C.C. Winn Mavericks Preparing For 2012 Football Season

By: Anthony Sifuentes

C.C. Winn Mavericks Preparing For Football Season

With the start of the 2012 football season fast approaching, the Eagle Pass C.C. Winn High School Mavericks Varsity squad is preparing for what should be an intense and exciting season.

Last season the Mavericks posted a district record of 3-6, 3-7overall, and fell to their rivals the Eagle Pass High School Eagles, 28-21. Despite losing some key players from last season, the Mavericks are still putting together a veteran team. About 35 seniors will be on the squad. “… We’re hoping that the dividends pay off whenever these kids get on the field they know a little bit more of what we’re trying to do and they’ll be able to make adjustments as we go along,” says Head Coach George Ruiz, who has worked with these players since freshmen year. “We’re hoping the experience is gonna pay big dividends for us this year.”

Returning players on offense will include linemen Gabriel Gutierrez, Cruz Gonzalez, Oliver Ortiz, and Jorge Garza, backs Kevin De Luna and newcomer, sophomore Deion Alonso. Jaime Vargas is entering his third year at quarterback. While he is expected to start at the position, he will face tough competition for the job from Ricky Flores and Chris Cantu.  Eddie Martinez, who is entering his second year at defensive back, is also expected to play a little at receiver. He may even play quarterback next season.

Defensively, the Mavericks look equally strong. Returning players include Erik Maldonado, Guadalupe Lopez, Marco Martinez, and newcomer Stevie Garcia. Tight end Mark Perez is expected to play defensive end.

With District 29-5A reduced from ten to seven teams, this year the Mavericks will have one scrimmage and four non-district games before their district opener against Del Rio on September 28th.  Ruiz says the scheduling is an advantage: “We’re gonna have four games to prepare for the first district ballgame, so we can look at spreading the ball out a little bit more, see what our kids can do and that allows us time to change, adjust our defense and find the kids that are gonna be able to play in the positions that maybe we’re not looking at them in right now.”

The Mavericks spent last week conditioning and are continuing it on their own. They will have a freshmen camp starting the week of August 6th and will begin two-a-day practices on August 13th.

As mentioned above, the Mavericks have a scrimmage against Cigaroa at home on Friday August 24th. They open the season with Uvalde at home – Parents Night – in a non-district matchup. Their first district game will be at Del Rio against the Rams on Friday September 28th. They will face the Eagle Pass High School Eagles in the last game of the regular season on Friday November 9th. C.C. Winn will be the home team. Ruiz says the goal for the season will be for the boys to have fun playing the game and hopefully emerge with a victory.