Outlook: In search of offense, Chaparral coach Ron Estabrook made the decision to move safety Derek Oesterblad to running back last week, and it couldn’t have worked out any better.
Oesterblad rushed the ball 26 times for 163 yards as the Firebirds put up 35 points on Apollo.
“That’s a permanent change now,” Estabrook said.
It was Chaparral’s defense that had trouble, allowing Apollo’s Prince Amukamara 336 yards on the ground and all four of his squad’s touchdowns. Estabrook blamed sloppy tackling in addition to Amukamara’s elusiveness; he’ll need a better effort from his defense to defeat Cienega.
Chaparral at Cienega
Address: 12901 E. Colossal Cave Road, Vail
Records: Chaparral 10-2; Cienega 9-2
-- by Les, Willsey, Mark Heller, Steve Burks and Kyle Odegard
