Prep Football team previews: Calexico Bulldogs

CALEXICO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - "The Bulldogs have always been a team that takes a lot of pride in their school, so we want to represent that when we play on Friday nights and hopefully the other teams can feel how the Bulldogs play," said head coach Fernando Solano.

Head Coach Fernando Solano explains the pride that the Bulldogs bring to the table every Friday night, and so far they have made their presence known.

Calexico has started undefeated, with a 3-0 record, and Aaron Valdez explains part of the reason why they are perfect so far.

"We've been discipline. I see a lot of teamwork. It's a good team. We communicate well, we practice plays well, we learn well, watch film," Valdez says. "I think we're gonna be good."

After a solid 6-5 season with an early first round exit in the CIF playoffs, there's been a lot of change.

The most notable one is depth on the roster. Senior center Chris Nunez explained how the team got nearly cut in half because of senior turnover, but the Bulldogs aren't worried about the smaller team.

In fact, it could be a blessing in disguise.

"A lot of people think that having a small team might be a weakness, but I think having a small team brings us closer together," Valdez says. "The past years we've had larger teams, and the smaller team has been communicating more."

Senior captain Leonel Canchola adds specifics to why the team has gotten closer.

"We spend a lot of time together in school, after school and we practice together almost every day," Canchola says.

While building chemistry on and off the field is a key component to the game, health is just as important.

The Bulldogs struggled to stay healthy last year, starting their third string quarterback at times and taking hits at the offensive line.

"I was out the whole year with a torn ligament in my ankle," Nunez says. "It feels good to be back. I mean, we were low on numbers last year because of a bunch of injuries."

Now that they are back healthy and prepare for IVL conference play in three weeks, Calexico's gritty mindset needs to remain the same, and that mentality stems from something even bigger.

"It comes from the city," Nunez says. "It's a border town. We were raised tough. We're born to be tough, and it's Bulldog nation."

As long as the Bulldogs continue to show their toughness, they could be set to make a run in the CIF state playoffs.