Leave it to a guy like Jim Monaco to already envision the drive back.
It will take 10 hours and 28 minutes, according to GoogleMaps, give or take some time to eat, some refueling, maybe traffic.
It will take the Pima football team back from Snow College in Ephraim, Utah, just west of the Manti La Sal National Forest, and down I-70, through far-off towns like Richfield and Circleville and right past Tuba City.
If things go according to plan on Saturday at noon in the WSFL title game — or, at least, according to wishes and dreams — the Pima College football team will head south with some extra luggage in tow.
“It’s a wonderful drive home from up there with a title, our first ever title,” Monaco said. “It really is that simple. They’re relaxed. They’re excited to go play again.”
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The Aztecs did this very same drive 14 days ago, and they know what it’s like to come home empty-handed, what that long bus drive is like, quiet, sullen, fractured, headphones on, everything else tuned out.
They could’ve won Oct. 24, or, as wide receiver/defensive back Timmy Hernandez said, “We were dominating that game. We know we can play with them.”
Pima fell 48-27 despite leading 13-10 at the half, despite out-rushing then-No. 2 Snow, 252-203, despite out-gaining Snow, 410-402. That’s what five turnovers will do to you. Snow returned three for touchdowns; two came in the third quarter alone.
So there were fatal flaws, yes, but correctable ones, Monaco believes.
“When you look at the final score, everything was so even,” Monaco said. “The difference was those 21 points. If we can maintain composure, not make some poor mistakes, we can do it. Take care of the ball, take care of what you can take care of, and we win.”
On the other side of the token are the Badgers, 9-1 and now ranked third, with a legitimate chance at a national title, with a dual-threat quarterback in freshman Stefan Cantwell, who has 2,345 passing yards and 20 touchdowns, and 398 rushing yards and two scores.
But Monaco and the Aztecs (7-3) are not afraid.
When the coach is reminded that Pima’s season — mangled and maligned, the Aztecs are down to their fourth quarterback and have lost several impact players — is playing out like the first two installments of the “Rocky” franchise, he thinks the comparison is apt. Rocky Balboa lost by a hair to Apollo Creed the first time around, only to seize the rematch.
“I’m kind of sad I didn’t think of it,” Monaco said. “What do we have to lose? Yeah, a game to lose, but deep down in our gut, we ain’t coming out of there with a loss.”
