2012 Beatty Football Capsule

BEATTY

Coach: Leo Verzilli, first season

2011 record: 3-4 (2-4 1A Southern)

Returning starters: Four offense, four defense

Base offensive set: Split backfield/Spread

Base defensive set: 4-3

Top offensive players: QB Jacob Zamora; RB Luis Flores; FB Nick Soto; OL Levy Reed; OL Carlos Gomez

Top defensive players: LB Jacob Zamora; S Luis Flores; LB Nick Soto; DE Levy Reed; DL Carlos Gomez

Key losses: C/DE Ivan Hernandez; RB/LB Brandon Villanueva; WR/QB Dakota Dawson

Outlook: Verzilli, who served as a Beatty assistant last season, has taken over as the Hornets’ sixth coach in six years.

He’ll have his work cut out for him with only 14 players out for the team early on while playing in a league that includes eight-man powers Pahranagat Valley and Spring Mountain.

Beatty hasn’t made the playoffs since its state-title winning season of 1996, when it was a member of Class 2A.

If the Hornets are to make a playoff run, it will likely have a lot to do with the athletic Zamora.

“We’re kind of forming everything around him,” Verzilli said. “We’re going to throw a little bit more because we have him.”