The Pumas are starting starting the season off strong with a 6 and 0 record.  First a victory over Desert Vista 30-24 in overtime, then Millennium with 50-28, Westwood with 45-14, O’connor with 43-0, Corona with 54-21, and Highland with 59-49.  

Now, the Pumas are just focusing on keeping up the good play they have. In the last few years, Perry has started their seasons with similar undefeated records as this year, but they could not maintain it. Coach Preston Jones believes the way to make this year different is to “stay on course, stay focused, and stay with the process of preparation.” In terms of preparation, Jones says, “We always try to improve scheme and… stay as healthy as possible.”

Junior starting quarterback Brock Purdy agrees that extensive amounts of practice will make for a perfect record. In Purdy’s eyes, preparation is “practicing hard every day obviously, and not getting too over confident.”

Junior tight end and outside linebacker Josh Poates describes the team’s preparation as “two days of full pad practices, a walk through, a run through, and then gameday.” Poates thinks the most effective practice is the walk through. “We have to be really focused,” Poates says, “We have to run for any mistakes.”

The rest of the season consists of two home games and two away games. Three of these games are against three of the top 4 teams in the state: Brophy, Chandler, and Hamilton.  Principal Dan Serrano thinks “we have to prove that we can beat some of those teams [Brophy, Chandler, and Hamilton]. We haven’t in the past, but we’ve come close.” Purdy agrees that the teams are “obviously really good,” but says they “don’t take anything lightly.” He believes that “if we keep staying confident in how we play and go in hard, I think we will be able to beat them.”

Many believe the reason Perry football is excelling this season can be credited to the successful lower level teams. The ascendancy of the freshman and junior varsity teams has dramatically increased within the last few years. Jones says he “thinks there’s a correlation with how successful the kids are if you have a good freshman team.”

Serrano agrees and compares Perry’s football team to the volleyball team, “I think we’re in the place volleyball was in a couple years ago where all of our programs [varsity, junior varsity, and freshman teams] are doing so well that we’re going to start competing at a higher level. Based on what I’m seeing on all the levels, the teams are doing well, and that’s a good thing.”

Overall, the team is confident that they can continue exceeding this season’s expectations.