VarsityXtra

The Tempe McClintock football team won’t be winning any beauty contests this fall.

But it does think a different style of play can help win games.

With the loss of quarterback Eric Urry to graduation and running back Anthony Shivers to Tempe Marcos de Niza, the Chargers won’t be as explosive an offensive team as last season.

But with a host of physical runners in the backfield, three yards and a cloud of dust could still pay off in the end.

“It may not be pretty, but we very well could be that type of team,” Gibbons said.

McClintock’s calling card is expected to be its front seven on defense, but Gibbons knows they need rest.

So offensively, the plan will be to wear down the opponent with a smash-mouth running game.

Jabril Gipson, a 5-foot-11, 255-pound fullback, will be in the mix, either carrying the ball or leading the way with blocks.  Hayden Tippett is also expected to get carries.

“Losing a guy like Shivers forced us to go back to the drawing board offensively,” Gibbons said. “We can still stretch the fields horizontally if we need to, but I think we can be a lot more physical and run the ball inside the tackles.

“It helps the defense. If we can chew out yardage, the cloud of dust idea, keep the clock moving, that’s a great way to keep from giving up points.”

The leaders of the quarterback competition are Brent Davis, Urry’s backup last year, and Chris Freudenberg, a 6-foot-3 left-hander.

Gibbons said that competition will go into fall camp.

McClintock will return 22 lettermen, as opposed to 14 last year, and could have as many as 31 seniors on the roster.

But the loss of key personnel switches the offensive philosophy.

“We have to reinvent ourselves, figure out what makes this group go,” Gibbons said. “I don’t think the kids should have to adapt to a coach. I have a responsibility to adapt to them. We have a much more physical team, and we’ll have some interesting choices.”

One kid found a primo way to beat this heat.

Former Chandler tight end Chase Rice is in Australia and Hawaii for more than half of July playing in the Down Under Bowl, not to mention some tours and excursions.

He left on July 6 and will be in Australia playing and practicing with a bevy of other nominated players from around the country. Players were nominated by their high school coaches or International Sports Specialists coach and then chosen by a selection committee.

Nominated by Wolves coach Jim Ewan, Rice was a second-team all-Fiesta Region player last season. He graduated in May.

The trip concludes next week with four days of (mostly) R-and-R in Hawaii.

With the loss of Shane McCullen and Rusty Fernando to graduation, Nate Scola becomes the face of the Apache Junction football team in 2009.

But coach Rich Milligan said the team’s quarterback for the past two seasons may not play that position this year.

Scola, a physical athlete who doesn’t shy away from contact, may line up as a fullback or wide receiver on offense this season, depending on the situation.

Milligan said the idea is being discussed because of the presence of Roy Machuca, last year’s junior varsity quarterback. Machuca ran the Prospectors’ spread option attack on JV and would add another threat to the offense.

“(Machuca) is a solid QB,” Milligan said. “Not as big as Nate, not quite as athletic, but he knows the basics of running the offense. He’s an intelligent kid and hardworking. We wouldn’t have the flexibility at all without him. Roy gives us the option to look at (moving Scola around). We feel very comfortable with either of those two guys.”

Once again, the Apache Junction program is small in numbers. Last year’s junior varsity played with just 18 players, but still finished above .500. But Milligan said he doesn’t worry about the number of players on the team, just how hard they work.

“I don’t care much about looking good getting off the bus,” Milligan said. “We could have a whole lot better numbers, but we wouldn’t have much success. I’d rather have 26 or 27 kids - opposed to 40 - that have paid the price and are willing to battle.”

Former Gilbert High pitcher Devin Fuller has made two appearances with the short-season Hudson Valley Renegades since signing with Tampa Bay about three weeks ago.

In four innings pitched, he is 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA.

Fuller was a sixth-round pick by the Rays in June’s amateur draft after pitching well this season at Chandler Gilbert Community College. Fuller enrolled at Arizona State in 2008, but had to redshirt because of academic issues before transferring to Chandler Gilbert.

He was a 14th-round selection by the Rays out of high school in 2007.

No other drafted players with East Valley connections have signed, but I will keep an eye on it.

Economic troubles may result in several Mesa High football players staying home from the team’s annual mini-camp in Snowflake.

Each player must pay $270 for the five-day trip, which begins on July 20. But this year, that money is harder to come by.

“We have quite a few kids in this day and time that are working to help mom and dad pay house bills,” coach Kelley Moore said. “We’re trying like crazy not to let the economy dictate what we do.”

The coaching staff is looking for help from Mesa High alumni to help send a few kids who couldn’t otherwise afford it.

“We’re just asking for as much help as we can get,” Moore said.

Those interested in helping can reach Moore directly at (623) 326-6147 or klmoore@mpsaz.org.