Odds are against local teams faring as well as last season
By Pete Borello, Town Crier Staff Writer
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The proximity of Mars to Earth last week can be compared to the collective success the local high school football teams enjoyed last season. Neither is likely to happen again in our lifetimes.
Four of the five teams made the playoffs in 2002 and all of them advanced past the opening round. Repeating what’s believed to be a first-time feat will be difficult, bordering on impossible. Especially since two of the qualifying schools have been elevated to one of the Central Coast Section’s strongest divisions despite graduating most of their key players.
Here is how the teams shape up for the 2003 season:
Los Altos High
League: SCVAL El Camino Division.
Coach: Bob Sykes, first year.
Last season: Fifth in division at 2-4; 3-7 overall.
Key returners: QB Donnie Ecker; RB Royce Hurd; WR Shawn Girouard; LB/RB Ryan Sherbino; DT Andrew Vasserman.
Top newcomers: FB/LB Johnny Armenta; WR Joey Fulcher; OL/DL Eddie del Rio; DT Abe Tolliver.
Outlook: Sykes is the latest in a long line of coaches aspiring to turn around a program with a long history of losing. Although the former Saratoga and King’s Academy coach admits it’s going to be a challenge, he seems up for the task. Sykes inherits a team returning just three starters, yet should have enough talent to compete in the watered-down El Camino Division. Athletic all-leaguers Ecker and Hurd seem well-suited for a wing-T offense that also will feature bruiser Armenta and the versatile Girouard. Sykes appears even more psyched about his aggressive defense. The Eagles have speedy defensive backs, a solid linebacking group led by Sherbino and stout tackles in Tolliver (300 pounds) and Vasserman (265). Depth is a concern on a roster of just 36 players, though, particularly on the offensive line.
Coach’s quote: “The kids need to stay together and believe in themselves, even when adversity hits. If they do that, we can be successful.”
Season opener: 3:15 p.m., Sept. 12, at Gunn.
Mountain View High
League: SCVAL De Anza Division.
Coach: Dan Navarro, 17th year.
Last season: Third in El Camino Division at 4-2; 9-3 overall; lost to San Lorenzo Valley in CCS Division IV semifinals.
Key returners: DE/OT Daniel Croom; C Taylor Allen; RB Kalani Bounos; DE Dustin Johnson; RB Max Davidson; LB Adrian Orozco; WR Andrew Czajkowski; QB Francis Papica; LB Cody Garcia.
Top newcomers: TE Joape Pela; CB Kevin Metsers; CB Derome Fowler; LB Jon Warmbrodt; FB Alec Nelson.
Outlook: Back-to-back CCS appearances have led to the Spartans’ ascension into the arduous De Anza Division, whether they like it or not. Other teams making this jump have struggled mightily the first season and Mountain View should be no exception. The team returns just four starters, none at the skill positions, and has an inexperienced offensive line. Navarro plans to start only one player both ways, all-leaguer Croom, in an effort to keep his light, depth-deficient squad from getting beat up in a division of supersized players and rosters. With a small line and even smaller backs (Davidson and Bounos are 5-6), Navarro conceded his team won’t be power running and will need to be able to pass. Targets for new QB Papica include impressive freshman Pela and senior Czajkowski, whom Navarro considers a college prospect. The defense features all-leaguer Johnson and talented sophomores Metsers and Fowler.
Coach’s quote: “To be competitive, the young players have to gain experience quick and we need to be free of injury with a team of our size.”
Season opener: 1:30 p.m., Sept. 13, vs. San Mateo at Burlingame High.
St. Francis High
League: West Catholic Athletic League.
Coach: Mike Mitchell, eighth year.
Last season: Fourth in league at 3-3; 7-5-1 overall; tied Los Gatos in CCS Division III championship game.
Key returners: QB Kyle Spraker; RB/LB Will Taufoou; OL/DL Sione Umufuke; DE/TE Travis Martin; DE/TE Andrew Smythe; RB/S Justin Sieber; WR/DB Daniel Descalso; TE/DE David Abramo; RB/LB Brandon Burns; LB/RB Patrick Smith; RB/DB Tevita Naufahu.
Top newcomers: RB/DE Chris Reese; RB/DB Ryan Perry.
Outlook: The road to success will feature hazards at almost every turn for the 14-time CCS champion Lancers, who face a schedule that might make some coaches assume the fetal position. The slate includes just four home dates and a brutal four-game stretch of road games against teams that went to the playoffs a year ago. Yet Mitchell said St. Francis’ goals remain lofty: win the WCAL and CCS Division I titles. Considering the Lancers return 12 starters — including all-leaguers Spraker and Taufoou — and 31 players in all, don’t count them out. After all, they did earn a CCS co-championship last year after being seeded eighth in the playoffs. Beyond the schedule, St. Francis’ biggest concern may be up front. Both the offensive and defensive lines, anchored by the massive Umufuke (6-2, 320), feature three new starters.
Coach’s quote: “I’d like to go undefeated, but we play two teams (De La Salle and Los Gatos) who haven’t lost a game this decade.”
Season opener: Hosting Capuchino at 7:30 p.m., Friday.
Homestead High
League: SCVAL De Anza Division.
Coach: Charlie Bostic, third year.
Last season: First in El Camino Division at 6-0; 10-3 overall; lost to Menlo-Atherton in the CCS Division II final.
Key returners: QB/DB Robert Scott; OT Mike Van Orden; OL Stephen Kenney; OL Jay Smith; RB Cephus Brown.
Top newcomers: OL/LB Marc Robinson; C Grant Martinez; OL/DL Matt Diehl; LB/TE Greg Jackson; RB Tim Kimball; RB Chris Morris.
Outlook: After claiming the El Camino crown and reaching the CCS title game for the first time in school history, the Mustangs received their wish of moving back up to the De Anza, where they last played in 2000. Problem is, most of the players who got them here have graduated. Scott is the only skill-position player among the six returning starters, and his experience is at DB — not QB. But Bostic likes Scott’s athleticism, vital in running the wing-T offense, and the seasoned offensive line in front of him led by all-leaguer Van Orden. Bostic admits this team isn’t as fast as last year’s blazing bunch, but it’s a “very coachable” group that should improve as the season wears on. There are only 36 players on board, however, so Homestead must stay healthy to realize the coach’s hope of finishing in the top half of the standings.
Coach’s quote: “Playing in the upper league, you have to be up for every game; if you’re flat, you’ll lose. There’s a fine line between 2-4 and 4-2.”
Season opener: Hosting Andrew Hill at 7:30 p.m., Sept. 12, at Fremont High in Sunnyvale.
Gunn High
League: SCVAL De Anza Division.
Coach: Sam Picture, second year.
Last season: Third in division at 5-2; 8-4 overall; lost to St. Francis in CCS Division III semifinals.
Key returners: QB Doug Campbell; WR Kevin Gordon; RB Darius Johnson; RB/LB Marlo Jenkins; CB Brandon Gordon; OL/DT Adam Juratovac; DE Tom Blake; WR Hansen Perkins.
Top newcomers: RB/LB Juan Cativo; RB/LB Turner Binkley.
Outlook: Picture turned around a team that was the De Anza doormat in 2001, taking the Titans to the playoffs in only their second year in the upper division. Gunn won’t sneak up on anybody this season, though, which could make the coach’s job even more difficult than a year ago. At least he has plenty of experience to work with, as 11 of the 21 returners started last season. This includes all-league QB Campbell, who has thrived running the team’s wing-T/run-and-shoot offense. His weapons include hard-working WRs Gordon and Perkins, plus emerging RB Johnson. The lines are anchored by all-leaguer Juratovac (6-4, 260), whom Picture calls “a force.” The coach is concerned about the lack of depth at linebacker, but believes converted DB Jenkins could help solidify this unit and turn into an all-league player.
Coach’s quote: “We have smart kids — real smart kids who can free us up to do a lot of things on offense and defense.”
Season opener: 3:15 p.m., Sept. 12, hosting Los Altos.
