Cousins join all-region running back Timmy Lee on Kofa offense

For years Timmy Lee and cousins Lucky and Dominic Castaneda have messed around in their spare time with a football at the park.
 
Now, family time with a football becomes more serious.
 
Lucky Castaneda will take over as Kofa quarterback this season, with Dominic becoming the primary target at wide receiver, all in hopes of keeping defenses from keying on Gila Valley Region Offensive Player of the Year Lee, who returns at running back for his senior year.
 
Last year, the Kings (5-6, 3-0 region) won the region but lost in the first round of the 5A-II playoffs 48-6 to Peoria-Centennial after opening the season with a lopsided 51-34 loss at Yuma Catholic. They can avenge one of those losses, again opening the season against the Shamrocks, this time at home at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
 
Lee said the advantages of having a couple of cousins at key offensive spots has clear benefits.
 
"I've been waiting for him to be quarterback, to get in there," Lee said. "Now I've got my other cousin, Dominic, in there too. So it should be a good season."
 
Even taking the running back out of the equation, both Castanedas said there's an advantage to having brothers play quarterback and receiver.
 
"I know I can rely on him if I need a big play," Lucky Castaneda said. "He's my go-to receiver, plus it helps to have the best running back in the city right behind you."
 
His brother agreed.
 
"It's pretty good because we have a connection going," Dominic Castaneda said. "Even off the field we have it going."
 
And that familiarity extends to the running back position with Lee, Lucky Castaneda said.
 
"We've been playing with each other since we've been growing up," Lucky said. "We have that familiarity with each other. Everything just flows with us and we all click."
 
Coach Kevin Moore said he has been waiting for this season for the past four years.
 
"Lucky and Timmy came into the program at the same time four years ago," Moore said. "We didn't really know what we were getting, but we found out pretty quick. Everybody involved with Kofa football was excited to see the dynamic they had. They push each other every day in practice, and when Dominic came in here a year later, here's another guy who raised everybody's eyebrows. It got people thinking these three guys could take this program to levels it hasn't been at in a while."
 
The offense as a whole should benefit from the offensive line, where four starters return from last year.
 
"The last few years the offensive line has been a question mark going into the season," Moore said. "Now we haven't had to make many changes along the line at all. It's starting to gel."
 
It all equals very high hopes for the Kings this year, both from inside the program and out.
 
"Especially coming off the year we had last year, not just amongst the kids out here and the coaching staff, but amongst people around too," Moore said. "I'd like to repeat the same success we had last year. ... Adding a couple teams to the Gila Valley Region, adding a couple more games to the schedule, will make it more difficult to go undefeated again. But that's a goal of ours."


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Edward Carifio can be reached at ecarifio@yumasun.com or 539-6882.

KOFA KINGS: THE BOTTOM LINE

Last year: 5-6 (3-0 5A Gila Valley Region; lost in first round of playoffs)

Top returners: RB Timmy Lee, WR Dominic Castaneda, MLB Jordan Claspwell; DT Tyler Masson

Key newcomers: QB Lucky Castaneda takes over under center.

The Big Game: With the perennial Yuma game looming large later in the year, coach Kevin Moore said he's actually looking more forward to the game against Yuma Catholic, hoping to break through against the Shamrocks for the first time in three attempts.

The lowdown: As coach Moore points out, an undefeated region title will take two more wins than last season, but that's the goal for Kofa. Claspwell's move from the defensive line to the middle linebacker spot is one of many new positions for returning defensive guys, and Moore said the players moving have enough football smarts to succeed at any position.

2009 Schedule

Aug. 28 vs. Yuma Catholic, 7:30 p.m.
Last year  lost 51-34
Sept. 4 vs. Gilbert-Perry, 7:30 p.m.
Last year did not play
Sept. 17 at Mesa-Dobson
Last year did not play
Sept. 25 vs. Scottsdale-Chaparral, 7:30 p.m.
Last year did not play
Oct. 2 vs. Phoenix-North Canyon
Last year did not play
Oct. 9 at Cibola*
Last year won 36-22
Oct. 16 vs. Lake Havasu*
Last year did not play
Oct. 23 at Gila Ridge*
Last year did not play
Oct. 30 vs. Yuma High*
Last year won 20-10
Nov. 6 at San Luis*
Last year won 52-8
*-denotes region game; all games at 7 p.m. unless noted