Jackson Bolin has a deal with his offensive line. If the Salpointe Catholic senior quarterback isn’t sacked, he takes the unit out to lunch.
While he’s stayed upright, Bolin’s budget has taken a hit.
Anchored by UCLA commit Bruno Fina and four-star prospect Jonah Miller, the Lancers’ offensive line has allowed just one sack this season while also paving the way for running back Bijan Robinson to break the Arizona big-school career rushing record.
The Lancers (6-0) are rushing for over 350 yards per game as a team, with Robinson accounting for 245 a game by himself. Salpointe’s one sack allowed has come on 57 pass attempts.
“I think it’s our unity and the dynamic we’ve built with Bijan and Jackson,” Miller said. “We lift three times a week and are always doing stuff together. Our family structure is really good.”
The Lancers have outscored opponents 364-82 on their way to the No. 2 ranking in the Open Division. Salpointe will face the Southern Arizona’s only other undefeated team, 7-0 Canyon del Oro, Friday night at home.
The Dorados are ranked No. 7 in the Open Division after beating Sahuaro last weekend, and running backs Stevie Rocker and Gavin Davis are fast becoming of the best 1-2 punches in the state.
“They’re always difficult to prep for because they do so many different things,” Salpointe coach Dennis Bene said about CDO. “They fly to the football and do an outstanding job of defending the run, which is a concern because of how much we like to run.
“Offensively, they’re very diverse and are playing harder than they have the last couple years. This group of kids seems very focused and it jumps out on film how hard they play.”
Miller said CDO “has been playing well without Stevie and now they get him back, which makes thing tougher.
“They play us harder than any Tucson team it feels like. I guess it’s kind of like a Tucson rivalry.”
Miller, a junior, has proven to be one of the best players in the state — and a top college prospect. 247Sports.com lists him as the No. 31-ranked offensive tackle in the 2021 recruiting class.
Miller already holds scholarship offers from Arizona and Arizona State, as well as Texas, Oregon, USC and others.
Miller says playing alongside Robinson, Fina and Ohio State-bound Lathan Ransom this season has helped him through the recruiting process.
Salpointe Catholic offensive lineman Bruno Fina, who has accepted a scholarship to UCLA, has helped the Lancers average more than 350 rushing yards per game this season.
“Nothing is really a mystery because I can ask those guys about what to do and say in certain situations,” he said. “They’ve been through the process already and can talk about what it’s like.”
The Lancers’ last two seasons have ended at the hands of Scottsdale Saguaro, which has won the last six state titles. The upperclassmen are hoping for a different outcome this year.
“At the end of the day, the things we can control are the things we’re gonna work on,” Bene said. “These kids are playing very, very hard. Our penalties have gone down every week since the (Sept. 6) Desert Edge game and these kids play very physical and very fast. That’s what you need if you’re going to compete with these teams from the Valley.”
