The sun is unrelenting, and the temperature on the synthetic turf at Rio Rancho Stadium is approaching 100 degrees.

Shade in their backyards or a cool city swimming pool seem like preferable alternatives for teenagers at this time of year, but about five dozen of them opt to be working out, preparing for the 2009 high school football season.

The Rams open their season exactly two months from today, Aug. 28, in Hobbs, where they’re all but guaranteed stifling hot temperatures.

Darius Morgan hauls in a pass during last Monday's practice. He'll be the Rams' rushing workhorse and help block for QB Tyler Baker in the spread offense.

The difference is, the football team has to be there; it doesn’t have to be working out in the City of Vision in late June.

These voluntary workouts have been attracting about 60 players, bringing a smile to first-year Dave Howes’ face. He likes what he’s seeing and is proud of the success this year’s team has already enjoyed.

“Two weeks ago we went to the UNM 7-on-7 (“Air It Out”) tournament and won the whole thing,” Howes beamed. “We ended up playing Eldorado (last year’s 5A state runner-up and the team that ended the Rams’ 2008 season in the playoffs). They were undefeated going into the final game and we ended up beating them in the last game of the championship. They beat us by one point earlier in the competition in the other bracket and we met them again in the championship and we beat them by two touchdowns in the final game. … They scored late on us and it was actually a last-second drive. We drove in the last minute, all the way down, and (Adam) Shapiro caught it in the corner of the end zone and we won it in the last 10 seconds, so it was pretty intense.”

As important as it is to play as a team, the Rams also had individuals win accolades: lineman Kevin Howerton earned most outstanding lineman honors and Tyler Baker was the camp’s top quarterback.

“Cohn Mangin, Shapiro, Baker, Howerton (played well).,” Howes said. “Kudos to (Baker) and his previous coaches; he had just great mechanics and I think this style of offense will better showcase those mechanics.”

Nine Rams headed south to Las Cruces last weekend.

“They played Friday night and went 5-0. Tyler stayed one night and went to a camp (in Texas), and so the following day — I drove down there at midnight on Friday. … We went there and stayed the whole day. They ended up 11-3-1 and we tied the Las Cruces Bulldawgs in the final game.

“There were three overtimes and they just cut the game and called it a game. They had about 35 guys and we had our nine. Our guys were cramping – Tim Foley and (Jeric) Magnant had severe shin splints; Dillon Metzgar had a three-inch cut he had to go get stapled in the hospital. He literally came back and played in the game after getting his head stapled — he had a major gash in his head.

“They represented us real well,” Howes said. “Cohen Mangin did a good job when Tyler left and it’s nice to know you’ve got a two-headed monster at quarterback and a lot of kids that love the game of football and are excited to play.”

Howes said mandatory workouts start Aug. 10.

“Right now we’re missing about 20 percent. There’s still the mid-summer stuff, but I anticipate in another week, week-and-a-half having full force,” he said.

Howes was asked where the “question marks” loom for this year’s team, after last year’s squad (8-4) got as far as the state quarterfinals.

“Replacing T.J. Harris at 3-back. I think Darius Morgan will do a good job. But we’ve had some decent transfers in and O-line is our biggest question mark right now. We’ve got to find five guys up front that can hold their water and let these skill guys do their work, so that’s our biggest challenge right now.”

Morgan will be a key to the Rams’ offense, charged with being Baker’s blocker if any defenders get past the offensive line, as the new spread offense features four receivers for Baker to throw to.

“He’s got a big body, big foundation and decent speed, but he’s got to carry the ball too,” Howes explained. “So we’ve got to establish a running game with him. He’s got to do his job, so he’s got a lot on his shoulders.

“I had a talk with him (Monday) and he knows that he’s got some big shoes that he has to overflow — I don’t want him to fill T.J.’s shoes, I want him to overflow T.J.’s shoes, so he’s got to really step up.”

In other football news:

• Howes said he wouldn’t have a summer vacation this year, now that he’s got his first head-coaching job.

“My vacation will come after the state championship,” he said, already eyeing December. “The staff is filled and I’ll tell you what, I can’t say enough for these kids and how hard they work. They love each other, they’re a heck of a team and I do not worry about this team’s chemistry whatsoever.”

• Senior receiver Adam Shapiro received raves from the Red Menace, a Web site that follows the University of New Mexico football team.

The site noted that Shapiro is coachable, has a nice little burst of speed, ran quick routes and had really solid field awareness.

“I think he has some high interest from UNM,” Howes said. “He’s kind of come out of the closet; last year he didn’t get a lot of footballs thrown to him.”

• Kyle Henderson, who runs newmexicopreps.com, has been busy this summer staying ahead of the game. Asked for his take on the 2009 Rams, he said, “Right now, obviously, you always hear Rio Rancho, they’re athletes. When I’ve seen them a couple times this summer, I think that rings true. I think it’s about piecing all the parts together. I’m glad coach Howes has come in — it’s not a drastic change for the kids.

“As far as momentum and chemistry, it seems to be there,” Henderson said. “Athletes like Tyler Baker, Cohen Mangin, up-and-coming player Tim Foley — they have the makings for a really good season. That schedule? The first six games (are) going to be tough but I think it’ll make them better for district and headed into the playoffs. A six-, seven-win season.”

• Longtime state prep football writer Felix Chavez, formerly a sportswriter for the Las Cruces Sun-News and the Albuquerque Journal, recently compiled what is believed to be the first top-10 poll of the season.

Chavez ranks La Cueva as his No. 1 team, followed by Mayfield, Eldorado, defending state champ Las Cruces, Clovis, Oñate, Sandia, Cibola and the Rams, with Highland rounding out the top 10.

• Former Ram standout A.C. Crespin, who graduated in 2008, will get some playing time at defensive end with the University of New Mexico football team this season, according to new defensive coordinator Doug Mallory. “He had a good spring for us. He’s shown a lot of potential. I know he’s been working hard. It looks like he’s put some weight on here, which I think is going to help.

“I think he’s got an opportunity to play this year.”