Holbrook football making some noise this year

Posted by David Smith | Oct 21, 2021 | Football |

WINDOW ROCK

When Christopher Starkey took over as the head football coach for Holbrook High two years ago the Roadrunners endured two winless seasons.

But this year, they took everyone by surprise when they won seven of eight games. The Roadrunners are currently on a five-game winning streak.

In the latest Arizona Interscholastic Association statewide poll, the Roadrunners were ranked No. 7. They are leading the 2A Little Colorado Region with a 2-0 record heading into Friday’s game with St. Johns.

“It’s been an accumulation of a lot of hard work and sacrifice, taking those bumps and bruises over the first few years and making sure we stuck with it,” Starkey said.

Starkey is happy with how far his team has come and credited his first two years for their success. And while the losses may have piled up, during that time he has been working with his players, putting them through intense training and implanting a football program that put emphasis on playing fast and physical. The team built a close bond with one another and a culture of commitment and excellence.

Last year’s season caused some delays due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus. With different regulations coming out, schools being temporarily closed and sports being an uncertainty proved to be a chaotic year for the Roadrunners as they played a short season.

Following precautions, the Roadrunners kept playing and kept coming to practice. They lost some players, including Diné athletes from the rez who chose to stay home for safety concerns. Enduring consecutive losses while the community was being impacted by COVID-19 weighed heavily on the team and was a tough time for them. However, they kept playing hard and training hard, with their missing players slowly returning for the next year.

Finally, after years of preparations, the team broke out this season with great fervor and excitement. Years of training have paid off as they dominated the field, losing only to rival Winslow in a 54-40 contest.

“I hope people realize the process that it has taken to get tot his point,” Starkey said. “These kids and coaches put in a lot of time and sacrifice and it would have been easy after the last two seasons to just fold over…but that’s not the case, we continued to work, we continued to get better day after day and we’re motivated to make a playoff run and we truly believe that we can be state championship contenders.”

Starkey credits the whole team for the success they’re having, though there are a few standouts that had helped them.

Caden Tom, a defensive lineman is one of the top sack leaders in the 2A division. Starkey said Malakai Johnson and Teyton Begay play superb defense.

Offensively, quarterback Marcus Oberriter has rushed 750 yards and thrown 1240 yards in 83 attempts this season. Izzy Ramos has caught 21 passes for 685 yards and Daniel Montijo have run about 715 yards with the ball; making these three the top scores for the team.

Holbrook hasn’t been region champions since the early 90s. Winning the it this year would be great for the program, but Starkey wants Holbrook to become known for its football program and athletes.

On Friday, the Roadrunners will travel to St. Johns to face the renowned football team in the region. Starkey said they are confident and excited, but they do their best to stay humble after each and every game. They are prepared to meet adversary and no matter what they’ll keep their heads held high and play a good game.

The team is composed mostly of sophomores and juniors. They will lose three seniors after this year but a core majority of the team will remain. Starkey hopes they will continue to carry on this winning streak into next year, saying their freshman players are already showing the same passion and dedication the previous team had shown.

“We know this is just the beginning of what our football program can be,” Starkey said. “We hope in the next 15 years we’re being talked about with the likes of Snowflake’s, Monument Valley, Flagstaff and Blue Ridge. We want to be one of those premier football programs and I think we’re well on our way, the kids understand that’s the visions and that’s the purpose.”