Wildcats finish up first week

CLOVIS — Another mid-summer milestone came and went for the Clovis football team Friday as the Wildcats completed their first week of practice.

Friday's warm and sunny weather was a stark contrast to Monday — the cold, wet first day of practice - and for Clovis the difference was almost as big.

"We started off Monday morning and it was pouring and it was kind of a sloppy practice," first-year Clovis head coach Cal Fullerton said after Friday's practice concluded at Leon Williams Stadium. "The enthusiasm was there, but we just didn't get a whole lot of stuff done that we wanted to because the balls were so wet and so heavy and there were some kids slipping. We picked it up; the next practice (on Monday) was pretty good.

"Tuesday, both of them were good. Wednesday, the third day's always a little sluggish. Yesterday (Thursday) I thought both of our practices were probably the best two we've had all week. And then today (Friday) I thought our first and second practices were both pretty good. The second one I thought we picked up, picked our energy up, and really got after it to finish up."

"Monday it was all rainy and the ball was wet," said senior Brandt Davis, vying for the Wildcats' starting quarterback job. "It was kind of hard to throw the ball. But we got through it. It was a good week of practice."

Clovis scrimmages at Roswell 6 p.m. Aug. 18, then starts the season with home games Aug. 25 and Sept. 1 against former district rivals Hobbs and Carlsbad, respectively.

The players worked on typical drills throughout Friday morning, with Fullerton and his staff there to coach them up and give praise when deserved.

"The energy's great," Fullerton told them just before a brief water break. "Keep it going, keep it going."

"Quick decisions, Brandt, quick decisions," Fullerton told Davis during one of the late-morning drills.

Fullerton didn't hesitate when asked about the team's biggest change from Monday to Friday.

"Identity," he said. "I think we've formed a little team identity. I think (it's) these kids being around each other this much, getting to know each other well and just being able to trust each other. And that's something that we've obviously still got to work on for the remainder of the year. But I think we've had some kids step up as leaders, and the kids are starting to respond real well to those certain kids."

Friday was exactly three weeks before Clovis is scheduled to kick it off against Hobbs. What still needs the most work before then?

"It's not effort," Fullerton said, "because the effort's there. But we've got to get a little smarter. We miss an assignment sometimes, whether it's our receivers running the wrong route, whether it's our running backs being on the wrong side, our quarterbacks making the wrong read, or our linemen stepping the wrong way. It's a little bit of everybody. So if we can cut down on our mental mistakes, then I think we could be a really good football team come Aug. 25."

No matter how well the Wildcats do against Hobbs, no matter how far they go this season, they'll probably never forget their first week of practice, never forget being given their helmets and equipment for the first time this year, never forget what they learned.

"It's been a lot of fun," Davis said. "We got a lot of good, hard work in, and I think we're on the path to being ready for our first game."