BULLHEAD CITY — Eight seasons ago when coach Rudy Olvera took over the Mohave football program, things didn’t go so well for the Thunderbirds.

At least not right away.

But the coach continued to preach patience. He continued to build a program with a belief that one day, things would get better.

And now, a team that was once a consistent “cupcake” or “cellar dweller” not only in the Grand Canyon region, but the 4A conference, has morphed into a 3A title contender.

The key?

“Buying in,” coach said.

“The main thing is getting kids to buy in during the offseason, and really buy into what we want to do with culture changes,” Olvera said after his club’s 70-0 win over Chino Valley in Week 7.

Not only that but acquiring the right coaching staff has also paid off.

“I’ve had some great coaches I’ve worked with, we’ve always grinded,” Olvera said, adding that even though Mohave didn’t win a lot in his first few years on the job, they still “battled.”

“We have tough kids at Mohave. It’s all about putting the right combination together,” said Olvera, who has coached a total of 22 years, spending 14 as an assistant before getting his shot.

In 2016, Olvera’s first year as head coach, Mohave finished 1-9 overall. In 2017, 3-7. In 2018, 2-8. And in 2019 … 3-7.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Olvera oversaw an 0-7 team during a shortened season.

But his persistence, and that belief, started to pay off in 2021 when Mohave moved to 3A and finished 5-5 overall. By 2022, they finished 6-4 overall, claming a 3A West region title with a perfect 6-0 record.

Their efforts earned them a No. 9 seed in the state playoffs and they fought hard in a first-round 33-19 loss to Valley Christian.

Now in 2023, Mohave has a perfect 7-0 record and No. 1-ranking heading into Week 8 action against Wickenburg, which they will host at the Anderson Auto Group Fieldhouse on Friday, Oct. 6.

Of course, much of the success this year can be credited to a few standout players who have really stepped up in 2023.

Joe Yoney, sophomore quarterback for the Thunderbirds, has completed 74 of 106 passes for 1,334 yards and 20 touchdowns to only four interceptions.

“We have good weapons, all around the field to be honest,” Yoney said, adding that he feels Mohave’s defense is the “best in the conference.”

And the leader of that defense? NCAA Division I recruit, and Army commit Jonathan Williams at middle linebacker.

The 6-foot-1, 230-pound senior said his freshman year was a “bit of a shock” coming up from the youth level, but he’s improved since, and the Mohave football program has followed.

“I’ve gotten progressively better, and now, my senior year, I’m dominating,” Williams said.

The Thunderbirds have allowed only six points in their last four weeks, outscoring their opponents 195-6.

Olvera, a carpentry teacher at Mohave High School, made sure to credit his “twos” (second string players) for the work they’ve put in this fall as a scout team and keeping the starting lineup ready for action on Friday nights.

“Our scouts must be on point every week and push our ones. Our front five only plays one way, our front four. … We see each other every day, and we want to make it a battle Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. We get after it. … We have dog fights on Tuesday and Wednesday,” Olvera said.

Within the perfect start to the season in 2023, Mohave and their players can already point to a few big wins, including a 56-28 victory over Paradise Honors (No. 4 in 3A) in Week 2, and a 28-20 battle over ALA-West Foothills (No. 3 in 3A) in Week 3.

And let’s not forget to mention a 40-6 drubbing on Sept. 22 over Lee Williams (No. 10 in 4A), which was undefeated at the time and leading the 4A Grand Canyon region, Mohave’s old stomping grounds.

“We played pretty well against Paradise Honors. … Against ALA … our guys stepped up. It really showed in that last drive, where ALA had first and goal from the 5-yard line and we held true. That right there showed we can be resilient for a young group of guys,” Olvera said.

And against Lee Williams?

“Lee Williams was huge,” he added.

The sky is the limit for Mohave.

Brian M. Bergner Jr. has covered professional, collegiate and high school sports for more than 20 years. Follow him on Twitter @AzPreps365Brian. Have a story idea? Email Brian at bbergner@azpreps365.com.