Looking for a time when the Nevada Union High School football team turned things around?
Try the final two games of last season. Although the Miners finished 4-6 and didn't make the playoffs, they developed.
As result, the maturation carried over into this season. The No. 4-ranked Miners (7-0, 2-0) are undefeated heading into their first-place battle in the Delta Valley League at No. 9 Laguna Creek (5-2, 2-0) Friday.
"I'll admit it," Humphers said. "We were a young team and we struggled the majority of last year. But in those last two games, we scored over 40 points, stayed positive and got better."
The Miners have knocked down all opponents in their path so far.
Improvements on both sides of the ball have been key. They showcase a new version of their famous Wing-T offense, one that has quarterback Broughan Jantz taking snaps from the shotgun position.
The Miners have scored 318 points this season. Last season, they scored 233. The defense allowed a Delta Valley League high-302 points in 2007. They have surrendered the fewest this season at 86.
"Each team has a personality of its own," Humphers said. "But the key to this team is that it has gained confidence over time. Plus, our junior class has really stepped up."
Jantz is one example. He is second in the DVL in passing yards behind Adam Kennedy of Franklin (825) with 823.
He plays steady and manages the game. In the Miners' 35-17 win over Franklin of Elk Grove last week, Jantz completed 9 of 10 passes for 142 yards, including a 28-yards scoring toss to Cameron Ryan.
He also comes through in the clutch. He not only threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Duncan Chapple, but also scored the two-point conversion on a nifty run in the Miners 15-14 come-from-behind victory over Ponderosa in Week 1.
Can he continue his stellar play against Laguna Creek? The Cardinals feature senior defensive lineman Sean Nill. They also dominated Elk Grove 37-7 on the strength of running back Keenen Williams' three rushing touchdowns. The Miners will need Jantz and more to win.
"Laguna Creek has a great team," Humphers said. "Probably the best we've seen in a long time. They have size, speed a lot of experience. And Nill is fabulous. In fact, I'm going to Laguna's graduation in the spring to make sure he graduates. We don't want to deal with him anymore."
