Sep 1, 2007

The action league

Rosters are small, shootouts the norm in El Camino Division

By Gordon Kass / Correspondent

The Santa Clara Valley Athletic League's El Camino Division is pure, old-fashioned, exciting football. Regular-sized kids playing for the fun of the game. Most teams running high-speed, attacking offenses. Great action for the fans. Welcome to the land of 48-34 shootouts.

The man-sized preps are usually in the De Anza or the WCAL. El Camino squads are not large, nearly everyone plays and many athletes go both ways. Most of the offenses throw the ball, take it to the perimeter and put on a show.

The team with the most conventional offense is the division favorite, although that does not mean its approach is better than anyone else's. Homestead comes down from the De Anza and has a lot of talent and experience. Then it gets wild and several teams have a shot at the title.

Saratoga's spread attack is ground-based, fast-paced and almost impossible to stop. Additionally, the Falcons have a very good defense. Fremont tries to get its speedsters on the perimeter and it has the best in the league. The Firebirds were 4-2 last year and return most of their playmakers. Monta Vista, which puts points on the board in bushels, lost talent but gained players off a frosh-soph team that won the league title. Watch out for the Mats.

CUPERTINO PIONEERS

Coach: Kyle Fitzpatrick

Last year: 1-8-1, 0-6 El Camino (seventh place)

Key losses: RB/DL Scott Savory, OL/DL Triston Wilkie

Key returners: RB/SS Kyle Moyles, OL/DL Scott Marvin, LB Michael Marden

Key game: at Saratoga, Sept. 28

Outlook: The Pioneers just couldn't get the offense untracked last year, failing to top 14 points in their last nine games and tallying seven or less in seven of those nine. Fitzpatrick is back to basics and in the El Camino, it's always feasible to make a leap forward.

"We're a little shy numbers-wise, about 30," he said. "We need to play as a team, need everyone to do their job. There is a lot of potential at every position. We need teamwork, to stay healthy and stay together and we can do some damage."

Moyles is set at running back but competition continues at the quarterback and fullback positions. Marvin and Marden will lead the defense.

"We'll run a West Coast balanced offense," Fitzpatrick said. "I'd like to believe our line has improved in size from the 185-190 range to 225. With that, we should see more success. On defense, we'll need 11 hats on the ball at all times. If we stay healthy, we can surprise people."

Don't be surprised if: Kyle's kids take a good step up from last year and are in the middle of the pack.



FREMONT FIREBIRDS

Coach: Ron DeMonner

Last year: 5-5, 4-2 El Camino (third place)

Key losses: LB R.J. Rivera, WR John Karebatz

Key returners: RB/LB Patrick Washington, WR/DB Kenney Pope, RB/DB Daunte Mills

Key game: vs. Homestead, Oct. 5

Outlook: DeMonner has seen it all. In 1969, he coached football at Archbishop Mitty. Probably had to deal with long-haired hippies protesting the war in Vietnam. In 2007 at Fremont, there's another war in a far-off land but at least they're not drafting his kids to go fight it. However, he has other challenges. Far-flung geography (the school takes students from a wide area), turnover from year to year due to the transitions in areas of Sunnyvale and the standard topic of today's student with loads of entertainment options.

But few things shake the wizened leader. DeMonner took a similar collection last year and fashioned a 4-2 league record. With many key parts returning, he could capture the league title and possibly beat Homestead, which hasn't happened the past seven years.

"Our perimeter people give us a chance to win," DeMonner said. "If I can find a way to get them out in one-on-one situations, out on curls or in the flats, we'll do OK."

The headliners begin with the 5-foot-7, 185-pound Washington and the 5-foot-9, 150-pound Pope. Washington rumbled for 762 yards and nine touchdowns last year. The dangerous Pope caught 15 balls for 334 yards and four touchdowns and picked off six passes while in the secondary. Kevin Woods is back at quarterback and the versatile Mills, both quarterback and running back last year, is similar to Pope. The Fremont roster also includes tight end Jordan Sever, at 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds and a great hitter at middle linebacker in Robert Ramirez.

The Firebirds' top challenges come on the lines, where the squad is thinner and less skilled than DeMonner had hoped.

"We simply have to hone those guys up front," he said. "But if everything goes right, we can run with the hounds on that deal."

Don't be surprised if: Pope and Washington dominate every defense they see and the Firebirds win the league title.



GUNN TITANS

Coach: Matt McGinn

Last year: 2-8, 2-4 El Camino (fifth place)

Key losses: QB/RB Tucker Laurence, LB/TE Stephen Campbell, OL/DL Steven Salazar

Key returners: TE/DL Kyle Einfalt, RB/DB Josh Lee, QB Stephen Strnad

Key game: vs. Fremont, Oct. 12

Outlook: It's hard to figure what to expect from this team. A few years ago, the Titans were in the De Anza. Last year's team had promise (and new stadium lights) but that fizzled in a 2-8 season.

Far up north and off the radar (both in terms of location and attention) are the Gunn Titans and McGinn is quietly building something that may get people's heads turned around.

"We have a good solid group of seniors who have begun to buy into the type of character and work ethic that we started to instill last season," McGinn said. "Josh Lee is one of those senior leaders. He is a running back and outside linebacker/strong safety who does everything that we ask of him without hesitation. I would categorize him as a player that has flown under the radar due to some injuries last season. Another player in that category is our senior quarterback Stephen Strnad (yes, that's the correct spelling). Stephen is also a great leader and has a very strong arm with good speed. He fits very well into our Veer Option offense. He also missed most of the season last year due to injury. Senior Kyle Einfalt is a returning All-SCVAL tight end who also plays defensive end for us."

Stephen Salazar, Matt Walkup and Efren Tabalno lead the offensive line. Marco Vargas-Sanchez and Spencer Sturken look to make the catches in the passing game.

Don't be surprised if: Titans finish first. Or Titans finish last.



HOMESTEAD MUSTANGS

Coach: Charlie Bostic

Last year: 2-8, 0-6 De Anza (seventh place)

Key losses: TE Tim Vanderet, LB Matt Power

Key returners: OL Jeff Neale, RB/LB Kevin Rogers, OL/DL Ben Kimure, OL/DL Casey Anker, QB Rex Blodgett

Key game: at Fremont, Oct. 5

Outlook: "The De Anza is the toughest public school league in the section," Bostic said. "We moved down this year. Our best players are in the offensive line and at running back. We return center Jeff Neale and Kevin Rogers, a returning starter at running back."

Darnell Green and Alex Lumidao are also back in the Homestead backfield. Bostic runs a Wing-T offense and has an experienced quarterback at the controls in Blodgett. The line also includes two more of the best in the league, Kimure and Anker.

It adds up to a solid core of talent, both inside and outside. Add in the experience gained by recent De Anza wars and you can see why Homestead is the favorite.

Don't be surprised if: While looking ahead to the Fremont showdown, Mustangs slip up in opener against Monta Vista.



LYNBROOK VIKINGS

Coach: Ray Wright

Last year: 4-6, 1-5 El Camino (sixth place)

Key losses: OL/DL Ben Shin, DB Eric Park

Key returners: RB/LB Scott Day, OL/DL Bobby Esquivel, WR/DB Yas Sakurai, QB/DB Greg Wallis

Key game: vs. Gunn, Sept. 28

Outlook: It was the year of the Vikings in 2006. Palo Alto's Vikings won the De Anza title and CCS Open School Division title and the Lynbrook Vikings did something just about as spectacular. After a two-year 1-19 mark, Lynbrook won four games in one season.

Wright's program is led by the best player in the league, Scott Day. The 6-foot-1 220-pounder was second in the league with 98 tackles last year and third in scoring with 62 points. And he is a lot more than that.

"Scott Day has put on 25 pounds of muscle in the off-season," Wright said. "He was in the weight room at 6 a.m. the Monday morning after our last game. He is going into his third season with me as his head coach. He knows the offense and defense better than I do. Scott is like a coach on the field. He finds the ball on defense and runs extremely hard on offense. He has great hands out of the backfield and blocks with a purpose."

QB Wallis threw for 822 yards last year, the highest total of a returning thrower in the El Camino. Wright adds that many hours in the weight room were a key part of the Viking revival last year and they've continued lifting. Yes, Lynbrook is definitely for real.

Don't be surprised if: Diligence, work habits and confidence gained in 2006 lift the Vikings to the middle of the pack.



MONTA VISTA MATADORS

Coach: Jeff Mueller

Last year: 6-4, 3-3 El Camino (fourth place)

Key losses: RB Marcus Woo, QB Alex Atkins, SS Kota Kojima

Key returners: WR Billy Guardino, LB/RB Matt Moustakas, LB Peter Kosulin, LB Trevor Sabyal

Key game: vs. Homestead, Sept. 28

Outlook: Let's all move to the Cupertino hills and follow the Mats. Matt Tait's hoopsters are a blast to watch and won the division, the girls tennis team has grabbed four straight NorCal titles and Mueller's men are a thrill-a-minute. Last year, it was the Marcus Woo show, the fastest, most exciting little touchdown machine you've ever seen. Woo graduated, along with QB Alex Atkins and ... Monta Vista won't miss a beat.

Guardino comes back to catch passes, Moustakas can carry the ball, Kosulin, Moustakas and Sabyal will drive the defense and wow, what an influx of young kids. The frosh-soph team ran the table in league play at 6-0 and was 9-0-1 overall.

"We will be experienced defensively and inexperienced offensively, but we will be exciting to watch," Mueller said. "We moved some people around. We moved Trevor from defensive end to strong safety and Billy from corner to free safety. Peter maintains the middle and Matt is a returning all-league nose guard. Defense will be a strength."

"We're going to throw the ball and also run," Mueller continued. "Justin Rahn was offensive player of the year with the frosh-soph team. He's a lefty and he's 6-foot-3, 180. He'll join the list of great Monta Vista quarterbacks. We've got Billy and Aaron Turner at slot and Nick Tong was frosh-soph MVP at fullback."

Don't be surprised if: Mats, minus Woo, improve to 5-1 and win a co-championship.



SARATOGA FALCONS

Coach: Kurt Heinrich

Last year: 8-2, 5-2 El Camino (second place)

Key losses: WR Alex Lagemann, QB Kevin Sieczkarek, LB Sean Casserly

Key returners: WR Keon Ghafouri, OL/DL Brian Dodge, RB/LB Steven Walker, LB/RB Gabe Essner, OL/DL Zack Kowitz

Key game: vs. Homestead, Oct. 12

Outlook: Heinrich gets the maximum out of his personnel with a dangerous spread offense. It's stocked with smart, talented linemen and speedy backs that accelerate fast and hit the holes.

Essner, Walker, super-rabbit Matt Spencer and Pete Florence are in the backfield. Kyle Guengerich steps into the quarterback role. WR Ghafouri starred in both football and basketball last year and his game-winning catch against Live Oak with no time left was a highlight of last season. The line is very good.

"(We) return three-year starter David Pignatelli at right tackle," Heinrich said. "His bookend on the other side will be another senior, Zach Kowitz. Both David and Zach are big, mobile and have a world of experience."

The defense includes Kowitz, Essner and three-year starter Matt Keating. Recall that the Falcons beat Homestead 24-21 on the road in a non-league match last year and you can see why 'Toga has a solid shot at the top spot.

Don't be surprised if: Red Pride gets red-hot, catching Los Gatos in a non-league letdown Oct. 5, a week after the 'Cats play Palo Alto.