SUNSET FOOTBALL: Palo Verde expects ‘strange’ opener with longtime coach retired

From the time Palo Verde High opened in 1996, there was constantly a ball of energy stalking the Panthers' sideline.

But Darwin Rost won't be calling the plays for Palo Verde this fall, after retiring as coach after 19 seasons. In his place will be longtime assistant Joe Aznarez, who hopes to continue the Panthers' tradition of winning.

"It'll be strange not to see him for me, too," Aznarez said. "He's been kind of a role model of mine for a long time. I share some of the same characteristics that he does, but I also do some of my own things. It's different. He did a very good job of building this program and getting it to the highest level possible, you know, state championships and so on. But we're excited for the future."

Aznarez will make his debut at 7 p.m. today at Coronado.

In an area with incredible coaching turnover (there are 12 first-year coaches in Division I or I-A this season), Rost quickly became the dean of area coaches. He posted a 154-50 record, winning the 2004 state title and five region championships.

Aznarez and his players hope to continue that success rather than rest on past victories, and all acknowledge that Rost is the one who created an atmosphere of winning for the program.

"He's the reason why we've always been such a good, solid program," senior quarterback Logan Hutchison said. "Having him out is different. I think coach Aznarez is a little more calm. In a way, it helps calm down the players. I like coach Aznarez as much as I like coach Rost. They're both phenomenal head coaches. They know when to be your friend and know when to be your coach. When it's on the field and football time, they know to get in your head and make you a better football player."

One of the biggest differences may be demeanor. While Rost was intense and in-your-face on the sideline, Aznarez describes himself as more "laid back."

"Coach Rost is a little scarier," said senior offensive and defensive tackle Kyler Hack, who at 6 feet 6 inches tall and 282 pounds dwarfed Rost. "That's mostly the biggest difference. But other than that, it's pretty much the same."

Aznarez, who spent 12 years as an assistant working at various levels of the Palo Verde program, retained many of the team's assistant coaches. And the philosophy that helped build the Panthers into a perennial contender remains.

"We're going to play good defense, we're going to run the ball on offense and do the things we've always done here, just with a different guy calling the show," Aznarez said.

Aznarez will continue to run the double-wing offense that Rost installed years ago, and the Panthers will still try to outmuscle opponents and control the ball.

"We're definitely sticking to the double wing as we always have at Palo Verde, but we're definitely opening it up, as well," Hutchison said. "We've always been a running football team, and we're going to stay that way."

The Panthers must replace graduated running back/linebacker Jaren Campbell, who led the team in rushing (840 yards, 12 TDs) and tackles (86) last season.

Top returning rusher Aaron Chisolm (507 yards) might miss today's opener with a sprained ankle. But the team's stable of backs will run behind a strong line, led by tackles Hack and junior Edgar Burrola (6-5, 275), whom Aznarez said is "probably a Division I player when it's all said and done."

"It's going to be a shared load," Aznarez said. "We've got to try to spread the carries around."

On defense, Hack and Burrola will clog the middle and allow defensive end Kameron Toomer (42 tackles) and linebacker/defensive end Chauntez Thomas (69 tackles, five sacks) to make plays on the outside.

"There should be some big stops by the defense early in the game to help the offense out," Hack said.

And led by that defense, Hack thinks the Panthers will be just fine without Rost. In fact, he thinks the team should be able to improve on last season's 7-4 record.

"I think we're going to keep moving forward," Hack said. "I think we're going to do a lot better this year than we have the last couple years."

Contact prep sports editor Damon Seiters at 702-380-4587 or dseiters@reviewjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DamonSeiters

Best of Sunset Region

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PASSING

Tate Martell, Bishop Gorman 2,537 yards, 40 TDs

Juan Rodriguez, Centennial 1,490 yards, 17 TDs

RUSHING

Rhamondre Stevenson, Centennial 1,457 yards, 17 TDs

Dominick Wilson, Shadow Ridge 945 yards, 9 TDs

RECEIVING

Tyjon Lindsey, Bishop Gorman 34 rec., 884 yards, 15 TDs