Coyotes clinch first outright SAL title in 20 years

For the first time in two decades, the Denair Coyotes are the undisputed champions of the
Southern Athletic League.
Denair, which garnered a piece of the SAL crown last season, defeated Waterford 42-20 Friday
night to clinch its first outright title since 2006.
The Coyotes finished the regular season 9-1 overall and 7-0 in league play.
“The outright title means a great deal,” said Anthony Armas, who has guided Denair to six
postseason appearances in 11 full seasons as head coach (there were no CIF playoffs in the
abbreviated 2020 COVID-19 season). “To be the first team to do that in 20 years meant a lot to
our players.
“Our seniors had to share the junior varsity league title as sophomores and that was something
that really sat with them the past couple of years. And having to share the title last year just
added to that bad feeling. They really wanted to go out there and win it outright this year.”
Denair locked down the No. 4 playoff seed in the Division 7 bracket and will host No. 6 River
Islands – the third-place team out of the Mother Lode League with an 8-2 overall mark – on
Friday.
The teams have a common opponent this season in Waterford. While Denair closed the regular
season with 22-point win over its league rival at Jack Lytton Stadium, the Riptide defeated the
Wildcats by a similar score – 49-20 – in the season opener in Lathrop.

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“I think there was an argument for us to be at the No. 3 seed,” said Armas. “But we are
definitely happy that the CIF moved us up from the fifth spot, where MaxPreps had us, so we
get to host a first-round game.”
Quarterback Daryl Carpenter leads the Riptide’s pass-happy offense. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound
senior completed 75 percent of his passes this season for 3,008 yards and 29 touchdowns
against just three interceptions. He primarily targets three receivers (Darien East, Christian
Del’Osso, Michael Figueroa), all of whom have more than 35 receptions this season.
With just under 1,000 yards rushing as a team, River Islands runs just enough to keep teams
honest.
“River Islands is a very good team,” said Armas. “They have a pretty talented quarterback, and
their players really get after it on both sides of the ball.”
Against Waterford, Connor Hart rolled up 133 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, while
John Wilmoth contributed 94 yards and two scores on just eight attempts. Noah Chavez
chipped in with 63 yards on 10 carries.
Hart and Jude Moody led the way on defense, with each totaling 13 tackles. Hart also had two
sacks of quarterback Ruben Pastran, while Moody had one. Jose Mora and Ulices Flores both
had six tackles and one sack, while Wilmoth and Chavez contributed five tackles apiece to the
defensive effort.

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