By Pete Borello
 Photo by Monique Schoenfeld, Town Crier |
Los Altos, Mtn. View may vie for division crown in football; St. Francis looks to rebound from 2-8 year
Los Altos High
League: SCVAL El Camino Division.
Coach: Ken Green, second year.
Last season: Tri-champion of division at 5-1; 6-4 overall.
Key returners: RB/DB Marcus Boone; QB Thomas Roux; LB Alex Gutierrez; RB Mark Horiuchi; LB Raymond Gonzales; OL/DL Matt Shapiro; OL/DL T.J. Wood.
Top newcomers: QB Shawn Girouard; RB Royce Hurd; LB Ben Driscoll; LB Erik Connell; OL/DL Nicar Bocalan; RB/S Peter Hahn.
Outlook: The Eagles are young and raw, according to Green, returning just four starters from a year ago. But the coach still has good reason to believe Los Altos can contend for the division crown, noting that the bulk of his players were on last year’s undefeated frosh-soph team. Depth is a concern, though, as the roster consists of just 35 players. At least there’s no shortage of backs for the team’s run-oriented offense, which will feature elusive speedsters Boone and Hurd, a sophomore, plus hard-nosed runners Horiuchi and Hahn. The quarterback situation was still up in the air last week, with former receiver Roux battling Girouard, a sophomore transfer from St. Francis. Shapiro, Wood and Bocalan, who Green describes as a “fireplug” at 5-foot-8 and 225 pounds, will anchor the lines. The strength of the defense may be at linebacker, where Gutierrez and intense newcomers Driscoll and Connell roam.
Coach’s quote: “Last year we had stars, tremendous athletes. This year we don’t have stars to rely on. It’s a team full of solid, above-average players - just hard-working guys.”
Opener: 3 p.m., Sept. 7, at Gunn.
Mountain View High
League: El Camino Division.
Coach: Dan Navarro, 15th year.
Last season: Fourth in division at 2-3-1; 3-6-1 overall.
Key returners: QB Sean Manson; RB/DB Jordan Nelson; FB/DB Trevor Hooper; LB/FB Matt Turnbull; WR/DB Ryan Wilcox; S/WR Lewis Hall; OG/LB Shonte Jiz de Ortega; C/NT John Buchanan; RB/S Guillermo Moreira; OL/DL Chris Vigil; DT Jack Butler.
Top newcomers: OL/DL Ben Meakin; OL/DL Matt Dunham; C Taylor Allen; DE Danny Croom; TE Chad Arney; WR Keith Wieland.
Outlook: With only 33 players, Navarro said the Spartans’ hopes of contending for the division crown hinge on getting - then staying - healthy. The receiving corps has been hit especially hard by injuries, as Wieland has been sidelined with a hamstring pull and fellow starter Wilcox is out indefinitely with a knee injury. The team may lack players, but not athletes. With Nelson, son of former NFL player Darrin Nelson, and Hooper in the backfield, the Spartans may have the division’s best one-two punch. Navarro believes junior Manson is the best passer he’s had since ‘89 grad John Charles, who went on to set records in college. The line has only one holdover, Vigil, but transfers Dunham (St. Francis) and Meakin (Los Altos) look like solid additions. Navarro said senior Arney, a soccer player new to the team, has been a pleasant surprise. The coach expects big things from Turnbull, de Ortega and sophomore Croom on defense.
Coach’s quote: “Some days I walk off the field thinking we’ll be all right and other days I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Opener: 7:30 p.m., Sept. 7, vs. Willow Glen at PAL Stadium.
St. Francis High
League: West Catholic Athletic League.
Coach: Mike Mitchell, sixth year.
Last season: Fourth in league at 2-3; 2-8 overall.
Key returners: WR/DB Joey Fernandez; RB/DB Jon Barsi; RB/DB Mike Ribero; LB/FB Vince Scott; QB/K Mark Hoff; TE/LB Aaron Rouleau; S/QB Kelley Jimenez.
Top newcomers: QB Kyle Spraker; FB/LB Will Taufoou; OT/DT Sione Umufuke; P/K Adam Wegener; FB/LB Josh Lansford; TE/DB J.P. Belloti; OL/DT Eric Paoli; OL/DT Ryan Moss; WB/CB Hakeem Gilliard.
Outlook: Missing the playoffs for the first time since the nation’s bicentennial has motivated the Lancers, Mitchell said. But the team, which returns five starters and 20 players in all, will have to overcome another brutal schedule that includes national power De La Salle, perennial CCS contenders Los Gatos and Oak Grove, plus the challenging WCAL. To succeed, Mitchell said St. Francis must run the ball effectively, stop the run, create turnovers and limit their own turnovers. Ribero and Barsi, along with quick wingback Gilliard, will try to resurrect a rushing attack that struggled last year. Strong-armed Hoff or tough sophomore Spraker will be the new quarterback and get a chance to throw to the dangerous Fernandez, son of former NFL receiver Mervyn Fernandez. Scott and Rouleau lead a talented bunch of linebackers, while Belloti, Paoli and Umufuke (6-1, 270) should give opponents trouble up front.
Coach’s Quote: “We’ve put it in (the players’) corner to bring us back where we belong. I think the desire is there; they’ve worked very hard and I think it will pay off for them.”
Opener: 7:30 p.m., Friday, hosting Valley Christian.
Homestead High
League: El Camino Division.
Coach: Charlie Bostic, first year.
Last season: Tied for sixth in division at 0-5-1; 2-7-1 overall.
Key returners: RB/DB Steven Nichols; QB Brandon Dougherty; RB/DB Brian Maihack; OL/DL Robert Kenney; LB/LB Shaka Dixon; OL/DL Anthony Capizzi; S Brad McGee; C Neal Cornell; LB/RB Ramont Thomas.
Top newcomers: WR Garren Strong; RB Brian McGee; FB William Faules.
Outlook: Not only do the Mustangs have a new coach, but they’ll be playing in a new division. Bostic, the former offensive coordinator at Gunn, expects Homestead to thrive in the friendlier El Camino. The coach said his 45-man squad - which includes 10 returning starters - has plenty of athletes, lots of speed and should be among the most physical teams in the division. Quarterback Dougherty seems to be a good fit for the Wing-T offense, according to Bostic, and Nichols might be the best runner in the division. Scatback Brian McGee, Los Altos resident Maihack and St. Francis transfer Faules should get their fair share of carries as well, while the sure-handed Strong will be the main receiving threat. Kenney, Capizzi and Cornell lead a good-sized line. Dixon can create havoc at linebacker, where he teams with the athletic Thomas, and Brad McGee is solid at safety.
Coach’s quote: “We need to play together as a team. Previously, the attitude here was that it was OK to do your own thing. We have to change that laissez-faire attitude and get the kids to buy into what we’re doing.”
Opener: 7:30 p.m., Sept. 7, at Independence.
Gunn High
Talk about a dry season: none of the area’s five high school football teams made the playoffs last year, marking the first time that’s happened in the 26-year history of the Central Coast Section.
Los Altos and Gunn came ever so close, losing a tiebreaker to Santa Clara for the lone berth allotted to the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League El Camino Division.
St. Francis, owner of 16 West Catholic Athletic League titles and 13 CCS championships, dropped out of the playoff race by Halloween and endured its most frightful season since winless 1966.
Mountain View, a young squad suffering from growing pains, finished in the middle of the El Camino Division.
Homestead failed to win a SCVAL De Anza Division game and has been demoted to the El Camino Division as a result.
Will the playoff dry spell last another season?
Don’t bet on it.
St. Francis appears ready to rebound from last year’s disastrous campaign, while Los Altos, Mountain View and Homestead are seen as contenders for the El Camino Division crown.
Here’s how the teams shape up for 2001:
League: SCVAL De Anza Division.
Coach: Don Briggs, first year.
Last season: Tri-champion of El Camino Division at 5-1; 7-3 overall.
Key returners: WR/DB Phil Ghilarducci; LB/TE Robbie Parry; OL/DL Juan Marquez; RB/LB Blake McClendon.
Outlook: Like Homestead, Gunn is entering a season of transition. Jeff Remington, who last year coached the Titans to their first division crown since 1971 and took them to playoffs in ‘99 - has moved on and his staff went to Homestead. Gunn will not only have to adjust to a new coach in Briggs, but also to a new division. Gunn has been elevated to the rugged De Anza Division, which includes CCS powers Los Gatos, Wilcox and Milpitas. This could make for a long season for the Titans, who lost eight all-league players to graduation and probably will have the division’s smallest roster. Ghilarducci, among the El Camino’s best receivers as a sophomore last year, and fellow all-leaguer Parry likely will start both ways. Marquez, an honorable mention all-league selection, anchors the lines. With only 13 returners, Gunn will need to rely on several players from last year’s 4-5-1 frosh-soph squad, including sophomore lineman Paul Bonini.
Coach’s quote: Briggs could not be reached for comment prior to deadline.
Opener: 3 p.m., Sept. 7, hosting Los Altos.
