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Published on 09/01/1999 All articles from this issue

Season of high hopes

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By Pete Borello

Town Crier Staff Writer

St. Francis aiming for another title; other teams look toward playoffs

If 1999 is a typical football season, two of the area's five high school teams will qualify for the Central Coast Section playoffs.

One of them will be powerhouse St. Francis High, winner of 13 CCS titles. The other is anyone's guess.

It could be Los Altos High, which made the playoffs a year ago but has since graduated several key players. Gunn High has been in playoff contention the past two years, but the Titans' last postseason appearance dates back to 1971. Homestead High also has a shot, though playing in a traditionally tough division won't help. And then there's Mountain View High, which needs to improve dramatically over last year to even think playoffs.

Here's how the five teams shape up for this season:

Los Altos High

The season hasn't even started yet, and fourth-year coach Ron Moser is already facing adversity.

"We're in a state of confusion because of the construction - or deconstruction - going on at the school," he said. "We can't use the locker room or showers. And we have so many new kids, I don't even know all their names yet."

At least Moser can take solace in knowing these problems are only temporary. The locker room should be available in a few weeks. Learning names always takes time, and the coach is confident he'll know who's who before long.

This year's team is 43 members strong, which Moser said is the biggest turnout Los Altos has had in years.

A majority of the players are from last season's undefeated frosh-soph team, and the coach hopes they can help make up for the loss of nine all-leaguers who have graduated.

The most prominent position to fill is quarterback, where juniors Sai Pela and Wes Battle are battling for control of the wing-T offense.

Pela was MVP of the frosh-soph team and Battle backed him up.

"They each have skills we like, and if we could put them together we'd have a superstar," Moser said. "Sai is a big kid (6-foot-3, 200 pounds) who can throw deep and Wes is great ball handler."

Los Altos also has new starters at receiver. Occupying one spot is transfer Kevin Walker, who Moser said "runs like a track star." Senior Landon Yamaoka, who played sparingly last year, is projected to play the other side. "He's been our best player in summer practices," Moser said.

The backfield features halfback Verdine Baker, the SCVAL El Camino Division's co-most valuable back in 1998, and fullback Andy Pattison. Baker, who's coming off major knee surgery, is expected to be the focal point of the offense.

"He's wearing a brace and looks good," Moser said. "We're keeping our fingers crossed every day."

Baker and company will run behind a line that includes all-leaguers Mike Field and Cyrus Dorosti.

The strength of the defense may be at inside linebacker, where Anthony Davis, an all-league nose guard a year ago, and Pattison roam. And Yamaoka has emerged as a real hitter at safety, Moser said.

The coach believes the Eagles should have enough talent to contend for the playoffs, which they qualified for last season by sharing the division crown with Santa Clara. Los Altos lost in the first round to Terra Nova and finished 7-3-1.

The Eagles open the season Sept. 11 when they host Irvington at 1 p.m.

Mountain View High

Several things went wrong in 1998 for Mountain View, which went 3-6-1 and finished near the bottom of the El Camino Division. Among the Spartans' woes: not enough speed and more than enough bad attitudes.

Coach Dan Navarro believes this year's team is improved in both areas.

"I see a big difference from last year in attitude and effort," said Navarro, in his 13th year as coach. "And the team speed is much better."

The 38-member squad includes 16 returners, all of whom started at least one game. This group includes standouts Ricardo Lopez, Ross Stanley, Dustin TenBroeck, Zach McDonald and Dan Morrison.

The offense will be run-oriented, Navarro said, with halfback Lopez getting the bulk of the carries. The senior ran for 700 yards in five game last year, according to the coach, and is "quick and elusive."

Lopez will share the backfield with two new starters: quarterback Ryan Malatesta and fullback Marc Mamiya. Malatesta didn't play last year, but Navarro hopes the senior's athleticism and leadership outweigh his inexperience. The coach said senior Mamiya is built more like a halfback and runs like one, too.

Joining steady junior Stanley at receiver is transfer Robert Baskerville, who Navarro said "has good speed and runs good patterns." TenBroeck, a third-year starter at tight end, figures to catch some balls as well.

Two other newcomers to watch are sophomores Matt Turnbull and Jordan Nelson. Navarro described Turnbull as "a great kid" who will start at guard and linebacker. Nelson, the son of former NFL halfback Darren Nelson, is a blossoming cornerback.

Others expected to make an impact on defense are Morrison (end) and McDonald (linebacker), two seniors who also play on the offensive line.

If the Spartans stay healthy, Navarro said they can be competitive in the division.

The Spartans kick-off the season at 7 p.m., Sept. 10 at Terra Nova.

St. Francis High

With 30 returning players, the Lancers appear to be in good position to defend both their West Catholic Athletic League and CCS Division I titles.

And that's exactly what fourth-year coach Mike Mitchell expects from what he said "may be the most athletic team I've had."

The 53-man roster oozes experience, boasting 30 seniors. Many of them played key roles in St. Francis going 10-3 a year ago.

Halfback Ronald Nunn is once again the main man on offense, and the senior seems to be recovered from the injuries that plagued him in 1998.

"He's healthy and 100 percent," Mitchell said. "We're delighted with him."

Leading the way for Nunn is bruising fullback Benard Thomas (6-5, 235), a senior who's also a terror at defensive end.

The offensive line is all new, with senior Matt Chisam being the only member to see significant playing time last year. But Mitchell likes the potential of Andrew Brown, Nick Zankich and Patrick Allison.

Taking over at quarterback is junior Pat Dillingham, who Mitchell calls "a good athlete and very poised." Dillingham's primary target is senior receiver Chase Lyman, one of the school's best athletes. Tight end Troy Bienemann, a junior, should also be a factor.

"He's a great athlete and has great hands," Mitchell said. "He's intelligent and a fierce competitor."

The defense is anchored by returners Thomas and David Ambler up front, Brian McClenahan at linebacker and defensive backs Blake Francis and Matt Lemos. The versatile Lemos also plays receiver and handles the kicking duties.

As usual, the Lancers play one of the toughest schedules in the CCS, with games against De La Salle, Oak Grove and Bellarmine. Their season starts Friday with a 7:30 p.m. home game against Hollister-San Benito.

Homestead High

Eager and inexperienced. That may be the best way to describe this season's Homestead team.

The Mustangs have 43 players, but only 12 of them were on last year's 3-7 squad. Seventeen of these guys didn't even play football in 1998.

"We don't have much experience, but we do have a great group of kids," said new head coach Rob Ralph. "They have a great attitude and are really working hard."

One of the players that typifies this year's team is starting quarterback Aaron Mansfield, who hasn't played football since Pop Warner. However, Ralph said Mansfield is "a great athlete and leader and knows what it takes to be a champion." Mansfield is an All-American volleyball player, and Ralph believes the senior is a good fit for the team's double wing offense.

Mansfield takes over the signal-calling duties from junior Matt Root, who recently moved to Florida. Two other players Homestead was counting on also won't be back: Richie Peeters (moved) and Mark Jolissaint (shoulder injury).

Key players who are returning include four all-leaguers: linemen Alex Damsgaard and Tony Kiel, end Paul Papoulias and halfback David Tucker.

Other returners expected to make an impact are Casler Johnston (wing back), Nick Nelson (tackle) and Adam Russell (tackle/tight end). Then there's Los Altos residents Duncan Pack, a guard/linebacker, and Brian Lawler, a guard/defensive back who Ralph said is "strong as an ox and fast."

The coach hopes additional help will come from transfers Jay Sumpter (safety/tight end) and Darrell Turner (cornerback/receiver). And Ralph said Los Altan Joe Andrews "does almost everything," adding depth at fullback, guard and linebacker.

Ralph said he's not sure how Homestead will fare in the competitive SCVAL De Anza Division, but is hoping to finish in the upper half.

The Mustangs season starts Sept. 9 with 7:30 p.m. game against Del Mar at Sunnyvale's Fremont High.

Gunn High

Jeff Remington admits it's hard to build tradition, but that's what the third-year coach is doing at Gunn.

The Titans have missed the playoffs by less than a point the past two seasons and last year's 6-4 record was the school's best in 26 years.

Remington comes into the season with three goals: win the El Camino Division, make the playoffs and capture a CCS title. He said the first two are well within reach.

"Potentially, we have a team that can win the league and go to the playoffs," said the Mountain View resident. "Player for player, this is the best team Gunn's had in quite a long time."

Remington's has several reasons to be optimistic. Gunn returns three all-leaguers, including quarterback Justin Silverman - the division's co-most valuable back. The junior-laden roster has gone from 29 to 35 players, creating more competition for starting spots.

"There's no complacency," Remington said. "If a guy isn't doing his job, there's someone else ready to take his place."

The offensive line may be the team's biggest strength.

"They average about 230 pounds," he said. "We have a bunch of fullbacks turned into lineman, and they're all big and quick."

This group features brothers Beau and Rex Finato, Silvan Santos, Andrew Krensky and Luke Borja. Junior Andrew White of Los Altos Hills provides depth.

Silverman directs the team's wing-T offense, which requires a lot more running than throwing. He can also hand off to small-but-shifty halfbacks Curtis Walker and Louis Christian, a transfer from Palo Alto. Fullback Lei Likio and tight end Tom Woo, both seniors, should be part of the offensive mix as well.

Defensively, the Titans are led by Silverman at cornerback, Rex Finato and Likio at linebacker and Santos and Beau Finato on the line. Newcomers expected to contribute include safeties Matt Marinaro, Chris Poole and Dae-Ho Chung, linebackers Justin Steward and Marc Saguid, plus lineman Jermaine Arnold. Chung and Steward are both Los Altos Hills residents.

Gunn opens the season Sept. 10 with a 3:15 p.m. home game against Greenfield.