You’d think setting a state record for passing yards in a game would give a quarterback at a little job security.
Not at Mesa Desert Ridge.
Incumbent Kevin Pantastico will have to beat out New York transfer Ryan McCann to take the majority of the snaps under center in the fall. Desert Ridge coach Jeremy Hathcock said both will see time at the spot during games, but he’d like to have a clear-cut No. 1 starter.
“It’s a heated competition right now,” Hathcock said.
If Pantastico doesn’t win the competition, he could play cornerback and wide receiver. McCann is less versatile and would likely just be the backup signal caller. But Hathock said that won’t factor into the race. If Pantastico performs better, he will be the starter.
“In our system, QB is so important,” Hathcock said.
It’s been a trying summer for the Jaguars, who lost playmakers Chris Heldore and Chris Jamison to graduation, as well as 12 of their 15 coaches mostly because of budget cuts in the school district.
Desert Ridge is on its fourth defensive coordinator in the last four years, and will switch from a 3-4 defense to a traditional 4-3.
While Heldore and Jamison were the core of last year’s team, Hathcock is excited about replacements Sam Papa and Paris Clark. He said they aren’t as fast as those two, but are bigger and move well for their size.
