MESA, Ariz. — Kickoff for the 2023 high school football season is just around the corner and 12Sports is geared up for the 34th season of Friday Night Fever!
To help get you ready, we are checking in with some of the teams around the Valley that you will want to watch this fall. That continues with the Red Mountain Mountain Lions in Mesa.
The Mountain Lions had a great season in 2022, finishing 6-4, as champions of the 6A East Valley region, and making it to the 6A semifinals where they lost to eventual champion Highland. The Mountain Lions also lost to Highland in the 6A semis in 2021.
The Mountain Lions saw more than 25 players graduate after last season, including quarterback Carter Crispin, WR Lenox Lawson, and WR Ja'Kobi Lane, but head coach Kyle Enders did not mince words when 12Sports spoke with him at the Mesa Public Schools football media day in early August. 2023 is not a rebuilding year.
"I will never use that term ever," Enders said. "We take a lot of pride in it. these younger guys do that, like the next group up like our expectations don't change year to year. We want to compete for state championships."
Enders added that his senior class is focused on getting over that semifinal hump.
"Yeah, so this team (has a) really, really, really tough, gritty, senior class," Enders said. "They haven't lost very many football games during their time here at Red Mountain. A lot of them have been part of the back-to-back semifinal losses that we've had. So they're hungry, a little chip on their shoulder. They're excited to play in the tough conference that we have. I like this group."
Red Mountain opens their season on Thursday, August 24 at home against the Mesa Jackrabbits, who they beat in the 6A quarterfinals last season.
Be a believer and catch Friday Night Fever every Friday night until mid-December starting with our season preview show at 11:35 p.m. on August 18.