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Seniors on the Poston Butte football team were honored at Friday night’s game. Not quite grown up, these young men had a little fun monkeying around for the camera. Kelli Luberda | Ledger
Southeast Valley Ledger
The Poston Butte football team honored 13 seniors before last Friday night’s season finale versus cross-town rival Queen Creek.
Last week’s game – a 40 – 14 Bulldogs’ victory – like the season, didn’t go as planned for the Broncos, especially for the seniors on the team.
“It’s sad, but I’ve had an amazing four years here with a lot of these guys,” senior Sergio Hernandez said after the game. “I’ve come to love them all; they’re my brothers and at the end of the day I love them.”
After a playoff appearance in head coach Paul Moro’s first season, the Broncos figured to have an even better season in 2015. But for a number of reasons it didn’t happen like is it was supposed to.
Tragedy hit the team before the season even started and once it did injuries stacked up quicker than the pancakes at IHOP and, unfortunately, so did the losses.
Moro talked about teaching his players more than football when he took the job before the 2014 season. Despite a winless season on the field, he still had success teaching his players life off the field.
“He’s taught us how to be men and how to persevere through everything,” Hernandez said about Moro, who is unsure if he will return for a third season at Poston Butte. “He’s had (tragedy) in his life recently and he’s been here every day – he’s persevered. He’s been in it for us.”
The outcome of Friday’s game was never in doubt after the first quarter with the Bulldogs holding a 30 – 0 lead thanks to two rushing touchdowns by junior running back Jace Koester and one from quarterback Kaleb Honea.
The Bulldogs other touchdown in the quarter came on the first play from scrimmage, when Honea hit receiver Ian Woods on a 70-yard touchdown pass and reception.
Senior Hayden Espericueta, who’s rushed for 49 total yards this season, recorded 40 of them on a second-quarter touchdown run to make it 37 – 0 at halftime.
“It’s always good to come out of the gate fast,” Bulldogs’ head coach Travis Schureman said. “We talked about, this week, preparing for ourselves, getting better, and not worry about who we’re playing. I thought our kids did a good job of that tonight.”
Queen Creek increased its lead in the third quarter after a 42-yard field goal by Zach Glaess.
The Broncos finally found some success in the fourth quarter.
Junior quarterback Shavez Hawkins and senior running back T’reek Hendrix each scored rushing touchdowns in the final quarter. Kicker Zack Piwniczka was successful on both PAT’s.
Poston Butte Athletic Director Jeff Cox said he expects Moro to make a decision early this week about returning next season.
And even though the season didn’t go as planned for Poston Butte, the players are still looking forward to the next step in their football careers.
Players like Sergio Hernandez and Chase Taylor, who each received a scholarship offer from Adams State University before the season, will have opportunities to play at the next level.
“I’m still unsure (about where I’ll play in college) but I’m planning on taking some visits to a couple of schools and see what else opens up,” Hernandez said.
Andrew Luberda began writing for Copper Area News Publishers (CANP) in February 2013 after working 15 years in Healthcare Financial Management. Andy covers sports for 11 high schools. His stories are published in Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner and Superior Sun, in addition to the San Tan Valley Daily PRSS and CopperArea websites. Additionally, he has written human interest stories and business profiles. In May 2012, he earned an AAS in Sports Management at Central Arizona College before graduating with a BS in Communication from Arizona State University in 2014. He and his wife, Kelli, have three sons – AJ, Kyle, and Kade.
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