2018 Bonanza Football Capsule
BONANZA
League: Class 4A Northwest
Head coach: Dion Lee, third season (8-11)
2017 record: 3-6 (2-4 Southwest, fifth)
Returning lettermen: 18
Returning starters: Six offense, two defense
Base offensive set: Pistol I
Base defensive set: 4-3
Top offensive players: QB Kyle Allison (Sr.); RB Justin Bacon (Sr.); RB/WR Brandon Estrada (Jr.); WR Armani Burns (Sr.); WR Shemarion Bellegarde (Jr.)
Top defensive players: SS Armani Burns (Sr.); FS Shemarion Bellegarde (Jr.); CB Cevion Gurka (Sr.); DT Brenden Rehmel (Sr.)
Top newcomers: OLB Jayden Bacon (So.); RB Brison Holcomb (Jr.); QB/SS Julio Montenegro (So.); K/P Bryce Screen (So.)
Key losses: WR/CB Joey Fox; WR/LB Joshua Wilson
Outlook: Lee hopes to continue to build at Bonanza, which won a total of seven games in the four seasons before he took over.
The coach said the team aims for balance on offense, relying on returnee Allison to distribute the ball to key receivers Burns (15 catches, 177 yards) and Bellegarde (14 catches, 160 yards).
Allison completed 43.7 percent of his passes for 833 yards last season. He had five TD passes, but was intercepted 13 times.
A stronger running game would help. Bacon is back after leading the team in rushing a year ago, but he had just 252 rushing yards and averaged just 3.6 yards per carry.
Burns (20 tackles) and Rehmel (23 tackles) are the top defensive returnees.
“On defense, we will be young but have lots of speed at the corners with Cevion Gurka and Chanz Jackson,” Lee said. “Holding down the front will be linebacker Justwin Encher along with a good group of defensive linemen, led by Brenden Rehmel.”
