Slovis a quick study under Warner
Desert Mtn. QB learning from Hall of Famer
Scottsdale Desert Mountain junior Kedon Slovisis learning the quarterback position from a guy who recently was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Kurt Warner, the former Cardinals quarterback, throws a lot at Slovis as offensive coordinator.
And Slovis has been feasting off the knowledge.
In two games, the 6foot-3, 190-pounder has passed for 674 yards and eight touchdowns with no interceptions, completing 44 of 65. He beat Scottsdale Chaparral 28-27 in the opener with a touchdown pass with no time left. Last week, in a 51-26 win over Mesa, Slovis was 23 of 33 for 385 yards and five TDs.
“I definitely have to credit Coach Warner with the majority of my football knowledge,” Slovis said. “It’s amazing to have the opportunity to learn from an NFL mind. When he breaks the defense down, it really makes everything so much easier.
“Coach Warner’s offense is undoubtedly one of the most if not the most complex offenses in the state, but he does a great job making everything easier on us. It may seem like a lot for us to handle but at the end of the day if we don’t make mistakes and if I can make the right decisions we will find success on the field.”
Head coach David Sedmaksaid a combination of assistants Shawn Seaman and Warner has helped Slovis’ development. Seaman, who also worked with University of Houston quarterback Kyle Allen when he was at Desert Mountain, works with Slovis regularly on his footwork.
“Kurt throws a lot at Kedon, but he consumes it and executes,” Sedmak said. “He will continue to excel as he gets comfortable with what Kurt throws at him. With experience in a varsity setting, the sky is the limit for Kedon.”
The schedule begins to get tougher for Desert Mountain, which began last season 0-6, before winning its last four.
The Wolves travel to play 2-0 Scottsdale Notre Dame Prep on Friday. NDP beat Desert Mountain 56-42 last year when Cole Fisher ran for 211 yards and Jake Smith had 119 rushing yards. The Saints still have both of those backs.
Slovis’ primary receiver, Josh Walker, also is back. He had 127 yards on six catches against Notre Dame last season.
After Notre Dame, Desert Mountain, a 6A team, takes on Chandler Basha, Mesa Desert Ridge and Phoenix Pinnacle. And the four after those -- Glendale Mountain Ridge, Phoenix Horizon, Phoenix Sandra Day O’Connor and Anthem Boulder Creek -- are better this year.
“All tough games,” Sedmak said. “They want to make the playoffs, that’s the goal. I really feel good about this team, their leadership and their character. They have impressed me so far. It’s a tough road, but it will be exciting.”
Tough break
Glendale Deer Valley has lost a major piece of its offensive line after Brandon McCrea, 6-3, 275 pounds, a senior, suffered a fractured ankle during practice. He was scheduled for surgery on Thursday. He said if there is a torn tendon, his season is over. If not, there is a chance, he said, he could return late in the season.
“I’m bummed but I know I still have a career in football after high school,” he said.
Deer Valley plays a power offense with junior Dez Melton getting most of the reps.
“We are heart-broken that this has happened to him but we are confidence with the O-linemen we have to step up and get the job done,” coach Eric Bolus said.
Fast start
Vail Cienega senior quarterback Jamarye Joiner, who committed last year to Arizona, projects as an athlete in college who could be turned into a receiver or running back. But if he continues to play he did in last week’s opener, Joiner might have a future at quarterback in Rich Rodriguez’s UA offense. A tremendous athlete at 6-2, 205 pounds, Joiner, who missed his sophomore year, completed 17 of 29 for 239 yards and two TDs and ran 14 times for 170 yards and five scores in a wild 57-50 win over Marana.
“It’s all about understanding the game,” Cienega coach Pat Nugent said of Joiner on whether he could be a college quarterback.
“Taking that year off hurt his development. He has the natural ability and his skill level is unbelievable. But he is starting to understand the game and the offense better. Decisionmaking will be whether he makes it or not. He has the skill set to make it at QB but can he develop the mental side? He was a special player the other night because he made very good decisions on where to put the ball.”
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