Sunset Northwest a loaded league

Nick Christensen

Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2005 | 9:15 a.m.

Their stories are similar. So are the results.

Last year, both Cimarron-Memorial and Mojave had standout quarterbacks in Andrew Hatch and D.J. Tilche.

Last year, both teams had higher expectations and disappointing endings.

And this year, both teams started the year with uncertainty but the best records in their division heading into the halfway point of the 2005 season.

Cimarron has beaten Basic, Silverado, Coronado and California's Verbum Dei. Mojave suffered its first loss last week at Snow Canyon in St. George, but beat Chaparral, Durango and Canyon Springs locally to start the year.

At both schools, fresh faces personify the personnel changes from last year. But it's the victories that embody the change in attitude at both campuses.

At Cimarron, coach Ron Smeltzer admits he "tightened the screws down" in the offseason. Last year, the Spartans went 5-5, losing in the first round of the Sunset Region playoffs to Bishop Gorman.

"We lost all our main games," senior Davion Mauldin said. "Our season opener, the first round of the playoffs, homecoming."

The team's 4-0 record has come without starting quarterback Randel Aleman, who was injured early in the year. Taking his place has been Mauldin, who was converted from receiver.

"During the summer we got a lot of players that we thought would help us out and ended up not playing," Mauldin said.

He said last year's team had its moments of derision.

"It's changed a lot," he said. "There's a lot more camaraderie in the locker room. Last year, the locker room was kind of divided."

Linebacker Eric Brinkley, who joined Cimarron late last season, has also noticed the difference.

"We play more like a family more than last year," he said. "It was more like individuals last year but this year we're like a real team."

The team approach has also paid off across town at Mojave, where coach Tyrone Armstrong's no-nonsense approach to academics last season has turned into a general philosophy of equality and accountability.

Going to summer school to get grades up? Don't bother trying out for varsity.

Can't make camp? Either push a tractor tire around in the heat of the summer or plan on trying out for soccer.

"It was about paying a price, that was the key," Armstrong said. "These kids paid a price and I wasn't going to let anybody else come out here that wasn't willing to pay a price. By doing that they set the tone. We have some young men that are committed, we have young men willing to do what it takes."

It was also a question for Armstrong of knowing for certain who and what he was going to have come September.

"I had a couple of kids that were selfish, but I think they've learned that if you're selfish, you're not going to prosper on this team," he said. "On a weekly basis, we evaluate everybody. When the game is over, if you're not doing the job, we have a little competition going."

And just like Armstrong's study hall, the week-to-week competition is about preparation for the next level.

"It's not only about football, it's life," he said. "You've got to compete. If you want the prime job, the best job, you've got to compete. They get after it."

Despite the goal-oriented team approach, a monster lurks on the horizon for both teams -- the start of league play next week.

Three of their division rivals started the year as state title contenders -- Cheyenne, Palo Verde and Shadow Ridge. All three have played a minefield of a non-league schedule -- Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas High, Foothill, Silverado, etc. Centennial, which didn't have a win in league last year, has already bested last year's record and seems to have worked out the kinks in its passing game.

The teams meet each other on Thursday, Oct. 27 for their season finales in a game at Mojave. That game could well decide which goes to play in November and which is left reformulating -- again.

Cimarron's Mauldin knows that the first half of the year is still the easy part, despite games against some tough competitors.

"We expected to be this good in the first five games," he said. "We'll see how it goes during league play."