Students and teachers have returned to classrooms. Coaches and athletes have returned to the courts and fields, which means high school sports are about to get underway for the 2023-2024 school year.
At Holbrook High School first-year head football coach Paul Agramont and his staff took the new version of the Roadrunners to their initial scrimmage on Friday in Window Rock where they joined the Scouts, Valley Sanders, and Fort Wingate in what Coach Agramont described as a highly positive trip for the Roadrunners.
Holbrook has nearly 50 players signed up this year and most have been going through early season workouts since July 24 in preparation to defend what is now a two-year run as Little Colorado region champions. This season they may well have their three toughest opponents in the first three weeks. Holbrook opens at Page on Aug. 25. The Sand Devils were one of Holbrook’s closer games last year even with a senior-laden group. Winslow will be the Roadrunner’s first home game, now scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 2. The Bulldogs expect to be much improved as well. St. Johns will be Holbrook’s final non-region contest before finishing the season with seven consecutive region games. Holbrook will hold their annual Red-Blue Scrimmage this Friday.
Last season the Roadrunners went 10-0 in regular season action, then advanced to the second round of the 2A playoffs before their season ended in Willcox.
Aaron LaRose once again returns to the sidelines of the Lady Roadrunner Volleyball team. She is joined by two first-year assistants in Zoe Daniels and April Tsosie, both former alumni. The three ladies have been working with approximately 35 girls over the past week and will host a six-team scrimmage on Friday beginning at 1 p.m. at Munoz Gym. Page, Northland Prep, Hopi, Mogollon, Joseph City and the Roadrunners will all have two hours of court time to prepare for the upcoming season.
Last season the team went 7-10 in regular season matches, making the play-in game where they saw their season come to an end in Winslow. Holbrook opens this season on Aug. 29 with a match at Northland Prep. Two days later they will be in Round Valley. The team’s first home court action will be on Sept. 5 when they host Round Valley.
Victor Paz heads up the girls soccer team and 20 players are now on the field practicing. Holbrook won four matches last season, finishing on a strong note with those four wins coming in their final seven matches. Those four wins were also the most in the program’s history. This year the Ladies open the season this weekend with play in the Longhorn Invitational tournament held in Payson. Holbrook is slated to face Show Low and Blue Ridge on Friday, then return Saturday to see St. Johns and Round Valley. Their first regular season match will be on Aug. 28 when they host Snowflake.
The boys soccer team is once again under the direction of long-time head coach Tony Aguilera. Their numbers are low with only 16 players currently going through workouts preparing for their action, which will be the Payson Tournament held on Aug. 25 and 26. Holbrook will face Benson and Payson on Friday the 25th, then see The Gregory School and Desert Christian the following day.
Last year Holbrook posted a 4-7-1 record. Their first home game will be Aug. 31 when they host Payson.
Jerald Nez moves to his second year as head cross country coach. Last year his boys’ team placed third at the state meet and several of those runners have returned this year. Holbrook will begin their season on Aug. 29 with their first meet held at Hopi High School.
