Del Sol could air it out on offense

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Thursday, Aug. 20, 2009 | 2 a.m.

Del Sol High coach Preston Goroff plans of getting the ball in the hands of his best player this fall — even if that player isn't a running back.

The Dragons have relied on their potent rushing attack to reach the last three Sunrise Regional title games and hardly found success in the air last year in passing for 836 yards.

But wide receiver Evan Weinstock is Del Sol's most experienced player, meaning part of the offensive strategy will include finding mismatches for the 6-foot-3, 200-pound senior. Weinstock, who will be a three-year varsity starter, caught eight passes for 213 yards and one touchdown in 2008 and has a scholarship offer from Northern Arizona.

"This is the most confidence I have had in the passing game (since the school opened in 2004)," Goroff said. "We will still run the ball, but we will be able to catch some people on some downs with the pass."

Del Sol, which has only lost two games in the Southeast Division in the last three years, will still be able to grind it out on the ground despite graduating top backs Derek Eamon and Jon Kirshbaum. Eamon rushed for 24 touchdowns last year and had more than 200 yards in four of Del Sol's final five games, including 412 yards and five touchdowns in a regional semifinal victory against Basic.

Senior Dezerick Reed takes over as the feature back and will be joined in the backfield with senior Kip Canyon and sophomore Chris Marshall. Canyon will double at linebacker and be the leader of the defense.

"The kids understand they have big shoes to fill and they are up for it," Goroff said.

Despite the youth and inexperience of his team, Goroff has no plans of conceding the Dragons' spot as one of Southeast's elite programs.

"After one year of a good season, it could be considered a fluke," Goroff said. "Two years, a flash in the pan. But we have been solid for three years. We have been building something where, if the kids do what is asked of them, they will be successful."

Ray Brewer can be reached at 990-2662 or [email protected].