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Ray High Bearcats
The Ray football team finished last season with a 2 – 6 record, which was only the second losing season during now-former head coach Willie Jordan’s five years leading the Bearcats. Jordan, the 2014 Section Coach of the Year, led the Cats to the state playoffs three times.
Frank Lechuga, who previously served as the Ray Jr. High head coach, follows Jordan as the Bearcats’ new varsity head coach.
“I’ve had the privilege of coaching these boys, from the seniors down to the freshmen, at one point in time,” Lechuga told the Copper Basin News. “I feel comfortable moving up and (working) with all of them again.”
Lechuga acknowledged the familiarity between him and the players has the made it a smooth transition. The return of 16 starters from a year ago combined with the previous experience together has the Cats poised for a turnaround in 2016.
“I’m most excited about the attitude of the (players),” Lechuga said. “I like the new changes we have made along with the work ethic and the hard work the players have displayed.”
Running backs Paul Wormwood, a senior, and junior Nathan Molar will carry the load for the Cats’ offense. They’ll run behind an offensive line that Lechuga believes will be one of the team’s strongest units.
Seniors Jordan Pace and Anthony Acuna will anchor the defense. The pair is being counted to make plays and display leadership on a unit that allowed 54 points or more in four of the Cats’ eight games last year, all of them losses.
Getting off to a good start will help the confidence of not only the players but the new coaching staff as well. But it won’t be easy with three-straight road games to start the season, including the season opener at St. David on Aug. 19. The Cats open their home season on Sept. 9 when they host Baboquivari.
Making the proper in-game adjustments will be a key for success, according to Lechuga.
“We need to adapt to the game situation each week,” the Cats’ first-year head coach said. “Hopefully we can turn things around from last year.”
Andrew Luberda began writing for Copper Area News Publishers (CANP) in February 2013 after working 15 years in Healthcare Financial Management. Andy covers sports for 11 high schools. His stories are published in Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner and Superior Sun, in addition to the San Tan Valley Daily PRSS and CopperArea websites. Additionally, he has written human interest stories and business profiles. In May 2012, he earned an AAS in Sports Management at Central Arizona College before graduating with a BS in Communication from Arizona State University in 2014. He and his wife, Kelli, have three sons – AJ, Kyle, and Kade.
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