Collin Ring is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student covering Eastmark for AZPreps365.com.

Looking to become the next Arizona powerhouse, the Eastmark football team on Friday travels to Tucson as it faces off against Pusch Ridge Christian Academy for its first varsity game.

Despite the program's inexperience, the Firebirds have put together an extremely experienced and successful coaching staff. The young school, still lacking a senior class, is determined to make an impact quickly.

Coach Andrew “Scooter” Molander has nearly seen it all on the football field. Molander is a former standout quarterback at Corona Del Sol who played at Colorado State and in the NFL and AFL. He's also been a successful high school coach, winning multiple state championships at Phoenix Brophy Prep. 

Molander's football passion leads him to his next challenge: Developing a successful program at Eastmark, the newest school in the Queen Creek Unified School District. And he is eager to get his young players on the field competing in the 3A Metro Conference.

Molander has, however, noticed differences in starting this program compared to coaching at one of the more consistent and dominant football schools in Arizona.

“Last year we probably had a third of our team that had never played football at all and maybe only half the team had ever played tackle football,'' Molander said. "So we really had to teach the basics longer than I thought we would have to. But it's been fun building something from the ground up and we have a great coaching staff here that gets along. We are all working hard together so that's been a joy."

Line and special-teams coach Chris Driving Hawk, a former player and coach at Hamilton High, also knows what it takes to win at this level.

“I’m super excited,'' he said. "I got to go through and see Hamilton’s first four years. I was a freshman, and now being able to coach at a new school in a similar situation, it is exciting. The formula is right here and I think we have everything here that we need to win a championship.”

With no senior class at Eastmark, it would seem that it might be disadvantaged competing against older, more experienced competition. Driving Hawk, however, shut down those concerns.

“The only disadvantage I would say is that we are inexperienced, we have to get stronger,'' he said. "When it comes to being able to work with everybody for four years, I see that as the biggest advantage. Most of the team is sophomores and I think they are further along than most varsity teams that I have seen." 

Eastmark varsity football is just getting started, but it is not a program that should be taken lightly. Friday nights you can expect “a team that plays hard, a team that plays for four quarters and a team that plays smart,” Molander said.