2025 Team Preview: Chaparral

As we continue to roll out our team previews, we'll shine some light on the top storylines and the breakout players you won't want to miss. We will resume in the 5A Northeast Division with the Chaparral Firebirds.   Under first-year head coach Trace Carroll, the Firebirds will be seeking early success with their new 5A conference affiliation. This team went 3-7 last year with a brutal second-half schedule in a 6A Northeast Division, but were 3-2 for the first half of the season. With some impact transfers set to have full-year eligibility and young players seeking to increase their production from the previous season, this team's future for the 2025 season looks bright.   Here are key players to watch out for on Chaparral:    2027 Quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='884911' first='Cam' last='Allen'] will be a thrilling watch for his junior year campaign. After sitting out a few games due to his transfer last season, he started the last 3 games of his sophomore season and gave us a sneak peek of what we could be in store for in 2025. Allen's game can be best described as smooth. He is a modern-day gunslinger who has plenty of arm talent to get the ball downfield. He operates with this surgical coolness under center, never panicking in the pocket and showcasing creativity to throw the ball from multiple different angles. He moves well off the platform and can still place the ball excellently on the run. With a full season in front of him, Allen should be one of the biggest quarterbacks in the state to keep an eye on.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/BJMedia1/status/1848530508021698874 </div></figure>     2027 Running Back [player_tooltip player_id='883384' first='Jayce' last='Wilson'] is a dynamic threat out of the backfield for this Firebirds offense. In the limited five games of action that he saw, he had 40 carries for 118 rushing yards, 13 catches for 215 receiving yards, and 2 receiving TDs. His elusiveness is on high display throughout his film. He can easily shake defenders with his short-area quickness and nimble frame to slip past and gain plenty of extra yardage. He is going to be a lethal threat out of the backfield for this offense, as he has a variety of advanced routes downfield for some explosive plays. Watch out for Wilson production to take a massive leap with a full junior season in front of him.      2027 Wide Receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1399756' first='Kash' last='Park'] will be a sure-handed target for this offense to continue to seek out as they did in their last season. In his sophomore year, he had 38 catches for 551 receiving yards and 3 receiving touchdowns. Primarily lining up in the slot, Park displays incredible route-running ability. He showcases excellent change of direction and technique to sell his routes, especially on double moves or fake block-and-go routes. He has solid deep ball speed to get behind defenders for big-time gains to spark his offense. Should be expecting big things from Park this season after putting up such a marvelous sophomore season.      2026 Offensive Lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1300348' first='Thomas' last='Yamashita'] will be the headline in the trenches for Chaparral, both offensively and defensively. At 6'5, 295 lbs, he is a force to be reckoned with, especially playing at the guard position. The first thing Yamashita's game screams is strength. He is strong at the point of attack and has no problem driving defensive tackles off the line of scrimmage to open wide-open gaps in the middle for his running back. He gets remarkably low pad level, allowing him to leverage and put opposing linemen on their backs. He is a reliable anchor in the passing game and has solid quickness to keep up with speed moves on the interior. Yamashita offers a great deal to the Chaparral team, and he will be a major component in their offensive success this season.      2026 Defensive Line Janssen Carter is a remarkably disruptive presence for this front four of Chaparral. Carter's junior stats were 31 total tackles, 3 TFLs, .5 sacks, 3 hurries, and 1 fumble recovery. Carter mainly played in the interior of this defensive line, specifically the 1-technique in this 4-3 front for Chaparral. He navigates traffic excellently, utilizing his incredible quickness and hand usage to quickly get around his opponents. He can bulldoze past linemen or swim move his way past defenders to find the ballcarrier. Carter looks to wreak even more havoc for his final season for this defense.      2026 Defensive Back Miles Cox will look to be the primary lockdown defender on the outside for this Chaparral defense. With significant roster turnover, particularly in the secondary, his stat volume should see a massive boost. In the action he did see, he recorded 10 tackles, 4 of those as solo tackles, and 3 pass deflections. Cox is a physical outside defender, as he has long arms and great hand usage that disrupts receivers' releases off the line of scrimmage. He is a really impressive tackler at the corner position, coming downhill with power and aggression to lay hits on ballcarriers. Cox will be one of the key defenders on this Chapparal defense looking to contribute to their success in 2025.      What a treat it will be to watch 2026 Athlete [player_tooltip player_id='739450' first='Seiji' last='Hegg'] back out on the field for Chaparral for his senior season. Some notable statistics from Hegg's junior season included 51 total tackles, 1.5 sacks, 2.5 TFLs, 3 pass deflections, and 3 forced fumbles. He is also a magnificent special teams returner, which will make any kick/punt return an exciting moment in the ball game for Chaparral. His long speed is excellent, able to easily outpace defenders in the open field, followed by great elusiveness and a variety of moves in his arsenal. On defense, he has sound technique that allows him to always be in great position while playing as the slot defender. His speed allows him to keep up with any receiver downfield. Hegg will look to cap off his high school career with a bang this upcoming season.      2026 Kicker [player_tooltip player_id='1718658' first='Brayden' last='Baker'] is one of the best kickers in the state. His junior stats include going 17/17 on PATs, 5/8 on FGs, including a career-long 49-yard made FG, and a few onside kick recoveries for his team. Baker's leg is incredibly powerful as he can easily pin the ball deep for touchbacks and hit from range to put points on the board for his team. He also has excellent control over his accuracy, particularly on onside kicks, as he knows the correct amount of power and precision to place the ball in the right spot for the recovery. Baker will be a difference maker for this offense, ensuring that any drive will always result in points on the board.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/BBaker2026/status/1869887796464537924 </div></figure>

As we continue to roll out our team previews, we'll shine some light on the top storylines and the breakout players you won't want to miss. We will resume in the 5A Northeast Division with the Chaparral Firebirds.