. It’s easy to be a good teammate when everything is going right, but how do we handle adversity? How resilient will we be when things get a little tougher?”
Senior running back/linebacker Skyler Trent was injured in the first quarter of the first game last year and missed half of the season. Even though he missed time, Trent averaged 6.5 yards per carry and rushed for 478 yards, the second-leading rusher on the team. “We will look for him to be our playmaker on offense,” McDowell said of Trent, who may also play wingback and free safety for the Bulldogs.
Junior quarterback/linebacker Drew Joughin also missed half of the season last year with injury but has improved his strength and agility in the offseason and will be a leader on both offense and defense, McDowell said.
Sophomore running back/defensive back Mason Cleveland was forced into action as a freshman last year, rushing for 283 rush yards and averaging 4.6 yards per carry.
Besides Trent, senior offensive/defensive lineman Jack Riley and senior tight end/defensive end also return for their final year of football.
“Jack has developed into a leader of the linemen,” McDowell said of Riley. “He has a great motor. I’m proud of the way he has developed into a leader.”
Sophomore wingback/defensive end Noah Zuvers and freshman Carter Scivoletto will contribute to Morenci.
“Noah has no set role,” McDowell said of Zuvers, who may also play quarterback and free safety for Morenci. “He’s a bit of a Swiss Army knife for us. Carter is ready physically as a freshman to compete for us.”
Morenci opens the season at home against Bellevue, and the goal is to work together as a team as their season begins, McDowell said.
“I want to see this group of athletes turn into a team,” McDowell said of his 15-player team. “I think the best programs, most sustainable programs, are the ones where the student-athletes hold each other accountable.
“I want them to become reliable, dependable young men who lead by example,” McDowell said. “I also want them to view their football life as a four-year commitment and not just one season at a time.”