Boise State Commit Snyder, New Coach Look To Lead Arizona's Perry Pumas to Victory in Las Vegas

Not long ago, Perry was one of the programs knocking on the door of an Arizona high school football championship.

The Pumas reached consecutive Class 6A state championship games in 2017 and 2018 but came away without a title. They haven't returned since.

Now, with a new head coach and a Boise State-bound quarterback, Perry is trying to work its way back into the championship conversation.

Since its second consecutive championship-game appearance in 2018, Perry has gone 31-42 and finished above .500 just one time. The Pumas have gone 6-6 in each of the last two seasons.

Perry Turns to Jeremy Hathcock

Perry's attempt to change its trajectory began in January with the hiring of former Mesa coach Jeremy Hathcock.

Hathcock replaced Joseph Ortiz, who went 24-23 in four seasons at Perry. Hathcock led Mesa to a 7-5 record and the Class 6A quarterfinals last season, a run that included a victory over Perry.

Perry has produced some encouraging early results under Hathcock. The Pumas won the University of Arizona 7-on-7 Tournament in June before opening the regular season with a 64-0 win over Cactus Canyon.

Shades of Brock Purdy?

Perry's biggest reason for optimism was already on the roster when Hathcock arrived.

Quarterback Kael Snyder, a Boise State commit, returns for his senior season after throwing for 2,270 yards and 27 touchdowns as a junior.

A talented senior quarterback leading Perry naturally brings to mind the most famous player in program history.

Before becoming the San Francisco 49ers' quarterback, Brock Purdy starred at Perry and helped lead the Pumas to the 2017 Class 6A state championship game.

Snyder isn't being asked to become the next Purdy, but his junior season established him as one of the key players in Perry's attempt to climb back into contention.

“Kael is a special individual,” Perry head coach Jeremy Hathcock told Epic Sports Network this week. “The amount of focus he has, the attention to detail. His ability to process the entire outlook. I feel like we put so much on Kael, the quarterback position can be really tough.”

Snyder threw for 129 yards and two touchdowns on six attempts in the season opener and added two rushing touchdowns before leaving early with Perry comfortably ahead.

A Vegas-Sized Test

Perry's 64-0 opener provided an encouraging start, but a more significant test awaits Friday in Las Vegas.

The Centennial Bulldogs, ranked No. 8 in Nevada by High School On SI, will play host to the Pumas on Sept. 4. You can watch the game via Live Stream on the NFHS Network.

Perry lost their out-of-state matchup last season, falling to California’s Granite Hills. A Week 2 win in Sin City could be the boost the Pumas need for a turnaround year, especially with a Week 3 matchup against a top-five team in the Hamilton Huskies waiting in the wings.

“We looked for the best opponent we could find, with my late arrival,” Hathcock said. “Centennial is a solid team. They are scoring 60 points a game; they have explosive talent”

Can a trip to Las Vegas prove that Perry football has officially returned? Or will the Pumas land on the wrong side of the roulette wheel?

“Some people say Vegas Ball is not great,” Hathcock said. “I’m looking at them like, ‘oh my gosh, they are as talented a group as we are going to see in a while.”

Perry and Centennial kick off at 7:00 p.m. local on Friday, Sept. 4.

Watch Perry (AZ) at Centennial (NV) live on the NFHS Network.

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