All football programs make a transition once the seniors turn in their equipment, and the then-junior class moves into that power position of being the group of players preparing for their final season wearing the school uniforms.

The Poston Butte tradition is to take the senior class up north in June for a leadership council along with giving the new core group an opportunity to set the standards for the upcoming summer session.

The senior group for the Broncos spent time in Pinetop, hashed things out, created a bond and prepped for what they hope is a year they’ll cherish the rest of their days.

“Some of the seniors weren’t big fans of each other and we were able to get some things said that needed to be said to get us headed in the right direction,” senior running back and linebacker Easton Filetti said Saturday at the program’s first media day. “It’s our chance to lead and we want to go about it the right way, and we were able set the expectations and standards for this season.”

And they are thinking big.

On Saturday, it held it's first ever Media Day. 

It also doesn’t stop at winning X amount of games or staking claim to the 4A Desert Sky Region title.

It begins and ends with raising the gold ball on December 5.

“We expect to win the state championship,” said senior quarterback Grady Garner. “It’s what we talked about (in June) and something we’ve talked to the team about. We set that as the goal and we are doing everything now to make sure it happens by working hard every day.”

The Poston Butte seniors spent time in Pinetop bonding in preparation for their final season as Broncos. (Photo courtesy of Poston Butte football socail media)

It’s a bold statement for a program that went 5-5 last season with a large 2025 class contributing. It’s not out of the realm of possibility as Poston Butte showed went it 11-3 in the 2021 season and led in the fourth quarter of the 4A state championship game before losing 33-28 to Casa Grande.

First-year head coach Rod Holmes was the defensive coordinator on that squad and has been part of the program for a decade. He takes over for Dain Thompson, who stepped down after last season, but remains involved as the freshmen head coach.

Holmes, who was the head coach at Bullhead City Mohave for two seasons (2012, 2013), understands the seniors’ desire to go out on top and he’s good with putting that type of goal out there knowing the talent on this roster has the ability to do just that.

And with the expanded 4A playoffs – 24 teams instead of 16 – he knows all it takes finding a way into the postseason.

“This is a neighborhood school with kids who take pride in being the program for four years,” Holmes said. “We’ve seen it come together here before. It takes a big win, and then the belief starts taking over and anything is possible after that.”

Poston Butte, which has gone 17-15 in the years following the title game run, plays in a tough 4A region with the likes of Snowflake and Eastmark along with a difficult non-region schedule that includes opening the season at 4A defending champion Mica Mountain on Aug. 28.

Might as well get that first test out of the way early.

“The goal is to go 14-0,” Filetti said. “If we’re going to do that, we have to be focused at all times, have great attitudes and prioritize practice. We are setting the highest standard possible and doing everything possible we can to make it happen.

“I believe anything is possible. A lot of people doubt us. I don’t because I know what we can accomplish. I believe you should always shoot for your absolute best and right now that is 14-0. If that changes (with a loss), then we adjust and expect to win the rest of the games. We have that standard, and we try and match it every day.”