As Gilbert Perry enters its first season of varsity football, one eye is focused on this season and the other on the future.
The Pumas will likely be the youngest team in the state, starting almost entirely sophomores. While that could make this season very challenging, it should pay dividends the next two.
“We’re hoping by the time (the sophomores) are juniors and seniors, everything should be routine,” said coach Preston Jones, who made the move to Perry last year after five years at the helm at Gilbert Highland. “They’ll know exactly what we expect of them and do exactly what we want them to do.”
All that experience should help make the Pumas an instant contender for a region championship next season when they are expected to make the jump to the 5A-II level.
Jones said he is fielding such a young team because of low turnout among juniors (Perry doesn’t have a senior class yet) and because “we’re going to play the best kids. That just happens to be where they’re at.”
Last year at the junior varsity level, Jones started almost all freshmen, and the team went 6-3. He’s hoping for similar results.
The players know producing them will be more difficult with the step up in competition.
“We’re not big enough or strong enough, but we think we can out-discipline teams,” sophomore tight end Chase Richardson said. “If we do what we know and what Coach has taught us, we’ll be fine.”
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Roster
| No. | Name | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Yr. |
| 2 | Cody Pigford | RB/OS | 5-9 | 140 | So. |
| 3 | Tauren Darnell | RB/DB | 5-10 | 150 | So. |
| 4 | Chris Aguirre | K | 5-7 | 150 | So. |
| 5 | David Walker | QB/DB | 5-6 | 135 | So. |
| 6 | Jeremy Rice | RB/OS | 5-7 | 140 | So. |
| 7 | Ray Ogura | WR/OS | 5-9 | 150 | So. |
| 8 | Spencer Chinchen | WR/DB | 5-10 | 160 | So. |
| 9 | Alexander McKean | QB/DB | 6-1 | 165 | Jr. |
| 11 | Chase Richardson | TE/LB | 6-0 | 180 | So. |
| 12 | DJ Bernal | TE/DB | 6-0 | 160 | So. |
| 13 | Cedric Simmons | RB/OS | 6-0 | 160 | So. |
| 14 | Jeff Long-Blanchard | K | 5-4 | 120 | So. |
| 15 | Anthony Boyd | K/P | 6-2 | 155 | So. |
| 16 | Andrew Bell | RB/LB | 5-10 | 170 | So. |
| 17 | Cody Cooper | WR/OS | 5-9 | 140 | So. |
| 18 | Jarel Mitchell | RB/DL | 5-8 | 150 | Jr. |
| 19 | Tyler Geiger | WR/DB | 6-0 | 155 | Jr. |
| 20 | Khodie Coleman | WR/DB | 5-8 | 135 | Jr. |
| 21 | Devante Pouges | WR/DB | 5-8 | 130 | So. |
| 22 | Ronnie Sanchez | WR/OS | 5-9 | 140 | So. |
| 23 | Andrew Jimenez | RB/DB | 5-10 | 150 | So. |
| 24 | Drake Davis | WR/DB | 6-2 | 170 | Jr. |
| 25 | Kyle Howard | WR/DB | 5-10 | 145 | So. |
| 26 | Clayton Adams | WR/DB | 6-0 | 155 | Jr. |
| 27 | Darien Brunson | WR/DB | 5-8 | 125 | So. |
| 28 | Arturo Molina | WR/DB | 5-8 | 150 | So. |
| 30 | Christian Klein | RB/LB | 5-8 | 175 | So. |
| 31 | Tyler Bermudez | WR/DB | 5-6 | 140 | Jr. |
| 32 | Nathan Herzick | RB/DL | 5-11 | 175 | So. |
| 33 | Dennis Lang | RB/LB | 5-9 | 150 | So. |
| 34 | Nick Ulibarri | WR/DB | 5-10 | 150 | Jr. |
| 36 | Broc White | K | 5-4 | 110 | So. |
| 40 | Bryce Fulton | RB/OS | 5-6 | 130 | So. |
| 41 | Matt Knowlton | RB/LB | 5-8 | 180 | So. |
| 42 | Zach Klein | RB/OS | 5-7 | 135 | So. |
| 43 | Kyle Liestman | RB/LB | 5-9 | 150 | Jr. |
| 45 | Ricky Cuevas | K | 5-9 | 160 | So. |
| 46 | Adam Mattos | RB/OS | 5-9 | 165 | Jr. |
| 47 | Dustin Stapley | WR/DB | 6-0 | 145 | So. |
| 48 | Zach Moore | RB/OS | 5-11 | 135 | So. |
| 50 | Nick Cox | OL/DL | 6-0 | 200 | So. |
| 51 | Austyn Aubry | OL/DL | 6-1 | 170 | So. |
| 53 | Seth Sullivan | OL/OS | 5-8 | 190 | So. |
| 54 | Scot Taggart | OL/DL | 6-1 | 180 | Jr. |
| 55 | Sean Hawkins | OL/DL | 5-10 | 205 | So. |
| 56 | Anthony Vizzerra | OL/LB | 5-7 | 175 | Jr. |
| 57 | Angel Deleon | OL/DL | 5-10 | 225 | Jr. |
| 60 | Charles Abrazaldo | OL/DL | 5-7 | 155 | So. |
| 61 | Tyler Sill | OL/DL | 6-1 | 175 | So. |
| 63 | Jarid Miller | OL/DL | 6-2 | 160 | So. |
| 64 | Abraham Flores | OL/DL | 5-11 | 175 | Jr. |
| 65 | Cullen Blair | OL/DL | 6-0 | 215 | So. |
| 66 | Spencer Wilson | OL/DL | 5-11 | 175 | So. |
| 72 | Tanner Gunkel | OL/DL | 5-11 | 185 | Jr. |
| 73 | Spencer Firlik | OL/DL | 6-0 | 220 | So. |
| 74 | Dominc Woods | OL/DL | 5-7 | 165 | So. |
| 75 | Dallin Brown | OL/DL | 5-11 | 175 | So. |
| 76 | Mo Latu | OL/DL | 6-3 | 310 | So. |
| 77 | Seth Watts | OL/DL | 5-10 | 190 | So. |
| 78 | James Ortega | OL/DL | 5-9 | 210 | Jr. |
| 80 | Francisco Lopez | WR/DB | 5-7 | 110 | Jr. |
| 81 | Stewart Kingsmore | WR/DB | 6-1 | 135 | So. |
| 82 | Andrew Sikorsky | WR/OS | 5-10 | 155 | So. |
| 83 | James Warren | WR/DB | 6-0 | 145 | So. |
| 84 | Mansel Simmons | WR/DL | 6-4 | 210 | So. |
| 85 | Taylor Foyston | WR/DB | 6-1 | 150 | So. |
| 86 | Nathan Cooperrider | WR/DB | 6-2 | 135 | Jr. |
| 87 | Caesar Mengesha | WR/DB | 5-11 | 130 | Jr. |
| 88 | Brandon Nguyen | WR/DB | 5-6 | 140 | So. |
| 89 | Ryan Wells | WR/DB | 5-6 | 125 | So. |
| Robert Bernal | WR/DB | Jr. | |||
| Travis Bigby | OL/DL | Jr. | |||
| Connor Moore | OL/DL | So. |
