Game of the Week Preview: Brawley vs. Yuma Catholic
BRAWLEY — It may have seemed like they were playing angry, and maybe they were, just a little, but the Brawley Wildcats are generally too self-possessed for that. Still the 56-0 beatdown they gave Indio last Friday felt like something of a statement.
The week before, the Wildcats had suffered through a live-by-inches, die-by-inches date with Steele Canyon. One of those real gut-pumpers. They had, had a 13-0 lead in the fourth. Had, had. They ended with a 14-13 defeat.
All the same (vanished lead notwithstanding) it could be reasonable to call the game a moral victory.
Steele Canyon is the bigger school, with somewhere in the neighborhood of 500 more enrollees. And, oh yeah, they’re the reigning state champs in their division. Plus, it was an away game for Brawley.
So … a moral victory right?
Except they don’t do moral victories at Brawley. That is very much not what they’re about.
For long years Brawley football has been a real elephant in the room, the guy you’ve always got to size up before counting your winnings.
Their brand of football has long had a tinge of aloofness to it. They don’t care who you are. They just want to methodically grind your bones to make their bread.
That’s the sentiment that pervades the Wildcat practice field on Wednesday evening.
That’s what they served up to the overmatched Indio Rajahs.
And that’s what they want to dish out to Yuma Catholic tomorrow night.
But the Shamrocks aren’t Indio, a school coming off of a three-win season that has, as of this writing, yet to score a single point in the 2018 season.
Instead they’re Yuma’s answer to the Valley’s own Vincent Memorial, giant killers par excellence. Despite weighing in at under 400 students, Yuma Catholic is not built to take any guff.
They went 9-3 last year, 9-3 the year before (including a win over Imperial), and 11-1 before that (going all the way to the Arizona state title game). They’re always in it.
So far this year, they’re 2-0.
Like last year’s Vincent squad, they’ve got a domineering aerial attack. Quarterback Gage Reese is averaging 286.5 yards per game, and has already accumulated 11 touchdowns to only one interception. Five of those TDs have gone to wideout John Henderson. They’ve got weapons.
But Brawley is doing everything they can to prepare.
They spent a good portion of Wednesday’s practice attempting to counter certain looks they expect to see from Yuma Catholic.
There is a sense of urgency during these reps. 2018 feels like it needs to be a big year for Brawley. After missing out on the playoffs last year and losing the Bell Game to Central, their desire to get back on the horse is apparent.
And this is a talented team. It’s got D-1 bound Casey Kline on board, and Mr. Automatic 100 Michael Moreno on the masthead. They’re both seniors. It’s now or never for them.
Despite whatever pressures they may be subject to, the feeling around the team seems to be that they can take care of business.
After all they are Brawley.