Dan Jones will enter his 3rd season as head coach at Thatcher as the Eagles try to build on last year’s 8-4 record. The Eagles bowed out in the 3A Quarterfinals in Snowflake to end their season. The Eagles juniors who played in that game are excited to better that mark.
Thatcher will have a strong senior class this year with 12 returning players with varsity experience. The Eagles will have a senior at almost every skill position when the season kicks of August 19th at Round Valley.
Brandon Napier (6’1, 180) will take over full-time quarterback duties. He took snaps last season but mostly played outside at wide receiver. Napier should add another running threat in an already loaded backfield as well. Napier is the ace pitcher for the Eagles baseball program as well so throwing the ball as well as he does, shouldn’t surprise anyone.
In the offensive backfield Ayden Bingham (5’10, 175) and Cody Jones (6’0, 200) will be tasked to carry the bulk of the load on the ground. Bingham broke out as the feature back in the Eagles playoff win at Pusch Ridge Christian in the opening round last year.
Whoever ends up with the ball will have some size up front to run behind with Derek Cameron (6’1, 260), Jackson Conrad (5’11, 260, Jacob Rassmussen (6’3, 250) and Scotty Ambler (6’4, 320) all returning on the offensive line.
“We have a solid group up front,” said Dan Jones. “We should be able to create some space for our running backs and give Brandon (Napier) time to throw the ball down the field.”
After opening the season at Round Valley, the Eagles will open their home schedule on August 26th against Eastmark. The Eagles then get Pima at home before heading down the road to take on Safford. Thatcher has home meetings with Pusch Ridge, Benson and Sabino. They are on the road to face Sahuaro, Coolidge and Palo Verde.
“We will find out early if we are who we think we are this year,” said Jones. “We have a tough one to start and then play the biggest 3A school in the state and Pima will be highly ranked in 2A,” he added.
As with many of the small schools, depth will be a concern for Thatcher this season. Jones said his team has to stay healthy to make a deep run in the playoffs this year but if they do, he says “I like our chances with this bunch against anyone.”
The Eagles have three of the 5 3A teams on their schedule with Eastmark, Pusch Ridge and Sabino.
