Cats get through first week

Practices started on Monday for the Clovis Wildcats, but it felt like football started on Thursday for senior Jacob Esquibel. That's the day he and his Wildcats teammates put on the pads, and made it a contact sport.

"It was hard," Esquibel said of the first week of practice, which ended Saturday morning at the practice field just north of Leon Williams Stadium. "It took a lot of hard work."

CMI photo: Kevin WilsonClovis offensive coordinotor Chad Roanhaus, right, goes over a play with junior quarterback Dakotah Yandell during Saturday morning's practice. The Wildcats open the season on Aug. 31 at Santa Fe Capital.

Clovis coach Eric Roanhaus knows more hard work is on the way for a squad that's young in many spots, but he hasn't been disappointed after five days of workouts.

The Wildcats will get back to it Monday night, with the first of five 5 p.m. practices to accomodate for teacher's meetings most of the staff will have during the afternoon. Roanhaus, a contract coach since he retired from teaching in 2003, will supervise morning weightlifting and film sessions.

"We're about where I thought we'd be," Roanhaus said. "Fifteen of our 16 linemen are seniors, 15 of our 17 skill players are juniors. We're pretty green in the secondary, receivers and backs."

Earlier in the week, Roanhaus said the key was to build more offensive threats than junior tailback Kamal Cass. The running back depth chart includes Cass and fellow juniors Shaprei Bryant and Jaheem Prioleau.

Roanhaus figures junior receiver Trayvon Sopila can turn into a deep threat, while senior tight ends Marshall Winn and Dijon Ford both showed an ability last season to haul in passes and post big yards after the catch.

Clovis has three junior quarterbacks, including Dakotah Yandell, who filled in early last season due to injuries. The fullback duties will be split by seniors Erick Thomas, Sage Free and Marcos Trujillo, though Roanhaus is hesistant to call the fullback a "skill position" relative to receivers and other backs, due to the heavy amount of blocking the job entails.

The Wildcats are relatively healthy a week in, and Roanhaus said the team is waiting on the services of junior Peyton Lott, who broke an ankle during summer baseball, and Jared Wagoner, who is recovering from an ankle sprain.

The Cats, a Class 5A quarterfinalist in 2011 with a 6-6 mark, have a 4 p.m. scrimmage on tap on Aug. 23 against Las Cruces High at Alamogordo. The season opener is Aug. 31 at Santa Fe Capital.

Esquibel, a 6-foot-3, 210 pound right guard, said there's plenty of work to be done before both.

"We don't go hard the whole practice right now," Esquibel said. "We have to go harder."