Escalante High School football heads into the 2022 season with a new head coach as it looks to return to its not-too-distant glory.
Rico DeYapp steps up as head coach, replacing Thomas Royston. DeYapp officially started in mid-July, but he had been working with the team earlier in the summer, and says the team is on track. And over the summer, DeYapp said students would stay extra late after workouts to study up or watch film.
“I think our biggest strength is, we’re just eager to learn,” DeYapp said. “Eager to get better.”
DeYapp played at Escalante through his senior season in 2010. He was an assistant coach for several years under Dusty Giles on three state championship teams, though he stepped away during the pandemic. Even in elementary school he was a manager for the team.
“(2020 and 2021) were the only two years since probably fifth or sixth grade that I haven’t been involved with Lobo football,” he said.
“He’s been pushing us to our limits this season,” said offensive tackle and linebacker Damon Emery.
Junior Trey Archuleta moves from running back to quarterback this year, and captains the defense at middle linebacker. Athletic junior Luka Torrez will play running back and safety.
The Lobos lose nine seniors from last year’s team, including all-state quarterback and safety Isaac Archuleta (Trey’s cousin), plus many contributors from the offensive and defensive line.
“They were good mentors, they taught us well,” Trey Archuleta said. “Now we’ve got to teach the lower guys.”
Escalante has 20 to 25 players at most practices through the summer, more than they had for much of last year, and DeYapp hopes to be able to have a small junior varsity team.
DeYapp also mentioned Tomas Atencio as the starting tight end who he expects to have a big impact. And offensive lineman Ezekiel Martinez is another junior with a big role.
Escalante’s 4-4 season in 2021 included strong wins early in the year, including a great performance against a strong Navajo Prep team. But the year came to a disappointing finish with a 63-20 loss to Estancia in a de-facto district championship game.
“It made us a lot hungrier,” Atencio said. “And we’re going to work as hard as we can to do our best this season.”
Royston stepped down as head coach after one season, but he remains on staff as an assistant this year.
“Our main goal is just to get better every day,” DeYapp said. “We want to continue to progress as a team and as ballplayers, and learn the game.”
The district changes slightly for this year. McCurdy and Laguna-Acoma remain as foes, but Santa Rosa is now the final opponent, replacing Estancia.
Escalante opens its season against West Las Vegas on Aug. 19 at home.