COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF: Newcomers the key as Alpine goes in search of district title

ALPINE The Alpine football team has maintained a consistent run of success, making the playoffs 10 straight seasons.

The Fightin’ Bucks enter the 2021 campaign with a different look as they try to extend that streak to 11.

Just four starters (one on offense, three on defense) return from a team that finished 7-5 in 2020 and head coach John Fellows said that he’s ready to see the new crop of starters get their opportunity.

“We lost quite a few seniors last year,” Fellows said. “We’re a little young and inexperienced but these guys are hungry and they’re ready.”

While it will be a younger group than Fellows has had in years past in Alpine, there are still some seniors ready to take on a greater role.

They include linemen Jaime Rodriguez and Dominique Fierro who will line up on both sides of the ball.

“All of our line was seniors last year so we know that we’re going to have to step up,” Rodriguez said. “They had great leadership last year and so we need to carry that on.”

The offensive line’s goal will be to protect the lone returning starter in quarterback Jayden Canaba.

The Alpine quarterbacks go through a passing drill during practice Aug. 6 at Buck Stadium in Alpine. (Tony Venegas|Odessa American)

Canaba earned first-team all-district honors last season as the Fightin’ Bucks quarterback is a part of a core group of the Class of 2022, which was in sixth grade when Fellows arrived to take over the program.

Also returning is running back Diego Monclova, who earned first-team all-district honors as both a running back and defensive end/outside linebacker.

“They’ve been around a long time and they’re hometown boys,” Fellows said. “It means a lot to the community and they want to put on a show.”

One of the mottos that Fellows has implemented with his team is TOE: Team Over Everything. Having that mantra over the last few seasons has helped build the confidence in players like Fierro.

“We look very solid together,” he said. “We believe in our coaches and everything that they say and we’re just taking it to heart. The goals for this year are definitely very high.”

Among those goals is to recapture the District 1-3A Division II title.

The Fightin’ Bucks earned the crown in 2019 before Crane took it last season.

The two teams are scheduled to meet October 22 and Fellows said that the goal leading to that matchup is to make sure that the younger players are ready for what lies ahead.

“We just need to come together as a team and get some of these guys in the fire and see how they react,” he said.

Part of that process involves playing something closer to their original 2020 schedule. Alpine was scheduled to play against El Paso area teams as part of its nondistrict schedule but those games were canceled due to COVID-19.

Players from the Alpine football team goes through a drill during practice Aug. 6 at Buck Stadium in Alpine. (Tony Venegas|Odessa American)

As a result, the Fightin’ Bucks ended up playing a home-and-home with Fort Stockton to open the season.

The two teams will play once this season and Fellows said that those two early games ended up having an impact on his team.

“I’ve never done that back to back,” he said. “It was rough because Fort Stockton is a very good football team that’s well coached and it was a very physical game both times. It took us a little while to get over that.”

Alpine opens the season at home against El Paso Jefferson on August 27 and as the team prepares for that day, Fellows is confident that his team is motivated with high expectations in 2021.

“It matters to them and they’re truly putting in the work,” he said. “I just can’t ask for anything more out of these guys.”

>> Follow Tony Venegas on Twitter at @OA_TVenegas

 

ALPINE FIGHTIN’ BUCKS

— COACHES —

>> Head coach: John Fellows.

>> Coach’s overall record: 92-63.

>> Coach’s record at school: 38-31.

>> Assistant coaches, duties: Jerry Dominguez, defensive coordinator; Adam Ilanez, offensive coordinator; Jarret Vickers, special teams coordinator; Hugh Morrissey, outside linebackers; Wayne Schroeder, defensive line; Matthew Chavez, defensive backs; Marc Miranda, running backs; Chris Valenzuela..

 

— TEAM INFORMATION —

>> 2020 overall record: 7-5.

>> 2020 district record: 3-1 (second).

>> Last district title: 2019.

>> Last playoff appearance: 2020 (def. Lubbock Roosevelt, 33-21, bi-district; lost to Friona, 33-21, area).

>> Stadium name: Buck Stadium (1,500).

>> Base offense: Spread.

>> Base defense: 50

 

— PLAYERS —

>> Returning lettermen: 15.

>> Returning starters: 4 (1 offense, 3 defense).

>> Key returners: Jayden Canaba, QB/DB; Shaun Foster, WR/DE; Diego Monclova, RB/SS; Jamie Rodriguez, OL/DL; Dom Fierro, OL/DL; Trey Ervin, RB/ILB; Jordan Rodriguez, RB/ILB; Jeremy Dominguez, QB/DE; Meteo Miranda, OL/DL; Aiden Garcia, Slot/DB.

>> Key newcomers: N/A.