Newcomb hopes to build from last year’s playoff loss
Special to the Times | Ray Landry
Newcomb’s Deontay Begay (25) reaches for a pass during a game against Navajo Prep at Newcomb on Aug. 24, 2018.
WINDOW ROCK
The Newcomb football team’s theme for the 2019 season was established in last year’s state playoffs.
The Skyhawks won the opening round game in the New Mexico Class 2A state bracket by eliminating Lordsburg by a 56-20 count.
In the next round, however, Newcomb was pounded 56-6 on the road at Fort Sumner/House.
This season the Skyhawks have beefed up their schedule to help them get to that next level. Four of the 10 games they have on their schedule are against teams they have not played before in previous years.
“We’re trying to trying to toughen up ourselves, and obviously add teams to the schedule that are very competitive and very well-coached,” Newcomb coach Eric Stovall said. “We got our hands full but, with that being said, we realized after last year’s (state) quarterfinal game we needed to step up our game, play some teams that are in higher classification to make us a better team come playoff time.”
Stovall said his kids fully understand what the expectations are as they return six players on offense and seven on defense.
“We have a desire to continue to be successful,” he said. “As a team we want to get as deep into the playoffs and play for a state championship this year in Class 2A.”
Stovall said senior quarterback Deondre Begay and senior halfback Deontay Begay are going to be two of his offensive leaders.
“They do great things for us,” he said of the Begay twins. “They’re great leaders, they’re great young men, great students and they lead by example.”
Highway 264,
I-40, WB @ Winslow