| |
Local Sports
Hall found fame as Raiders' go-to guy Brandon Hall didn't take over as Cibola's featured running back until five games into his sophomore season last year. He still managed to rush for 920 yards and capture the 5A Gila Valley Region's Offensive Player of the Year.
"I was a little timid going into last year, but this season was a little different because I knew what to expect," Hall said. "My confidence really shot up because I knew what I could achieve at the varsity level." Everyone else now knew what to expect from Hall as well. He was the focal point of opposing defenses, which constantly keyed on the junior tailback. But it didn't matter. He still racked up 1,445 total yards from scrimmage — 1,244 rushing and 201 receiving— along with 11 touchdowns. These accomplishments combined with his momentum-changing playmaking ability helped earn Hall the 2006 The Sun/Yuma Rotary Club's Offensive Player of the Year. "Brandon is an exciting player," Cibola coach Lucky Arvizo said. "Anytime he touches the ball there is always an opportunity for a big play. "He can run the ball and he can catch. We can put Brandon anywhere in the formation and he'll be effective." Hall worked hard in the offseason, running track and field to increase his speed and hitting the weight room. He went over the century mark in rushing yards in eight of 10 games this season. He particularly excelled in the all-important region games averaging 157 yards on the ground. Hall ran for 188 yards and a touchdown to help the Raiders win the city championship against Yuma High on Oct. 20. When the season ended, he had staked claim to three Cibola career records— rushing yards, rushing touchdowns and points scored. With another year to play, he'll have a chance to put those milestones out of reach for future players. "This was a real good season for me. I had a lot of fun," Hall said. "I had a good group of guys to work with. I had some great captains and a great offensive line." Cibola is losing 30 players to graduation. Arvizo said next year's team will lean on Hall for his leadership more than ever. "Brandon leads by example, which is just as good as leading vocally," Arvizo said. "His teammates and his peers really respect him by what he does on and off the field." Rams' Ramirez gave quarterbacks fits in 2006 season Gil Ramirez was ready to give up on football after his freshman season on Antelope's junior varsity squad. Ramirez said he was going to focus solely on basketball. But Antelope varsity football coach John Blabe saw a football player. "He's a major role model for a lot of football players, including myself," Ramirez said of Blabe. "My freshman year I felt that my season didn't go too well and when he found out I was going to quit, he came into the weight room and encouraged me to stick with it." Ramirez listened to Blabe. Opposing quarterbacks probably wished he hadn't. The 5-foot-9, 180-pound nose guard made the 2005 All-Yuma Region team as a sophomore. And all he did this year as a junior was tally 13 quarterback sacks and 15 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, despite facing double-teams every week. For those accomplishments, Ramirez is the 2006 The Sun/Yuma Rotary Club's Defensive Player of the Year. "(When Ramirez was a freshman) I watched his quickness, what he did on the field and how he moved," Blabe said. "He just had all the attributes of a really fine football player. "I had to talk him into coming out for football his sophomore year and he thanks me for it about every other week." The highlight of Ramirez's season and football career to this point occurred when the Rams ended a four-year drought against rival Yuma Catholic on Oct. 27 to win the 2A West League title. Ramirez played an instrumental role in slowing down the Shamrocks' high-powered offense, recording two sacks and an additional pair of tackles for a loss in Antelope's 13-7 victory. "I had never seen my teammates or myself so pumped up," Ramirez said. "That night it wasn't about my stats, it was about trying to take the win home." Ramirez wasn't just a one-dimensional pass rusher. His quickness often had him pursuing the ball all over the field. Blabe added that Ramirez is the best defensive lineman he has seen in his 24 years coaching at Antelope. "People didn't know anything about Gil last year, and he didn't know anything about himself," Blabe said. "This year, you better have known about him or he was going to be visiting your quarterback up close and personal." Derrik Miller can be reached at dmiller@yumasun.com or 782-6520.  |
|
