Wildcats begin football practice, as Hobbs opener gets closer

CLOVIS — Hobbs and the Wildcat balloon tunnel and the trappings of opening night are still two and a half weeks away. Plenty of time for Clovis High's football coaching staff to make the necessary tweaks before that Aug. 24 road opener.

Still, Monday's start of practices was exciting in itself.

Almost nine months have passed since Clovis' 2017 season wrapped with a state quarterfinal loss at Manzano. The players returning from that 6-6 team and the ones making their debut on the current squad had already taken part in offseason workouts and scrimmages prior to Monday. But they were happy to be out on the Leon Williams Stadium turf, officially prepping for a season that will begin, as they all do, with optimism.

The coaches were pretty psyched, too.

"We had a great summer, great attendance. We're really excited to get out here," Clovis head coach Cal Fullerton said after the second of Monday's two practices.

For Fullerton, running the show seems a lot more familiar now. Beginning his second season since taking over for Eric Roanhaus, Fullerton is all settled in.

"I am for sure, I am for sure," he said. "We've got a bunch of new faces player-wise, though, so they're having to get used to a lot. We don't have a whole lot of returning starters back, so we've got some young kids that are learning on the fly and their heads are kind of spinning right now. But in two, three days they've got to pick it up."

Among the few returnees is Montez Wright, who carried some of the rushing load and handled the punting duties last year. Monday was a big early step in his final high school season, one that will likely see him play an integral role.

"It feels good that we're finally working our way toward the season," Wright said.

Linebacker/defensive back Jaylen Mason is another of the key players heading into his senior season.

"It was great to be back," Mason said. "It's what we've been waiting for all year. It's good to get the pads back on and be ready to go."

There still is much work to be done. Monday was a good day to start — in warm, sunny weather as opposed to last year's rain and unseasonably cool temperatures. But Monday was still Day 1, meaning there are kinks that need ironing.

"There was a little rust," Mason said, "but we'll get better soon. We have to; we have a scrimmage in like eight days."

And, of course, Hobbs in 17 days. Fullerton thinks there's one thing needing to be addressed most.

"Toughness," he said. "We've got a mindset that we're tougher than everybody we play, so we've got to replicate that on the field."

Wright thinks the Wildcats may be close to where they will need to be on Aug. 24.

"We've got a couple things to work on defensively and offensively," he said, "but as a team I know we can get it together and be ready by then."