Kendall Flynn is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover North Canyon High School for AZPreps365.com.

North Canyon High School’s football team achieved its first win of the season against Copper Canyon High School on Oct. 28, bringing its record to 1-7. The Rattlers hope to build off this accomplishment in their upcoming homecoming game and senior night against La Joya Community High School Friday, Nov. 4.

North Canyon head coach Jeremy Dieck said their win on Oct. 28 showcased the team’s improved confidence and perseverance when a game becomes close. Dieck said he had seen his players lose faith when the scoring leader switched in previous games; however, this was not the case against Copper Canyon.

“We didn’t fold,” Dieck said. “We were having trouble in the second half with finishing games and winning because you have to learn how to win.”

The Rattlers' most significant takeaway from their game against Copper Canyon is how to win a game, Dieck said. The players have watched the game film and noticed the importance of teamwork.

“I think the kids see – just don’t quit and keep going,” Dieck said. “We talk about when we tackle, and there were six guys tackling another guy. It was a team move; it wasn’t just one guy that got us there, our line was blocking, our receivers were blocking and our running backs were running good.”

Dieck said he plans to use this improvement as a base for their game against La Joya, and he wants to use their new-found confidence to boost their gameplay.

“I think we were lacking a lot of confidence. When we talk to our kids, I don’t think they believed we were going to win a game or that they could win a game,” Dieck said. “I’ve always told them, ‘Once you win, you don’t ever want to lose again. You don’t ever want that feeling again.’”

The Rattlers’ game on Nov. 4 is not only homecoming and senior night, it will also be against their former head coach, Adam Beene, from La Joya High School. Dieck said he hopes to send the seniors off by winning at the end of their season. 

Billy Bounmy, senior running back for North Canyon, said the senior night and homecoming game will positively impact his gameplay. Bounmy said his parents will be at the game, and the atmosphere will be energetic with the crowd.

Bounmy had 200 rushing yards in the Rattlers’ game against Copper Canyon, and he hopes to have a high-performance game again against La Joya.

“I just gotta’ come in with the same mindset I had against Copper Canyon,” Bounmy said.

This winning mindset is something Dieck told his players to tap into. Dieck said playing La Joya will be as if they are playing themselves because La Joya is also 1-7; their win was also over Copper Canyon.

“La Joya is very similar to us,” Dieck said. “We should have confidence that we can do it, but with that over-confidence, we are almost playing ourselves in the mirror, so it’s going to come down to a battle of who wants it more.”

Diego Parra, junior money and corner for North Canyon, had 12 tackles in their game against Copper Canyon and said he wants to help his team again this week. He said the team feels ready going into their game against La Joya and hopes for a large crowd turnout.

“Everyone hearing that we won [on Oct. 28] is going to make more people show up to the homecoming game, and there will be more of a fan base,” Parra said. “I think [the team] is more ready for [the game], especially with it being against an old coach; everyone is locked in and ready to do their best.”