Rams making progress

Facing outside competition for the first time on Friday night at the PHS practice field, it took the Portales Rams a while to get going.

First-year coach Jaime Ramirez said his team got better as the four-way scrimmage progressed.

CMI photo: Joshua LuceroPortales sophomore Ramon Tarango avoids the tackle attempt from Hobbs junior Cullen Holt during the Rams' scrimmage with the Eagles' junior varsity on Friday afternoon at the PHS practice field. The Rams open their 2012 season next Friday at Las Vegas Robertson.

The Rams battled the Eunice varsity, then took on the Clovis and Hobbs junior varsity squads. Portales opens the 2012 season next Friday at Las Vegas Robertson.

With only one starter returning from last year, everything is a work in progress for the Rams right now. But in general, Ramirez liked what he saw.

"We started out slow," he said. "I thought Eunice played a little tougher than we did, but as the scrimmage progressed we got better."

CMI photo: Joshua LuceroPortales sophomore quarterback Paul Conrow runs the ball during the Rams' scrimmage against Eunice on Friday afternoon.

Sophomore Paul Conrow, competing at quarterback with fellow sophomore Dustin Sisneros, said the Rams just weren't loose at the start.

"We sat around for a while before we played," said Conrow, who threw for three TDs in the scrimmage and ran for another. "I wish we'd jogged a little more to get loose."

Conrow, who may start at safety on defense if he's not the No. 1 QB, said he's getting used to new teammates.

"Last year I was on the freshman team and most of these guys were on the JV," he said. "But this team is like a big family. All of us are close."

Both signal-callers played well, Ramirez said.

"I thought both Paul and Dustin grew up a lot today at the quarterback position," he said. "And our (offensive) line did a whole lot better too."

The Rams usually lined up with two wide-outs to each side, with no tight end and the quarterback in a shotgun. They had success throwing during the scrimmage, but Ramirez said the ground game also did well.

"We wanted to work on our running game," he said. "We wanted to see if we could move the ball (by) running it.

"We're moving in the right direction, but we still have a lot of work to do."

Conrow said he knows he'll be in the spotlight if he's the quarterback, but added he's ready for any pressure that might come with it.

"I love football, but sports is more of a hobby to me," he said. "It would be good if I were good enough to get a (college) scholarship, but my grades are more of a priority.