Coyote Pack: Centennial Backfield Full of Playmakers (Again)

Centennial football and a strong run game.

It goes together like peanut butter and jelly, lamb and tuna fish (no?).

Ok, spaghetti and meatballs.

The run game has been the backbone of a program that has won two straight state championships at different levels. This year’s group needs to replace the likes of Quentin Gomez, John Rincon and quarterback Isaac Steele, who combined for 2,500 yards and 43 touchdowns.

That’s ok, though. In 2015, they needed to replace Dedrick Young and Devonte Smith, who rushed for a combined 1,983 yards and 23 scores.

For the record, both teams finished in 12-2 on each state championship campaign. Replacing big time rushers, and the monsters who block for them, is a yearly occurrence.

This year, helping shoulder the load is Taylor Fiame, Zidane Thomas and Alex Escobar.

Fiame is the bruiser. He packs a punch at first contact and exemplifies the smashmouth style the Coyotes have become known for. Thomas is the home run hitter, possessing the ability to break 80 and 90-yard runs on a regular occurrence. Escobar is a slippery junior who can make a cut and change directions to pick up chunks of yards at a time.

The Coyotes know who they are: a physical, nasty team that wants to impose their will in all three phases of the game. They know it, their opponents know it, hell, just about everyone knows it.

Good luck stopping it.