Preparations for Gilbert Perry’s first season of varsity football are going well, with one exception.

“We’re out of large helmets,” coach Preston Jones said Thursday.

That’s not due to a lack of funding for equipment but rather because participation is so high at the Chandler district school, which opened last year.

“Turnout has been awesome. It’s a lot higher than I expected,” Jones said. “We keep getting new kids in the program. Kids are either moving in or transferring or kids that didn’t play football last year are coming out. We have about 80 with sophomore and juniors and about 80 or 85 freshmen.”

Jones said he is particularly happy with the stick-to-itiveness being shown by the ninth-graders.

“A lot of times 10 or 15 freshman have already quit by now, but they’re not quitting,” he said.

Jones said he was shocked when his freshman coach said only one has walked away so far.

“I said, ‘Well you must not be doing your job. You’ve got to start chasing them off,’ ” Jones said, joking. “But, no, we’re real happy about it.”

SCOTTSDALE NOTRE DAME

The past three years, Notre Dame Prep coach Scot Bemis has hardly had to spend any time thinking about who his starting quarterback would be. This year is a different story.

All-American Sean Renfree, who guided the Saints to the 4A-II state title last year, has graduated and moved on to Duke, and Bemis plans on taking his time deciding on a successor.

The competition is primarily between senior Shane Wolfe and junior Will King, while versatile senior Andy Wilder is also receiving consideration, Bemis said.

Last season, King was the primary backup, completing 11 of 21 passes for 201 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions. Wolfe connected on 1 of 2 passes, and Wilder was 2 of 3 with a touchdown.

“Right now, they both (Wolfe and King) can play. They’re both doing some good things. They both have their strengths,” said Bemis, who added the competition will continue until someone steps up and takes the spot. “We’ll see how long that takes. We’ll have a couple intrasquad scrimmages and see where we go from there.”

MESA RED MOUNTAIN

There wasn’t a change at the top in the offseason, but there are two new lieutenants on the Red Mountain coaching staff.

As reported earlier, Rodger Schenks came over from Chandler Seton Catholic to run the offense for the Mountain Lions. And returning as defensive coordinator after a one-year hiatus is Steve Walker, a member of Red Mountain’s first state title team in 2000.

“Steve held this position for us before, but he took time off to finish his schooling,” Red Mountain coach Jim Jones said. “We’re glad to have him back full time.”

PHOENIX DESERT VISTA

There is a new face on the offensive side of the varsity staff at Desert Vista — a call-up if you will from the lower levels of the program. He is Don Rezac.

“I had to replace my offensive coordinator,” said Thunder coach Dan Hinds, who has coached with Rezac for 12 years at Desert Vista.

Rezac has nine years of experience as a head varsity coach at Las Cruces High in New Mexico. Before that he coached on the collegiate level with Scottsdale Community College, Northern Arizona and New Mexico State. He also coached in the USFL.

“He has a tremendous amount of experience — works well with the quarterbacks,” Hinds said. “He gets along well with the rest of the staff. I am very excited about having him work with the varsity.”

APACHE JUNCTION

Apache Junction will go to an option attack this season, taking advantage of the athletic ability of running back Shane McCullen and quarterback Nate Scola. Last year, the team used the I-formation.

McCullen has committed to Arizona State and has amassed 3,428 yards and 42 touchdowns in his career. Scola is much more mobile than last season’s primary quarterback, Daniel Ambrosio.

Apache Junction coach Rich Milligan also has concerns about how his offensive line will manage some defensive fronts, so “we’ll go to an offense where we don’t have to block some people.”

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Tribune writers Les Willsey, Mark Heller and Kyle Odegard contributed to this report