GILBERT, Ariz. — It's a new era for the Perry Pumas varsity football team as Joseph Ortiz becomes just the second head coach in program history. After years of success with Cactus Cobras in Glendale, Ortiz is ready to make some noise with a 6A team in the East Valley.
“Being the head coach is a lot of ‘Joe Ortiz, Joseph Ortiz, Coach Ortiz,’ but at the end of the day, it's all about these kids over here and what they're doing,” Ortiz said. “Our goal isn’t just to ‘hey, let’s win a couple more games or hey let’s make the playoffs.’ Everywhere I’ve been as a head coach, Cactus, and here, we're trying to make a run at a championship.”
“Since he’s come here, it's honestly been perfect. He's been the perfect coach that anyone can ask for as far as a people person,” Perry senior defensive end Aiden Herring said.
Ortiz is breathing new life into a Perry football program that produced the likes of Brock and Chubba Purdy in recent years. But after two losing seasons, the Pumas are working day by day to become a contender in the 6A conference once again.
“Whether it's Open, 6A, whatever happens, we want to get a good seed in the playoffs and show that we can make a good little run,” Ortiz said.
“Fun guy. He cares about us. He wants what's best for us. He's been a great coach so far, just very enthusiastic, energetic, just kind of wanting to change the program around.”
Ortiz had a lot of good runs with Cactus, taking the 4A team to the Open Division playoffs last year. Now that he’s off to a 1-0 start at Perry, he’s helping to create a buzz on the campus of one of Arizona's largest schools.
“They know Coach Ortiz is a winner so they kind of look at us a little different… Like winners,” Perry senior cornerback CJ Snowden said. “Just don't sleep on us. That's it. Watch out for Perry.”
Perry opened its season with a 19-14 win over the Spring Valley Grizzlies in Las Vegas. They will travel to face the Desert Vista Thunder on Friday, Sept. 9 at 7 p.m.
Follow the conversation with Lina Washington on Twitter: @LWashingtonTV. If you have a sports story idea, e-mail Lina at LWashington@12News.com.
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