Clovis High football coach Eric Roanhaus addresses the team before its film session on Thursday afternoon at the high school. The Wildcats host Alamogordo tonight in their season opener. See enmvarsity.com for a preseason interview with CHS assistant coach Darren Kelley.

Alamogordo coach Tommy Standefer said he was pleased with his club’s performance in its scrimmage last week at St. Pius. He’d be extremely pleased, maybe shocked, if the Tigers come out of Leon Williams Stadium with a win.

“We’ve got to control the tempo of the game and limit the number of touches they have offensively, because they’ve got a lot of weapons,” said Standefer, a 1992 Clovis High graduate and former lineman at Eastern New Mexico University. “We’re going to have to play pretty close to a perfect game.”

The Wildcats, winners of 12 straight at Leon Williams, by no means have a guaranteed win — which would be No. 300 for longtime coach Eric Roanhaus.

“They’re really athletic,” Clovis assistant Darren Kelley said of the Tigers, who won two straight after last season’s 27-14 loss to Clovis but finished 4-6 after a rash of injuries. “They’ve got a good push up front, and they’ve got a lot of defensive players who are good, physically.”

The big advantage goes to Clovis in skill positions, where the senior backfield quartet of quarterback Jordan Hill and running backs Quran Wiggins, Juan Rivas and Raymond Beachum present a four-headed running attack.

Standefer said Clovis’ skill and size present a solid 1-2 punch.

“ I was familiar with Clovis’ skill kids from the 7-on-7 (competitions this summer),” Standefer said. “They’ve got really great speed on the perimeter and they’re huge. Their linemen are gigantic.

“They are a frightening ballclub.”

However, Hill has one less receiving choice, after news earlier this week that senior Michael Johnson suffered a torn ACL in his right knee.

“He’s really down,” Kelley said of Johnson. “Michael’s a good kid, you can’t say enough good things about him. He busts his butt all summer and it’s a shame that he has that happen after he falls over a guy at the scrimmage.”

Senior receiver Corbin Best figured he’d come into this senior season looking to catch a few footballs and do whatever he could to help the team. He found out he and his receiver corps would have to do a little bit more with Johnson being sidelined.

“It makes us work harder,” Best said. “We know we’re going to have to step up our game now that Michael’s gone.”

GAME DAY
Alamogordo (0-0) at Clovis (0-0)
When: 7 p.m. today
Radio: KCLV 1240 AM, 99.1 FM; KTQM 99.9 FM; KWKA 680 AM; KICA 98.3 FM.
TV: KFCL, UHF channel 41, Suddenlink channel 128 (98-128) or Comcast channel 98, 6 p.m. Saturday airing.
Coaches: Clovis, Eric Roanhaus, 33nd season, 290-103-5; Alamogordo, Tommy Standefer, third season, 13-19.
Last meeting: 2009, Clovis struggled with early injuries, but got three touchdowns from Quran Wiggins in a 27-14 win.
Alamo players to watch: RB Chris Wilson, Sr., 5-6, 165; QB Kellen Hester, 6-2, 195; DT Drew Rance, Sr.., 6-1, 255.
Injury situation: Standefer, who said he lost four linemen in last year’s matchup with the Wildcats, said the Tigers are coming in healthy Friday. Clovis has already lost the services of senior wide receiver Michael Johnson.

— Compiled by Kevin Wilson