2016 Sierra Vista Football Capsule

SIERRA VISTA

League: Class 4A Southwest

Head coach: John Foss, fourth season (12-18)

2015 record: 3-7 (3-4 Division I-A Sunset League, fourth)

Returning lettermen: 13

Returning starters: Seven offense, seven defense

Base offensive set: Pistol wing

Base defensive set: 4-2-5

Top offensive players: QB Oscar Aliaga (Sr.); RB Lopaka Kolone (Sr.); WB Damean Bentley (Sr.); RB Isaiah Zavala (Jr.)

Top defensive players: LB Lopaka Kolone (Sr.); DE Uastine Asuncion (Sr.); LB Chevy Eliu (Sr.); FS Jaxson Zibert (Jr.); LB Shane Alcantra (Sr.)

Key losses: RB Daniel Godfrey; DL Jordan Lampkin

Outlook: Aliaga got the chance to throw the ball a bit more last season and passed for 1,135 yards and nine TDs. He could be leaned on even more this season with the graduation of leading rusher Godfrey (750 yards, 7 TDs).

Kolone is the top returning rusher. He ran for 466 yards and three TDs last season and averaged 9.7 yards per carry.

Kolone also was the team’s leading tackler with 53 last season, and he also had three sacks.

Making the jump to Class 4A could be difficult, but outside of Bishop Gorman only one school in the Southwest League had a winning record last season. That was Spring Valley, and the Grizzlies were playing with Sierra Vista in Division I-A.

That could be the reason Foss said his expectations are “to compete for a playoff spot and win a playoff game.”