Class of 25′ Last First Game
By: Savannah Birch
It’s that time of the year again! Football season is here! The class of 2025, will be playing their last first game of their high school career on Thursday, August 29th, against Fountain-Fort Carson. This season is definitely most special to me because it’s my last season as well. I have spent 4 years managing this amazing football team and gained a whole new family from it. I grew up with almost all these seniors and I am excited to watch them play this season. I asked all the seniors this year a few questions about their season.
The Profile: How are you feeling about playing your last first high school football game?
Left Tackle John Lozoya- “Excited! I am excited to play senior year with my friends and team players since middle school.”
Tackle/Center Radek Goetken- “I feel pretty sad but I feel if I don’t hold back and don’t have any regrets, I will be content and happy that I left my first game giving everything I had.”
Outside Linebacker Caiden Quintana- “I feel sad but also good. I feel that there are new things and bigger things coming my way but, I will miss all my teammates and coaches.”
Tight End/Defensive End Camden Cottrell- “It feels good, I can’t believe I made it this far.”
Defensive End Brady Walker- “I’m very excited but sad at the same time. It is very bitter sweet for me.”
Center Jayden Lobato- “I’m hyped. It’s the beginning of the end, and will be our first step to the Championship.”
Right Guard David Sanchez- “I am feeling pretty excited to go in and play our first game, but it has really been putting a toll on me that this will be my last high school game I will play with some of my closest friends.”
Linebacker Max Hammang- “To be honest, it hasn’t quite set in yet that I’m playing my last first game. I think it’ll really hit me right before the game. But right now I’m trying not to be sad that it’s coming to an end, just focusing on winning and living in the moment. I’m extremely excited for the game. We’ve been working so hard and it’s time for it to finally pay off.”
Wide Receiver/Safety Athan Vigil- “I feel very happy and excited for the season starting but I know it’s going to go by quickly so I am going to try to make the best of it.”
Linebacker Jordan Harris- “I’m feeling good about playing in it but also kind of sad about it.”
Left Guard Tyler Elmore- “Nervous and excited. We’ve put a lot of work in this summer and there are a lot of expectations but I think we’re up to it. I can’t believe it’s already my last season, but I’m choosing not to dwell on it until later. I’m not ready to end.”
Quarterback Alex Birch- “I’m super excited for the game, but also sad that it’s going to be my last first game of high school football.”
Running Back James Martinez- “I feel very sad/excited because just knowing my last first game is here, makes me want to play my heart out, not just for me but for the team.”
The Profile: If you’ve been playing all four years, what has your experience been like?
Left Tackle John Lozoya- “My experience has been fun, watching everyone grow around me. We have gotten better as players, as students, and as a team.”
Tackle/Center Radek Goetken- “My experience has been very challenging and stressful with finding a position I can fully lock down and make sure I’m always on the coach’s good side. But the payoff is better than anything I have ever worked towards.”
Outside Linebacker Caiden Quintana- “My experience has been hectic. I faced a lot of adversity between the coaching staff, players quitting, and being a student-athlete. It’s hard but I’m glad I pushed through all of it.”
Tight End/Defensive End Camden Cottrell- “My experience playing all four years has been great. I have learned a lot of life lessons and made a lot of good friends.”
Defensive End Brady Walker- “I have played all four years and it has been the most fun I’ve had ever. The bonds I’ve made and the memories. Both are things that’ll last forever.”
Center Jayden Lobato- “My experience has been hard, a lot of work, time, and dedication. It’s been too much.”
Right Guard David Sanchez- “For the last four years I have experienced something I will never trade for anything in this world. I have developed some of the closest connections with my best friends, and have had the absolute most fun the last 4 years.”
Linebacker Max Hammang- “My 4 years of Horizon Football have had many ups and downs. Through 3 different coaches in 4 years, there has been a lot of change. But the past 2 years have been amazing and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I have so many great memories with the boys, on and off the field.”
Wide Receiver/Safety Athan Vigil- “All 4 years I have felt a genuine connection to all my teammates more and more every year. I feel that I’ve gotten better and become more of a leader.”
Linebacker Jordan Harris- “My experience playing all 4 years has been tough but this last year feels the best.”
Left Guard Tyler Elmore- “A whirlwind. Freshman year was my first time playing, and lucky Coach Nelson was amazing. Sophomore year was awful with coaching on JV and my own injuries. Junior year was a breath of fresh air with Wolf, and I was able to grow a lot as a player. This year feels like a combination of all those trials.”
Quarterback Alex Birch- “My experience has been very up and down. I’ve played Varsity all four years so every year I’m restarting with gaining chemistry with receivers and restarting with a new class but I’m excited that I am finally with my 25’ class.”
Running Back James Martinez- “My experience for all four years has been a really fun journey because all my teammates/brothers make everything better.”
The Profile: What’s your goal this season? As a player? As a team?
Left Tackle John Lozoya- “To make it to the Championship as a team. As a player, my goal is to do my job in supporting my team in the Championship Game.”
Tackle/Center Radek Goetken- “My goal this season is some type of award and having no regrets when this season is finished. As a team I want to go 14-0 and win a ring, also to get James to 1000 rushing yards.”
Outside Linebacker Caiden Quintana- “CHAMPIONSHIP”
Tight End/Defensive End Camden Cottrell- “My goal this season as a player is to play every play like it’s my last. As a team it’s to win the State Championship.”
Defensive End Brady Walker- “My goal for this season is to do everything we’ve said. All summer we have a mindset that we will be the best team on the field and we will dominate. That’s what I want to end this season knowing me and my brother gave it everything we had and didn’t ever give up.”
Center Jayden Lobato- “Win the Championship. Also to not get injured or sick anymore.”
Right Guard David Sanchez- “My goal this season is to have a winning record and make it to the playoffs, and leave a lasting impact as a team at Horizon.”
Linebacker Max Hammang- “My personal goal this season is to play to my best ability and help the team win. I don’t want to focus on my stats. I just want to play as hard as I can and help the team win. As a team, we’re shooting for a State Championship.”
Wide Receiver/Safety Athan Vigil- “My goal is to have a winning season and stay positive and strong throughout the year and have a bonding team that communicates.”
Linebacker Jordan Harris- “My goal this season is to make it to the Championship.”
Left Guard Tyler Elmore- “As a player, leave it on the field. This is my last chance. As a team, WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP! And grow closer together.
Quarterback Alex Birch- “My goal this season is to have a winning season and go to the playoffs. My goal as a player is to have fun and do my best for the team to win.”
Running Back James Martinez- “The goal is to WIN and leave EVERYTHING out on the field.”
The Profile: Do you have any advice for the Freshmen class?
Left Tackle John Lozoya- “Good luck! Work hard! Be a team player!”
Tackle/Center Radek Goetken- “Hard work beats talent every time I have seen kids that have just started football, turn into the best players on the team solely out of hard work. Get on the coach’s good side, be yourself, or you will never be truly happy with who you become. Love everyone.”
Outside Linebacker Caiden Quintana- “My advice to freshmen is, if you want something go get it. If you get one chance, don’t let anyone regret it. Give it everything you got all the time because you never know when it can end. Lastly, size means nothing. If you can ball, they will find you, focus on what you can control, not what you can’t.”
Tight End/Defensive End Camden Cottrell- “My advice to the freshmen class is to stay committed.”
Defensive End Brady Walker- “My advice for the freshmen class may sound cliche but make the most of it because the time really does go fast. I remember my freshman year like it was yesterday, but time really does fly fast.”
Center Jayden Lobato- “If you’re willing to buy into the team then do it and do it at 100%, but if you’re not then just go home.”
Right Guard David Sanchez- “When you hear people say 4 years go by so fast, they really aren’t lying. Always have fun and just remember who you’re playing for. Don’t give up on this game because sooner or later you won’t have it anymore.”
Linebacker Max Hammang- “My advice to all the freshmen is just to work as hard as they can and appreciate everything football has to offer. It gets so hard and sometimes you’ll feel really discouraged, but they might look at football as a chore but they need to appreciate it and enjoy it.”
Wide Receiver/Safety Athan Vigil- “My advice to the freshmen class would be to not give up and don’t quit because I was bad once too and you can get better the more you train and get older, it all takes time.”
Linebacker Jordan Harris- “Advice I have for the freshmen is never give up.”
Left Guard Tyler Elmore- “Trust the process. It took me a long time to get where I’m at but I had to show up every day. Growth will come.
Quarterback Alex Birch- “Enjoy and cherish every moment of high school football because it goes by super super fast.”
Running Back James Martinez- “My advice to freshmen is to go have fun with your friends because if you don’t, you will regret not having fun when you get the chance. Also get out of your comfort zone. Stop being cocky because there is always someone better than you.”
I am very proud of all these seniors and I believe we will have an amazing season. GO HAWKS!
