Lobos build on a good base to go after trophy
The small, quick, team has put in the work
It’s tough to say exactly when a champion team becomes a dynasty program, but the Escalante High School football team is certainly the former and is right on the cusp of the latter.
With three state championships in four years and a sparkling 45-5 record in the four years that Dusty Giles has run the program, the Lobos are the class of Class 2A.
And it’s given them a bit of an aura that carries over from year to year, he said.
“I think confidence is a major thing,” Giles said. “And that’s something we don’t have to worry about. We can spend a lot more time on the football end of things if we don’t have to worry about building up their esteem for every team we’re going to face.”
Indeed, usually it’s the Lobos’ opponents who are the ones who need a self-esteem boost both before and after meeting Escalante. But that doesn’t mean the Lobos won’t face a tussle when it comes to carting off another blue trophy.
“As far the team aspect, nobody is handing us anything,” Giles said. “Especially this last offseason, we spent a lot of time talking about that.”
Escalante is the date on the schedule that every opponent will circle as the season’s biggest game.
“They’re all gunning for us,” he said. “Most teams are tweaking their offense and tweaking their defense in anticipation of beating us. We have to earn it.”
It’s something the players next up have learned from those who have gone before.
“To a certain extent, the younger guys, they don’t question the amount of work it takes to be successful,” Giles said. “These younger guys, they’re coming in with an attitude that nothing is guaranteed. They know they won’t get their goal or success without the work.”
It certainly helps that the Lobos have a pretty good base on which to build the latest title run attempt, with five starters returning on both sides of the ball.
But the team will certainly look a little different as the most dynamic player in the class in Dominic Montaño has graduated after amassing 2,255 yards rushing and 38 touchdowns
“We’re a little different team,” Giles said “We’re as small as we’ve been in the last five years, but we’re probably as quick or quicker as we’ve been the last five years.”
And that’s going to require a little different mindset from the players.
“When you come in undersized, especially in a game like football, it’s important that you are coming out and competing each and every week,” he said. “It’s essential and that’s what we’re going to do this year.”
And for the defense, senior linebacker Joseph Martinez, who’s moving inside from the outside position a year ago, has been a catalyst.
Offensively, senior Tristan Martinez is stepping into the quarterback role after playing receiver a year ago and has been a leader.
“We don’t put kids there that are necessarily the best athlete,” Giles said. “Those are positions where we do need leadership, we take that into account. They’ve branched out a little more, showing that work ethic, encouraging others to do their part. That’s what we’ve seen so far out of both them.”
As for the rest of the squad, the simple fact that celebrating one state championship was hardly completed before it began preparing to challenge for another one is an important indication of how the Escalante program has built upon its success.
“Ever since football season ended last year, they’ve been putting in the work in the weight room,” Giles said. “Winning a championship is a very difficult thing to do. We’re just happy that we’re in the race, that we’re in the competition. We don’t feel like it’s owed to us. At the same time, they do understand what it takes and have put in the effort .”