Team Preview: Cleveland
Cleveland Storm 2020 Preview Head Coach: Heath Ridenour Mascot: Storm Twitter: @CHSStormFB, @Coach_Ridenour Enrollment: 2,450 2019 Record: 11-2 Star Players: QB Jeff Davison Jeff Davison 5'11" | 185 lbs | QB Cleveland | 2021 State NM , RB/DB Trey Ortega…
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Continue ReadingCleveland Storm 2020 Preview
Head Coach: Heath Ridenour
Mascot: Storm
Twitter: @CHSStormFB, @Coach_Ridenour
Enrollment: 2,450
2019 Record: 11-2
Star Players: QB Jeff Davison Jeff Davison 5'11" | 185 lbs | QB Cleveland | 2021 State NM , RB/DB Trey Ortega Trey Ortega 5'11" | DB Cleveland | 2021 State NM , WR/TE Tre Watson Tre Watson 6'5" | WR Cleveland | 2021 State NM , WR/CB Luke Wysong Luke Wysong 5'10" | WR Cleveland | 2021 State NM ; WR Trevon Dennard Trevon Dennard 6'3" | WR Cleveland | 2021 State NM , RB Tyler Jensen Tyler Jensen 6'2" | 185 lbs | RB La Cueva | 2021 State NM , DB David Murphy.
Breakout Star: DT Phattboy Loveless.
Overview: What does the reigning Class 6A state champions do for an encore? Get better. First, nearly every major contributor on offense returns in the spring, and to that array of weapons the Storm adds La Cueva transfer Tyler Jenson, who has overcome cancer and a severe leg injury the past two years. QB Jeff Davison Jeff Davison 5'11" | 185 lbs | QB Cleveland | 2021 State NM , going into his third season as the Storm starter, hopes to stay healthy after missing five games last year with a shoulder injury. He returned in time for the playoffs and helped lead Cleveland to the title. He certainly has plenty of guys to throw to down the field. Two have already committed to FBS schools – Tre Watson Tre Watson 6'5" | WR Cleveland | 2021 State NM (Fresno State) and the speedy Luke Wysong Luke Wysong 5'10" | WR Cleveland | 2021 State NM (New Mexico). Watson missed seven games in 2019 with a broken arm. He’ll line up at a variety of spots. Wysong is the fastest player on the team, making him a major threat vertically and on fly sweeps. Trevon Dennard Trevon Dennard 6'3" | WR Cleveland | 2021 State NM will play at the next level as well. Defensively, DT Phattboy Loveless is a member of the All-Name team. Trey Ortega Trey Ortega 5'11" | DB Cleveland | 2021 State NM and David Murphy are a strong safety duo in the secondary with Luke Wysong Luke Wysong 5'10" | WR Cleveland | 2021 State NM at cornerback.
Schedule: TBA. Season opener is Thur., March 4 at Los Lunas.
Top Storyline: Can anybody stop the ultra-talented Storm offense? Unless a defense brings its A-plus game, probably not. You’ll need a calculator to keep track of the points scored by Cleveland.
Final Thoughts: The season opener at Los Lunas is one of the most intriguing games of the scheduled opening weekend (March 4-6) in the spring. Not only will we get out first look at the vaunted Storm’s offense, but they’ll go up against the state’s top defensive player – Los Lunas DE Tyler Kiehne Tyler Kiehne 6'4" | DL Los Lunas | 2021 State NM , who is committed to UCLA. Davison doesn’t have any offers yet but a big senior year could turn some heads. He has rarely lost a game since becoming Cleveland’s starting WB in 2018. How Jensen, who stunned the Albuquerque high school football community with his move from La Cueva to Cleveland, impacts the Storm’s offense is a fascinating storyline. It’s not as if the Storm were lacking in running backs (two return from 2019 – senior Demetrius Banks and junior Lucious Dickson), and with so many talented wide receivers, how many touches will Jensen get in a game? Good question. With so much talent in NW Rio Rancho, it would be an upset if Cleveland didn’t reach the 6A state championship game for the third straight season.
Coach’s Comments: “We can’t dwell on last year’s success or last year’s failures. You have to find your process and stick to it. We have a 12-month process here at Cleveland. We’ll tweak a few things, but we’re not fat and happy in any way from last year’s championship. We’re still pretty hungry to get back onto the field and prove we can do it again. We have a lot of experience on our coaching staff. They will set the tone for our kids. Getting to the top is tough but staying there is even tougher. Therein lies the challenge. We just have to focus on the process. We preach that all the time.” – Heath Ridenour.
Missing some Cleveland Storm Football so here are some throwback photos from the 2019 season. Posting each week for the next 14 weeks. @LukeWysong, @cjmad21, @_yasuo3, @CHSStormFB pic.twitter.com/ECjGYnkdif
— Sports Fanatic Photography/NMOTS (@SportsFanaticP1) August 27, 2020
Great things come to those that understand adversity will always be here. Persevere and thrive! Believe in the process and trust in one another.
Mentally Strong! Physically Strong! Cleveland Strong! #CarpeDiem#FearTheBolt
Our Squad is 🔥 🔥 🔥 @Coach_Ridenour pic.twitter.com/88ozvVcQyS— Cleveland Storm 🏈 (@CHSStormFB) July 11, 2020