2A San Pedro — Tombstone Yellow Jackets
2022 record: 4-6 overall, 1-3 2A San Pedro (fourth)
Head coach: Dominic Bonilla, 7-13 third year at Tombstone and overall as a head coach.
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Key returners:
- QB/FS D.J. Elias, 5-9, 170, Soph.
- WR/DB Hunter Griesemer, 6-0, 145, Jr.
- RB/FS J’miah Wallis, 5-9, 165, Jr.
- FB/LB Elijah Lara, 5-10, 180, Sr.
- WR/DB Malachi Keller, 6-3, 145, Sr.
- LB/WR Andrew Griesemer, 6-0, 170, Jr.
- C/DT Jacob Weichelt, 6-2, 240, Sr.
- RB/LB Sebastian Jones, 5-9, 170, Jr.
- CB/RB Adrian Torres, 5-6, 135, Sr.
PODCAST WITH BUENA COACH DOMINIK BONILLA, JUNIOR QB DJ ELIAS & TACKLE JACOB WEICHELT
Coaching staff:
- Head coach/quarterbacks: Dominik Bonilla
- Assistant: Jim True
- Assistant: Johnathon Downing
- Offensive line: Justin Shook
Notes: WR Brendyn Downing, a junior who had 20 receptions for 507 yards with six touchdowns last year, has transferred to Henderson (Nev.) Lake Mead Academy after his family moved to that area. … Tombstone coach Dominik Bonilla played three seasons at Tombstone for legendary coach Mike Hayhurst and one for Joseph Thomas as a senior in 2012. Thomas was an assistant before replacing Hayhurst. Bonilla later became an assistant for Thomas at Buena before the Tombstone job opened following the 2020 season. Thomas, also a Tombstone grad, urged Bonilla to take the job to start getting head coaching experience. … C/DT Jacob Weichelt transferred from Buena to Tombstone to join Bonilla there and now he is one of the Yellow Jackets’ senior captains. … Tombstone has one of the best junior classes in Southern Arizona with at least four standouts – QB DJ Elias, WR/DB Hunter Griesemer, LB/WR Andrew Griesemer and RB/FS J’miah Wallis. … Tombstone opens its season Friday at home against Heritage Academy Laveen. After road games against San Carlos and Globe, the Yellow Jackets play their first 2A San Pedro game on Sept. 15 at home against Benson.
Keep an eye out for: Elias is a dual-sport athlete (baseball and football) who is a dual-threat quarterback for Tombstone. Thrust into the starting quarterback role last season after the previous starter transferred, Elias thrived passing for 1,203 yards while rushing for 541. He completed 62 of 135 pass attempts with 15 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He rushed rushed 79 times for an average of 6.8 yards with 10 touchdowns. He also is a defensive force in the secondary, recording 55 tackles with an interception last year. In baseball, he batted .506 last season with 11 doubles and two home runs. He was 7-3 with a 2.18 ERA with 92 strikeouts and 17 walks. He pitched a perfect game when he was a freshman.
13. TOMBSTONE (5-2, 2-2)
Head coach: Dominic BonillaYellowjackets compete in the 2A San Pedro. *Region game. Games at 7 p.m.
| Date | Opponent | W/L | Ovr | Reg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8/25 | Heritage Academy Laveen | W, 47-26 | 1-0 | 0-0 |
| 9/1 | at San Carlos | W, 48-0 | 2-0 | 0-0 |
| 9/8 | at Globe | W, 43-6 | 3-0 | 0-0 |
| 9/15 | Benson* | W, 33-26 | 4-0 | 1-0 |
| 9/22 | Willcox* | L, 23-20 | 4-1 | 1-1 |
| 9/29 | at Tanque Verde* | L, 31-0 | 4-2 | 1-2 |
| 10/6 | Catalina* | W, 69-0 | 5-2 | 2-2 |
| 10/13 | Mountainside | -- | -- | -- |
| 10/20 | at Bisbee* | -- | -- | -- |
| 10/27 | Palo Verde* | -- | -- | -- |
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ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He is a former Arizona Daily Star beat reporter for the Arizona basketball team, including when the Wildcats won the 1996-97 NCAA title. He has also written articles for CollegeAD.com, Bleacher Report, Lindy’s Sports, TucsonCitizen.com, The Arizona Republic, Sporting News and Baseball America, among many other publications. He has also authored the book “The Highest Form of Living”, which is available at Amazon. He became an educator five years ago and is presently a special education teacher at Sunnyside High School in the Sunnyside Unified School District
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