Written by: Brandon Baney
As Rigo Vasquez prepares for his third season as the head coach at Firth, he can’t help but smile when looking at his team.
“It’s always nice to have a great senior class,” Vasquez says.
Firth’s Class of 2025 is headlined by five players who earned All-Conference accolades a season ago: Ashton Allen, Fisher Arnold, Garrett Nelson, Chase Shook, and Darrell Vasquez. All five played both ways a season ago, and all five will be counted on to revive a Firth team that went 3-5 a year ago.
On offense, Vasquez is back to quarterback the Cougars for the second consecutive season. He’ll be joined in the backfield by a rotating cast of backs, including Allen, Arnold, and junior fullback Beau Ringel. Shook will line up wide, and Arnold and Allen will play in the slot at times, as well.
“We have a good variety of upperclassmen with great speed,” says Vasquez. “We look for explosive plays in our spread offense.”
With all those flashy weapons at the skill positions, it will be up to Nelson and senior Kutter Arbon to lead a green group of offensive linemen.
“With an older group (of skill players), I think we need to improve the offensive line,” Vasquez says.
But enough about offense. Defense is where Vasquez’s coaching acumen really shines. Vasquez served as Firth’s Defensive Coordinator prior to ascending to the head coaching role, and it’s an area that still has his fingerprints all over it.
“We have a strong senior group defensively. We are fast with some good size up front,” says Vasquez. “We always need to focus on stopping the run and work outside-in.”
The back end of Firth’s defense is rock steady, with Darrell Vasquez, Grant Vasquez, and Ricky Arriaga holding down starting slots. Shook, Ringel and Arnold are strong linebackers, and Nelson and Allen serve as book ends on the defensive line. Vasquez is hoping some interior defensive line strength develops.
“We need to improve on the line,” Vasquez says. “We need to be able to hold up people, take on blockers, and stick them.”
The Nuclear Conference will be rigorous again in 2024. Defending league champ North Fremont is working in a new head coach after longtime mentor Ben Lenz retired, but several All-Conference players are back for the Huskies. Ririe returns nine starters on each side of the ball, and West Jefferson brings back a lot of talent, also.
But don’t count Firth out just yet. The Cougars have qualified for the postseason for the past eight years.
“With a big senior class, it will be nice to have a group that has been committed over the summer to improve our speed and quickness,” says Vasquez.