There is no denying it, the 2024 Wilcox football team was robbed last season. The NorCal State Championship Game against Twelve Bridges was one of the most over-officiated games one will ever see in high school football. A phantom, delay-of-game penalty immediately preceding the game’s final play—a potential, game-winning field goal attempt—was one of at least two dozen flags that were thrown over the course of the game, making the championship game borderline unwatchable. With that kick falling short of the crossbar, it begs the question if this year’s Chargers’ varsity returners are even hungrier than last year, knowing it didn’t get a fair shake at the end of last season?
“One-hundred percent,” responded junior quarterback Kai Imahara when asked if the team is even hungrier going into this season. “A lot of us keep rewatching that game. Remind ourselves to know how it feels to be there and feel that loss. We’re coming back hungrier than ever. We want to get back to that spot and win that game without the refs deciding it.”
“I am incredibly hungry, all I have been thinking about every practice is about how we got robbed,” chimed senior wide receiver and cornerback Jeremiah Arevalos. “It pushes me more to get back to the state championship game. It hurt so much, I can’t even explain. We all felt it deep in our hearts and have been nonstop grinding this whole offseason. We all want it so bad.”
“We’re starving, we cannot wait to get back there,” echoed junior tailback Elijah Vallejo. “Last year, we did get robbed. No doubt, but we didn’t play our best game either.”
“I’m as hungry as I’ve ever been; the whole team is the same,” added wide receiver and cornerback Kyree Brown. “We all want it more than ever after getting robbed. This time we’re going to make sure we come home with it all this year.”
Despite losing two-way superstar Brayden Rosa to graduation this past spring, Wilcox should no longer ever be doubted while under Head Coach Paul Rosa’s regime. Going into last season, the Chargers were expected by many outsiders to take a step back, given they saw a hefty amount of seniors graduate and were going with a sophomore starting quarterback for the first time in over 30 years.
All the team did last year was win a CCS Championship, and now, this year, it has a junior quarterback in Imahara with a year of experience under his belt. Not to mention, after suffering a late-season injury, Imahara should be hungrier than most to prove himself after missing the playoffs.
“I’m really excited for him, I know he’s excited too, missing the whole playoffs certainly has to keep you hungry for the next year,” remarked Coach Rosa on his starting quarterback. “He’s always been a hard worker, always improving. Unfortunate what happened to him last year, but I think it will help him become better this year because he will want to be in those situations this year.”
“I cannot wait, cannot wait to get back out there,” repeated Imahara with an emphatic touch. “Practice starts today. Helmets go on and then pads in two days. Champing at the bit.”
Imahara and the Chargers will open up the season with their traditional opening-week game against Valley Christian on August 29 at 7 p.m.
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