2016 High School Football Preview PDF

2016 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW
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LINCOLN PREVIEW
WHITNEY SCHEDULE
WHITNEY PREVIEW
DEL ORO SCHEDULE
PAGE 4
ROCKLIN SCHEDULE
SFL MEDIA POLL
PAGE 6
ROCKLIN PREVIEW
DEL ORO PREVIEW
PAGE 7-8
SFL TOP RETURNERS
PAGE 9
LINCOLN SCHEDULE
PAGE 10
5 St
Stars
ars
on
PAGE 12-13
PAGE 14
PAGE 16-17
PAGE 18
PAGE 20
SFL STRENGTHENS SLATE
PAGE 21
WESTERN SIERRA SCHEDULE
PAGE 22
WESTERN SIERRA PREVIEW
PAGE 23
22 years in Roseville 12 ,000 Students Coached
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DEL ORO GOLDEN EAGGLES
Loomis
s
League:
Sierra Foothill
All varsity games

are scheduled to
start at 7:30 pm
unless noted.
League Game = *
Date
August 26
September 2
September 9
September 16
September 23
September 30
October 7
October 14
October 21
November 4
Opponent
St. Paul (Santa Fe Springs, CA) 7:30 pm @ Del Oro High School
Pleasant Valley
a
(Chico, CA) 7:30pm @ Del Oro High School
Bellarmine College Prep (San Jose, CA) 7:00pm @ San Jose City College
Capital Christian (Sacramento, CA) 7:30pm @ Capital Christian HS
Granite Bay (Granite Bay, CA) * 7:30pm @ Granite Bay Stadium
Nevada Union (Grass Valley
a , CA) * 7:30pm @ Nevada Union Stadium
Folsom (Folsom, CA) * 7:30pm @ Del Oro High School
Rocklin (Rocklin, CA) * 7:30pm at Rocklin Stadium
Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills, CA) * 7:30pm @ Del Oro High School
Woodcreek (Roseville, CA) * 7:30pm @ Del Oro High School
and
DEL OR
DE
ORO
O HIGH
HIGH SCHOOL
O
Make a great team!
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BY MATT LONG AND JIM LINSDAU

OF THE FOLSOM TELEGRAPH AND PLACER HERALD
What fun would preseason football be if

it were not for the challenge to try and predict who would rise to the top of their
respective conferences.
Tabbed a Super League, the Sierra
Foothill League ranks at or near the top in
the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section, especially
since the addition of Folsom and Oak
Ridge last year. Considered an elite conference before the Division I Folsom Bulldogs and Oak Ridge Trojans came in
boasts some of the best football programs
in the state.
Del Oro comes in as the Division II state
champions from last year and Folsom was
the 2014 Division I champion. In 2013,
Granite Bay captured the Division I state
championship and the list goes on.

Last season, the Bulldogs captured the
SFL championship and SJS Division I
championship as well. The Trojans finished in second place and made it to the
section Division I semifinals.
Rocklin and Del Oro ended up third and
fourth respectively and eventually played
each other in the Division II SJS championship. No. 5 Granite Bay also went into
the Division II playoffs, but lost to Del
Oros Golden Eagles in a semifinal match.
Below is a tabulation of some of the
league leaders who return this season for
their respective schools. The one exception is Evan Michalet, who played for
Rocklin last season before transferring to
Folsom.
SEE SFL PAGE 9
2016 SIERRA FOOTHILL LEAGUE

PREDICTED STANDINGS
(FIRST-PLACE VOTES)
PARTICIPATING: SACRAMENTO,
ROSEVILLE, FOLSOM, AUBURN,
LOOMIS AND ROCKLIN NEWSPAPERS
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
Folsom (4)
Del Oro (3)
Granite Bay
Rocklin
Oak Ridge
Woodcreek
Nevada Union
COURTESY KARLY OSULLIVAN
Wyatt Berry of Del Oro throws up a

grin during the Loomis Town Rally.
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State champs have the experience to repeat

Eagles backfield returns
BY MIKE RAY
OF THE LOOMIS NEWS
As the curtain gets set to rise on the

2016 prep football season, if theres a sure
bet for the Del Oro Golden Eagles this
year its this there is no substitute for
experience.
With a bevy of familiar faces returning
after playing key roles a year ago in a
remarkable 2015 campaign which ended
with the Golden Eagles hoisting a CIF
Division II bowl state championship trophy, not surprisingly, Del Oro enters this
season with high expectations.
However, as veteran Del Oro coach
Casey Taylor, now starting his 15th season
at the helm of the Golden Eagles notes,
this is a whole new year for the Black and
Gold.
We have a lot of players back and
thats good for senior leadership, said
Taylor. But this is a new team and were
trying to mold our identity and build
depth with our younger players too.
Del Oro, which opens the season Friday in Loomis when the Golden Eagles
tangle with CIF Southern Section opponent St. Paul of Santa Fe Springs, is coming off a 10-6 campaign.
As its now been well documented, a
year ago the Golden Eagles were a ragsto-riches story. Del Oro rebounded from
a 2-6 start to win its last eight games in
succession culminating with a CIF SacJoaquin Section Div. II crown and eventually a 16-13 CIF state championship
game win over Camarillo.
We have a lot of players back and thats good for senior leadership.
But this is a new team and were trying to mold our identity and
build depth with our younger players too.
Casey Taylor, Del Oro football coach
It was a fun run and the kids know

what it takes to get there, but now we
have to gear up for this season, said Taylor. Were playing a tough schedule again
with no weeks off.
This season, depending on player rotations, the Golden Eagles bring back as
many as seven to eight returning starters
on each side of the ball. Six of those players are three-year varsity starters.
But a lot of Del Oros long-term success
this season may hinge on the growth of
the Golden Eagles juniors and sophomores.
We missed a lot of our evaluations
with our younger players by not being
able to have a team camp this summer,
said Taylor. Those camps are important
for the younger players to get a feel of
football at the varsity level.
Del Oro will once again be tested
before the rigors of Sierra Foothil League
play begins in October.
After Fridays game with St. Paul, the
Golden Eagles host defending North Section Div. I champion Pleasant Valley of
Chico on Sept. 2 before playing at
defending CIF North large-school champion Bellarmine Prep in San Jose on Sept.
9.
Del Oro then closes its non-league slate
at CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Div. IV favorite
Capital Christian on Sept. 16.
Offense
Line Strength up front is led by Hunter
Halvorsen (6-4, 235), Dalton Heryford,
Pablo Miller (5-10, 215), Jack Beeman (64, 240) and Ray Thomas (6-3, 215).
Quarterback Stone Smartt (6-4, 195)
started slow last season but came on to
direct the Golden Eagles playoff run with
poise and leadership. He threw for 2,610
yards and 17 touchdowns a year ago and
also proved to be nimble on the run.
Running backs The Golden Eagles
return their top two rushers from a year
ago in Dalton Gee (924 yards, 10 TDS)
and Cam Davis (907 yards, 10 TDS). Others to watch include Marco Esquivel and
sophomore Dawson Hurst.
Receivers Mason Hurst had a standout junior season with a team-high 57

catches for 865 yards and six scores. Hurst
has college offers on the table.
Matt Kruger should also provide capable hands while Noah Kravich returns
after sitting out 2015. Also in the mix are
Andrew Birch, Blake Caughey, Austin
Rosenberg and Justin Paglucia.
Defense
Line Halvorsen, Miller, Israel Luna
and Thomas all are battle tested on the
defensive front.
Linebackers Cade White (68 tackles)
will team with Davis, Caughey and Birch
to lead Del Oros linebacking corps. Trevor
Johnson will provide depth.
Secondary Mason Hurst, nine interceptions in 2015, heads the Golden
Eagles defensive backs. Esquivel, Gee,
Rosenberg and Dawson Hurst will also
see playing time. Others to watch include
Kravich, Kruger and Conor Keehley.
GO DEL ORO GOLDEN EAGLES!

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF KARLY OSULLIVAN AND CASEY TAYLOR
Del Oros returning state championship football program celebrates the start of 2016 with a town rally. Casey Taylor pauses for a team selfie.
SFL: Del Oro is stacked with returning standouts, loaded for bear and the CIF section playoffs
continued from 6
Among the quarterbacks, only Del Oros Stone
Smart will be back under center. The Eagles also have
two leading ground-gainers and a pass receiver donning the black and gold again.
Folsom and Del Oro also have a number of leagueleading defensive players returning.
Camrion Davis
Dalton Gee
Michael Pittman
Eric Davis
DO RB
DO RB
OR RB
FOL WR
72 pts, 12 TDs
72 pts, 12 TDs
66 pts, 11 TDs
66 pts, 10 TDs
FOL LB
FOL S
OR LB
OR LB
OR LB
NU LB
144
125
105
102
98
96
DO DT
FOL DE
GB DT
OR LB
FOL LB
6.5
4
3.5
3.5
3
DO S
FOL CB
ROK CB
ROK S
OR LB
DO LB
9
5
5
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3
3
DEFENSE
Tackles
OFFENSE
Passing
Stone Smartt
DO
2,610 yds
DO
DO
WC
NU
OR
WC
924 yds, 10 TDs

907 yds, 10 TDs
700 yds, 9 TDs
565 yds, 6 TDs
533 yds, 8 TDs
502 yds, 8 TDs
DO
FOL
ROK
ROK
FOL
GB
57 rec., 865 yds, 6 TDs

48 rec., 730 yds, 9 TDs
42 rec., 607 yds, 4 TDs
51 rec., 572 yds, 9 TDs
24 rec., 457 yds, 7 TDs
29 rec., 446 yds, 3 TDs
Rushing
Dalton Gee
Camrion Davis
Isaiah Ajayi
Tyler Nielson
Michael Pittman
Tyler England
Receiving
Mason Hurst
Eric Davis
Evan Michalet
Kier Gibson-Adams
Drake Stallworth
Alex Martinez
Scoring
Troy Calderara
FOL K 84 pts, 81 PAT, 1 FG
Brad Jenner
Shawn Johnson
Truman Andrus
Kyle Brown
Nate Otto
Justin Houlihan
Sacks
Ray Thomas
Ariel Ngata
Eyad Mansour
Davis Lang
Keoni Zagata-Vera
Interceptions
Mason Hurst
Drake Stallworth
Evan Michalet
Trey Overton
Truman Andrus
Camrion Davis
COURTESY KARLY OSULLIVAN
Del Oros Stone Smartt is one of the top returning

players in the Sierra Foothill League.
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10
LIN
INCOLN
COLN
N ZEB
EBRAS
BRAS
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reiS
Lincoln
Date
August 26
September 2
September 9
September 16
September 23
October 7
October 14
October 21
October 28
November 4
Opponent
Ponderosa (Shingle Springs, CA) 7:30pm @ Lincoln High
igh Schoo
School
Antelope (Antelope, CA) 7:30pm @ Antelope High School
School
gh Schoo
Nevada Union (Grass Vaalley, CA) 7:30pm @ Lincoln High
Wheatland (Wheatland, CA) 7:30pm @ Lincoln High School
Casa Roble (Orangevale, CA) 7:30pm @ Casa Roble High School
ss Vaalley, CA) * 7:30pm @ Bear River High School
Bear River (Grass
Colfax (Colfax, CA) * 7:30pm @ Lincoln High School
Center (Antelope, CA) * 7:30pm @ Center High School
Foothill (Sacramento, CA) * 7:30pm @ Foothill High School
Placer (Auburn, CA) * 7:30pm @ Lincoln High School
League:
oneer V
alley
a
Pioneer
Valley
All JV games are
scheduled to start at
5:30pm. All varsity
games are at 7:30 pm.
unless noted
League Game = *
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12
BY JIM LINSDAU
OF THE LINCOLN NEWS MESSENGER
There will probably be no aspect of

this seasons Lincoln High football team
more impressive than its offensive line,
with the possible exception of the Fighting Zebras defense.
Nearly all of Lincolns 2015 defensive
personnel have returned, but not all will
play defense this season. One of those
returnees is 5-foot-11-inch, 270-pound
Colton Fraga; he will be at left guard
playing offense this year.
However, Fraga is aware of what the
defense will bring to the table in 2016.
Theres definitely more trust, Fraga
said. Trust that the players are going to
know where theyre going this year
because the defense has a lot of returners this year. And that has definitely
helped them out a lot as far as the skill of
our defense.
As for that offensive line, three of them
are juniors.
Lincoln head coach Chris Bean tipped

his hat to how well his coaches have prepared the defense for the coming campaign. So rapid has been the defenses
progress that it has been giving Beans
offense fits during practice.
The good news is our defense has
improved 100-fold and I dont mean I
take that lightly. Theyre fast, theyre are
physical and I think thats part of our
frustration, Bean said. (Our offense is)
getting hammered a little bit and were
not used to that. Thats kudos to them in
what theyre doing on the defensive
side.
With the graduation of quarterback Eli
Garcia and receiver Caleb Kettlehut,
Bean said his offense is not clicking like
it did last year. He has a good core of
running backs and a solid line, but the
passing game is struggling.
Last year we could spread it out. They
had to be aware of our passing game,
Bean said. This year, teams are going to
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Lincoln Highs
Ryan Graham
attracts a clan of
Dragons during
a recent scrimmage. Graham
rushed for more
than 1,000 yards
last season and
returns for his
senior year.
COURTESY PAUL HATTEN
say Go ahead and lets see what you can

do, before we spread out. Its more on
this offensive line than any other year
that I can remember.

Anchored by returning center Chad
SEE ZEBRAS PAGE 13
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ZEBRAS:
COURTESY
The Lincoln High cheer squad is

prepped for an exciting season on
the sidelines as footballers strive for
footing in the Pioneer Valley League.
predecessor.
Adams does bring an added dimension to the run game, being described by
Bean as having a quick and fluid running
style. But he has to be careful because
his backup wont be eligible to play varsity until the Casa Roble contest Sept. 24.
Isaac is the guy. Hes the returner, hes
a senior and hes got to lead us, Bean
said. And hes got to get better. He would
be the first one to admit it; hes got to get
better.
Bagwell said the new CIF regulations
limiting the amount of contact practice
teams can now have has slowed the
teams progress. He said where they once
had an extra day of contact practice to
get ready, the now have to take time out
of the two allotted contact days to work
on special teams.
In spite of the limitations, Bean isnt
making any excuses. Hes happy with
most of what he sees and only wonders
if he has enough time to bring along the
rest before the season starts.
The Zebras scrimmaged at Jesuit Aug.
20, which should have given the thirdyear coach a good understanding of
where his club stands. But the season
opener will be just six days after that.
Then its off to test their mettle against
Antelope the following week.
Weve have the dudes; Ill tell you
right now, theyre there, said Bean.
Weve got to figure out the best way to

get them successful; thats my job.
The reality is youve got to get the
reps so that they feel comfortable to play
fast out there, Bean added, And right
now I dont think Ive done a great job of
getting them comfortable enough to
play fast out there, and thats on me.
Fortunately, many of his players come
in familiar with Beans system. Because
he arrived so late for his inaugural season, he wasnt able to effectively install
that system at the junior varsity and
freshman levels, as he would have liked.
That has now been remedied and even
the Jr. Zebras are beginning to pick it up.
But Bean said his third year of preparation has been a little bumpier than
anticipated. Still, he is still optimistic
with the offensive line being solid as it is.
When it comes down to your offensive line being the heart and soul of this
team, you let them handle stuff up
front, Bean said. You dont have to
change a ton as long as youre letting
your offensive line run the show.
Additional reporting by Aaron Jackson, Lincoln
High Sports Information Director
ZEBGRO
AS!
continued from 12
Bagwell, the offensive line looks big even
without shoulder pads. Bagwell is a mere
6-5, 350 and hes a junior.
Beans offense doesnt live by the pass
alone, but having that arrow in ones
quiver is certainly a plus.
The Zebras running game should be
good this season, with the return 1,000yard-plus rusher Ryan Graham, but it
could be great if balanced by a sold passing attack.
Honestly, I just think its our run
game, said Bagwell, as to Lincolns
offensive power point. I think that Ryan
Graham, our No. 1 running back obviously, I think hes gotten a lot bigger and
stronger. Weve spent a lot of time in the
weight room this year.
Bagwell said the line and backfield are
pushing weights 50 pounds heavier than
they were in 2015.
Stepping into Garcias sizeable shoes is
Isaac Adams. As a backup signal-caller
last year, he guided the Zebras to a 57-28
victory at Wheatland. But Adams was
also able to rely on the mentoring of his
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14
WHI
HITNEY
ITNEY
EY WILD
ILDCATS
DCATS
TS
R kli
Rocklin
Date
August 26
September 2
September 9
September 23
September 30
October 7
October 14
October 21
October 28
November 4
Opponent
Davis (Davis, CA) 7:30pm @ Whitney High School
Granite Bay (Granite Bay, CA) 7:30pm @ Granite Bay High School
Rocklin (Rocklin, CA) 7:30pm @ Rocklin High School
Bella Vista (Fair Oaks, CA) * 7:00pm @ Whitney High School
Del Campo (Fair Oaks, CA)* 7:00pm @ Whitney High School
Ponderosa (Shingle Springs, CA) * 7:00pm @ Ponderosa High School
Oakmont (Roseville, CA) * 7:00pm @ Whitney High School
Roseville (Roseville, CA) * 7:00pm @ Roseville High School
Consumnes Oaks (Elk Grove, CA) * 7:00pm @ Cosumnes Oaks HS
Antelope (Antelope, CA) * 7:00pm @ Whitney High School
League:
Capital Athletic
All JV games are
scheduled to start at
5:30pm. All varsity
games are at 7:00 pm.
unless noted
League Game = *
Thank Yo
ou For Voting Us The Best of The Best!
Pictured left to right:
Drr. Kuo Ooii is the 2014 recipient
rec
of the Placer Herald's
"Best of the Best" doctor award and Recipient of 2105
Sutter Medical Network Patient
tients Choice Award. He is
one of the only pediatric sports medicine specialist in the
UHJLRQ+HLVRQHRIWKHUVWLQWKHUHJLRQWRDGRSWWKHXVH
of musculoskeletal ultrasound for injury diagnosis and
ultrasound guided injections.
Drr. Roy Harris has been serving the Rocklin community
for over 30 years and is a 3 time recipient of the Placer
Herald's "Best of the Best." He has a special interest in
reducing cardiovascular risks.
Drr. Biljinder Chima is the recipient of the 2014 Sutter
Medical Networks Patients Choice Award, ranking above
the 90th percentile in patient satisfaction nationally and
is one of the few Credentialed
l d ImP
led
I PACT
A
C
Concussion
i
specialists in the region.
Rocklin Family
F
Practic
Practice
ce and Sport
Sports
rts Medicine
Kuo Ooi, MD
D
Roy Harris
Harris,
s, MD
Biljinde
Biljinder Chima, MD
3104 Sunset
Sunset Blvd., #2B Rocklin,
Ro
CA 916.624.0300 www.familymedicalpractice.info
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Every patient is unique, just as every injury is unique. Which is why we
treat each patient based on his or her individual needs. We believe it is our duty
to take the extra time and care to educate our patients on proper
body mechanics, strengthening exercises, and stretching techniques to strengthen,
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+HUHLVDOLVWRIVRPHRIWKHFRPPRQFRQGLWLRQVZHWUHDWLQRXURIFH
Pre- and Post-Surgical Injuries
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"The Power Of Who
ho Y
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o
ou Ar
Are
re Is Revealed When
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Y
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ou
o Smile"

16
Although used primarily on

defense last year, senior Will
Brocchini demonstrates his skills
on offense scoring against Oak
Ridge after taking a pass from
quarterback Preston Eklund.
GARY JONES THEWINNINGSHOT.COM
Whitney has no real graduation woes on the grid

BY JIM LINSDAU
OF THE LINCOLN NEWS MESSENGER
Saturday, it took the Whitney High varsity about 24 minutes to get ready for the
2016 football campaign.
Scrimmaging against perennial Sierra
Foothill League power Oak Ridge, the
the Wildcats were down two touchdowns to the Trojans after two periods of
play. Whitneys ground game was going
nowhere and most of their forward passes were going where the receivers were
not.
With the exception of a touchdown

pass from quarterback Tyrik Ceasar to
Justin Kraft, the Cats struggled. But after
a brief intermission, Whitney came back
looking like well, Whitney.
Sloppy at first, which is to be expected, and you cant hold that against those
kids who went first, said head coach
Paul Doherty. The kids got a little more
comfortable as the game went on and
just got back to playing football like they
used to.
In the second half, the defense then
scooped up an Oak Ridge fumble and

took it in for a touchdown. The offense
then scored three more touchdowns on
passes of 15, 10 and 50 yards.
Near the end of the scrimmage, the
boys of Troy scored a TD with about
three minutes remaining, but the Wildcats answered a minute later to close out
the scoring.
Honestly, weve been playing for a
really long time together and, this team,
weve always started off a little bit slow,
said Whitney offensive lineman Xavier
Caldwell. But once we start doing it we
start picking it up.
And also, we were missing our starting
running back too. But thats no excuse for

working hard and getting the job done.
Although the Cats will not have the
services of quarterback and 2015 Capital
Valley Conference Offensive Player of
the Year Hunter Rodrigues along with
one of the CVCs best offensive lines, the
program is looking ahead, not back.
Four quarterbacks played in the
scrimmage with Oak Ridge and Doherty
said that position still is not settled; at
least it was not that day. On that list were
Cole Cavarra, Preston Eklund, Tyrik
Ceasar and Jake Cruz; only Ceasar is a
senior.
SEE WILDCATS PAGE 17
The Whitney cheerleading

squad (top)
is poised to
follow
tough gridders this
year. Just a
sophomore
last season,
Whitneys
Justin Kraft
(bottom)
caught 17
touchdown
passes.
Kraft was
the secondhighest
scoring
receiver on
the team,
just behind
senior Devin
Brocchinis
18 TDs.
PHOTOS BY GARY JONES THEWINNINGSHOT.COM
Whitney standout Dagne Buck and coach Paul Doherty expect a strong season.
WILDCATS: Strong returning players excite

continued from 16
Ceasar was brought up to play quarterback as a sophomore two years ago
when Rodrigues and Jashon Lewis were
injured. Ceasar then spent his junior
year at Roseville and is back now with
the Wildcats.
We have four quarterbacks on the
roster right now. We dont have a starter
yet, or anything like that and Im not
sure we will for a while, Doherty said.
But the competition there is stiff and I
think its allowed for all of those kids to
get better.
Dohertys greatest praise was heaped
on his defense. He has a number of
returning players and solid senior leadership.
The defense forced a number of
turnovers against the Trojans. Although
the defense did not get off to a good
start in the scrimmage it finished
strong.
This team is much more gelled than
we were last year, said senior middle
linebacker Matthew Chapman. We
have a lot of guys who have been playing together since Pee Wee years. This
team it feels like everybodys a lot closer, tighter.
Doherty has described his defense as
learning to play in space. Chapman said
as a middle linebacker he not only has

to stop the run but also be aware of other players entering his space, especially
potential receivers.
Defensive end Dagne Buck said playing in space is how he contains a running play.
During a run there may be a couple
of guys out there, Buck said. You need
to be able to contain the run and be
able to keep it inside, and try to get it to
go back where you have all your players.
Doherty said he is thin this year at
running back, after graduating leading
rusher Jared Wilson. However his
offense system, which he termed malleable, opens the door for a lot of
options if the ground game isnt going
anywhere.
The second-year coach said he has
up to a dozen players who can fill the
skill positions of his offense.
(Well) try to do our best to spread
the ball amongst all those guys, Doherty said. And once we find something
thats working week to week well kind
of stick with that and try to ride it out
for as long as we can.
Although Doherty lost his entire
starting offensive line from 2015, his
17
COURTESY
replacements have been coming along

nicely and theyre progressing rapidly.
Caldwell said line coach Jesse Armas
has prepared them well in both pass
blocking and blocking for the run.
With the marked improvement in the
defense, Whitneys victories may not
always have to come from the Wildcats
offense.
In the teams six wins last season,
they averaged 47 points a game. In the
four games lost, they averaged 12. If
Doherty can get the balance he needs
from both offense and defense, the loss
of Rodrigues might not be that significant.
Doherty said one of the advantages of
his offensive scheme is that it is relatively easy to make personnel adjustments when necessary.
I think its greatest sophistication
and complexity is its simplicity. So we
have these kids committed and dialed
in to pick up the system and learn all
of its nuances, and theyve done a great
job, Doherty said. And certainly the
system can adapt around different talents and different players.
Another bright spot from last season
was Whitneys junior varsity program.
The JV finished 8-1-1 and tied Del Cam-
po for the CVC championship.

That (JV) staff did a great job of picking up everything I was trying to install,
to at least at that level, and using the
same terminology and same language,
Doherty said. Well hook up with that
group and were right where we left off.
The offensive output may come
down a notch without Rodrigues and
company, but as the saying goes
offense wins games and defense wins
championships.
Whitney will open its 2016 campaign
Friday inviting Davis into the Wildcats
house. Although the Blue Devils had a
down year last season, Doherty knows
their coach and how well he can prepare a football team.
(John Wiley) is the new coach there.
I had a good relationship with John
when he was over at Christian Brothers, Doherty said. We played against
each other when I was at Sacramento
High School.
After Davis, Whitney will continue
against two Sierra Foothill League
schools Granite Bay Sept. 2 and at
Rocklin Sept. 9. Rocklin, of course, will
be the annual Quarry Bowl matchup
with the Wildcats in possession of the
perpetual Granite Trophy.
18
ROCKLIN
O
N THUN
HUNDER
NDER
Rock
klin
Date
August 26
September 9
September 16
September 23
October 7
October 14
October 21
October 28
November 4
League:
Sierra Foothill
All varsity games

are scheduled to
start at 7:30 pm
unless noted.
League Game = *
Opponent
Grant (Sacramento, CA) 7:15pm @ Grant High School
Whitney (Rocklin, CA) 7:30pm @ Rocklin High School
Clovis West (Fresno, CA) 7:00pm @ Rocklin High School
Nevada Union (Grass Valley
a , CA) * 7:30pm @ Nevada Union HS
Del Oro (Loomis, CA) * 7:30pm @ Rocklin High School
Woodcreek (Roseville, CA) * 7:30pm @ Woodcreek High School
Folsom (Folsom, CA) * 7:30pm @ Rocklin High School
Granite Bay (Granite Bay, CA) * 7:30pm @ Granite Bay High School
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COURTESY
20
Rocklin High Thunder pulling together

BY JIM LINSDAU
OF THE PLACER HERALD
The Division II section runner-up

Rocklin High football team regroups this
season after the graduation of some
leading Sierra Foothill League players.
Tight end Wes Preece is off to UC Davis
and defensive end Chase Hatada has
taken his game to Boise State in Idaho.
Also gone are quarterback Will Floyd and
running back Evyn Holtz, as well as a talented offensive line.
Were already taking on that usagainst-the-world mentality that underdog-type deal, Rocklin head coach Greg
Benzel said. There will be some smokeand-mirrors and misdirection and curtains, and all sorts of things, yeah, no
doubt.
In spite of the loss of a number of
blue-chip players, the veterans biggest
concern is the CIFs latest anti-concussion regulations. Benzel embraces the
concern, but said the reduction in contact practice might prove more a liability
than a solution.
With the Thunders opening game
with Grant less that two weeks away,
Benzel has yet to see the sharpness his
team usually by this time.
It will be interesting; it is what it is,
Benzel said. You can control what you
can control and those things you cant
you have to move forward.
The CIF has limited full contact to two
practices at 90 minutes each. Benzel said
he would have been happier had they
given teams 180 minutes to divide up as
needed.
Quarterback With last year backup
signal-caller Evan Michalet transferring
to Folsom and Floyds graduation, it left
a hole in the backfield. Wide receiver
Michael Nolan stepped up to plug that
hole.
Even playing basketball I had to realize Im going to be quarterback. I had to
start getting ready mentality and start
working at it, Nolan said. So during the
spring I really took it seriously I would be
playing quarterback and made the
Rocklin High receiver Kier GibsonAdams returns for the Thunder after
making 51 catches and scoring nine
touchdowns in 2015.
PHOTOS BY DAVE KINSELLA THEWINNINGSHOT.COM
change.
However, Nolan did play quarterback
as both a freshman and on the junior
varsity squad. Sophomore signal-caller
Cade Wyant was also called up to varsity.
Hes not a natural thrower, but hes getting the job done, Benzel said about
Nolan. Hes absorbing and understanding his role and doing a great job; he
really is.
Instead of a standout running back
like Holtz last season, Benzel has a number of players who will step into the running-back role. Where the coach feels
the most comfortable is with his
Rocklin High safety Trey Overton puts the stop on a Folsom ball carrier in last
years Sierra Foothill League battle.
receivers.
Trey Overton and Kier Gibson-Adams
are both back to round out a field of seven players listed for that position. There
is also a senior and a 6-foot-3-inch 206pound sophomore listed at tight end.
Linemen The offensive line has size
and experience; the seniors have the
experience and the juniors have size.
Although we wont have a traditional
line of scrimmage, well have more of an
athletic line of scrimmage that gets the
job done said Benzel. Not necessarily

one-on-one movement, but just getting
position and getting where they need to
be.
Benzel said the offense will look a bit
different this season, but the change
wont be radical. He said fans will still see
the familiar Pistol offense, but not as
often. The coach said the offense will
also look a bit more like a spread formation.
SEE THUNDER PAGE 21
21
SFL teams toughen

preseason schedules
GARY JONES THEWINNINGSHOT.COM
Rocklin Highs Charlie McBride fends off a would-be tackler in the Thunders
annual Blue-Silver scrimmage. The sophomore tight end has good size and
should gain valuable varsity experience this season.
THUNDER: Rocklin Highs defense will be
under construction during the 2016-17 season
continued from 20
The key will be the highest and best
use of the teams talent, including
Nolan. The senior quarterback can also
run, but the former wide receiver said
he will avoid taking big hits.
I dont think the (offense) is going to
be a whole lot different, Nolan said.
We have a lot of athletes on the
perimeter, so thats our main goal is
using everyones abilities.
Defense perhaps the trademark of
Thunder football, but its under construction this season. The team is thin
on the line and at linebacker, so the
defensive secondary is going to be tested.
The good news is the return of Trey
Overton. The 5-11, 185 safety and wide
receiver said playing both offense and
defense has its advantages.
Playing both sides definitely gives
me knowledge about the opposition
and how I can take away what their trying to do, Overton said. The offensive
line is where I get my first read. I usually

try to look at the line of scrimmage
so I can get a good read. That usually
takes me to where the play is going to
be.
The senior said playing defense also
give him a good understanding of
where to find the gaps in the defensive
secondary when on offense.
The Thunder looked fairly sharp during No. 13s Blue-Silver scrimmage. But
Benzel said he still did not see the
snap he looks for when he knows his
club is ready to play.
After scrimmaging at Monterey trail
Aug. 20, Rocklin will have 180 minutes
to find that snap before Aug. 26, when
they collide with the Pacers of Grant.
I believe were going to perform
well, said Overton. We have a lot of
young guys coming up and theyre
ready to make some plays. I feel like its
going to fit and once we gel were going
to be good.
At first glance, and depending on who

youre talking too, it appears that the
Sierra Foothill League football members
as a whole in 2016 have upgraded their
respective schedules for the coming season.
Putting everything into perspective for
SFL schools, up or down grading a
schedule, especially in football, isnt
always an easy chore to do. With this
being the third year of the CIF SacJoaquin Sections four-year realignment
plan, most two-year non-league contracts between schools went out the window with the end of last season.
Two SFL teams Del Oro and Granite
Bay opted to take the LeBron James
high-road route in regards to keeping
perennial national power De La Salle of
Concord off their respective schedules
this season.
Del Oro had tried its luck the last three
seasons against the mighty Spartans and
had a hard time keeping things close in
each game. However, last season, following a mid-October 41-3 drubbing in
Concord to the Spartans, the Golden
Eagles fourth straight loss, Del Oro hit
the re-start button and reeled off eight
straight victories on the way to winning
a CIF Div. II state championship.
Granite Bay, 7-6 last season in Jeff
Evans first year at the helm, also gave it
the old school try at De La Salle but came
home on the long end of a 37-0 blanking.
So, with that in mind, lets look at what
SFL teams will be doing for non-league
action this season:
Del Oro The Golden Eagles, even with
De La Salle off the slate, still will be facing
their usual rigorous cast of non-league
opponents.
Del Oro opens at home on Aug. 26
against CIF Southern Section foe St. Paul
of Santa Fe Springs. The Golden Eagles
then will play a pair of defending section
champions when they host Pleasant Valley of Chico Sept. 2.
They then travel to San Jose to tackle
Bellarmine, Sept. 9. The Golden Eagles
then play Div. IV power Capital Christian
in Sacramento on Sept. 16.
Rocklin Two away games Aug. 26 at

Grant and Sept. 2 at Napa will kick off
the Thunder slate for 2016.
Rocklin then returns home for its
Quarry Bowl game against Whitney set
for Sept. 9, before Central Section power
Clovis West comes to Placer County Sept.
16.
Granite Bay The Grizzlies wont have
any cupcakes either in 2016.
Granite Bay opens on Friday, Aug. 26 at
Jesuit. The game will have an unusual
4:45 p.m. starting time, as the Marauders
do not have lights. The neighborhood
around the Fair Oaks schools has battled
the school for years on the subject of a
lighted field.
The Grizzlies will also deal with Whitney and Vacaville at home and then travel to San Jose power Oak Grove.
Folsom Folsom will open its season
on Saturday, Aug. 28 with a home game
against Idaho power Couer d Alene, Idaho. The Vikings were 7-3 last season but
are led by 6-5, 200-pound quarterback
Cole Yankoff. Yankoff was offered a
scholarship to Texas Tech when he was a
sophomore.
The Bulldogs will also test Jesuit,
Pleasant Grove and Sacramento High.
Woodcreek The T-Wolves will open
Aug. 26 with Sheldon and then play the
following week at Davis.
A home game with Antelope is slated
for Sept. 9 and an away game in Napa
against Vintage on Sept. 16 to close the
non-league slate.
Nevada Union Antelope will visit
Nevada Union in the season opener Aug.
26. The Miners will then play road games
Sept. 2 at Placer and Sept. 9 at Lincoln.
Nevada Union hosts Napa on Sept. 16.
Oak Ridge A year ago, the Trojans
opened the season with a wild 57-55 win
over Whitney. This year, however, Whitney has been displaced on the Oak Ridge
slate by natural rival Vista del Lago.
Oak Ridge and Whitney did participate
in a scrimmage Aug. 20.
Oak Ridge will also play Vacaville, Burbank and Reed of Sparks, a Nevada state
finalist in 2015.
22
WES
ESTERN
STERN
T
SIER
IERRA
RA COLLE
OLLEGIATE
GIAT
ATE AC
CADEMY
A
ADEMY
Rocklin
n
All varsity games

are scheduled to
start at 7:00 pm
unless noted.
League Game = *
Date
August 26
September 2
September 9
September 17
September 23
October 7
October 14
October 21
October 28
November 4
Opponent
Riverbank (Riverbank, CA) 7:30pm @ Mahany Park
Biggs (Biggs, CA) 7:30pm @ Mahany Park
California School for the Deaf (Fremont, CA) 7:00pm @ Cal School for the Deaf
Encina Prep (Sacramento, CA) 1:00pm @ Encina Prep
West Campus (Sacramento, CA) 7:30pm @ Mahany Park
Delta, Clarksburg, CA) * 7:00pm @ Delta High School
Woodland Christian (Woodland, CA) * 7:30pm @ Mahany Park
Valley Christian (Roseville, CA) * 7:30pm @ Mahany Park
Foresthill (Foresthill, CA) * 7:00pm @ ForesthillHigh School
Turlock Christian (Turlock, CA) 7:30pm @ Mahany Park
COURTESY
Wolves cheer squad gets ready for football

"The Power Of Who
ho Y
You
o
ou Are
Arre Is Revealed When
W
You
You
o Smile"
The Western Sierra cheerleaders hope to have plenty of things to get

excited about in 2016.
Western Sierra enters

new world of experience
BY JIM LINSDAU
OF THE PLACER HERALD
Perhaps the biggest difference in Western Sierra Collegiate Academys football

team this year is that many of the players
will actually have a years experience at
playing the game.
Head coach JP Dolliver was given the
task of starting a brand new program at
a school well known for its accomplishments in the classroom and not the gridiron. Some have said it was a rough start
last year, going 0-9, but it was a start.
Dolliver is not only a football coach he
is also a mentor in weight training and
physical conditioning. Following the
2015 season, Dolliver assembled his
players in the weight room to get an early start for 2016.
You can see it in the guys. Theyre
more athletic; theyve changed their
body chemistry. They been lifting
weights and getting bigger and
stronger, said Dolliver. The fact that
theyre smart and they can play different
positions means a lot.
The late, great Vince Lombardi, coach
of the Super Bowl champion Green Bay
Packers, once said the best NFL team
would be the one that blocks and tackles the hardest.
Last year, the Wolves did not even
know how to block or tackle.
A visit to an academy practice this season shows that Western Sierra still has a
way to go, but the improvement is evident.
Strength, our blocking is definitely
better. Last year we were just brought
together, but since January weve been
hitting it hard in the gym and weve been
dedicated ever since, said returning
lineman and senior Reggie Rowlett.
(Tackling is) much better, definitely. Its
definitely something weve been working on. Every day we do these tackling
drills to get better because we dont want
to repeat last year.
Credit the Wolves; after last season
many of them could have put their figurative tails between their legs and fled
JIM LINSDAU PLACER HERALD
The Wolves defense quickly converges on the ball carrier (21) after a pass
completion.
but they didnt. Up to 16 players
returned for the upcoming season, along
with at least 20 new candidates wanting
to wear the blue and gold.
Returning is kicker Karene Robertson,
eight linemen, five receivers and a running back turned quarterback.
Adam Wright wasnt really on the
quarterback depth chart until last years
starting signal-caller Bryce Mellish went
down with an injury. Although used
largely in a backup role to senior Chris
Dauria following the loss of Mellish,
Wright did complete 9-of-28 passes and
finished the season with the teams best
quarterback rating.
When Wright learned he would be
under center for the 2016 season, he
shouldered the responsibility and went
to work. Over the summer, he attended a
camp given by Whitney head coach Paul
Doherty.
It was a pretty big change because all
I knew was how to play running back. Of
course, I had to learn all the plays for the
wide receivers and stuff, Wright said last
week. Obviously, then I had to learn
how to throw better. So I went to Coach
Dohertys camp at Whitney and practiced some quarterback drills when I was
over there.
Dolliver said this years positive is he

now has senior leadership with playing
experience. Without a feeder system, like
Rocklins Jr. Thunder, many of Dollivers
underclassmen are novice. But the second-year coach has reason to be optimistic.
His line coach Pedro Garza is back and
his offensive line could be this seasons
silver lining.
That by far is our strongest area,
Dolliver said of his offensive line. The
leadership in that group is tremendous.
They can play multiple positions on the
line with a multiple combination of
guys. So Im real happy with that.
A years improvement will make WSCA
more competitive. But it may be a little
early to be predicting a winning season,
but a win is not out of the question.
Now that this years seniors have a year
of football under their belts, theyre taking their leadership role seriously.
Its been hard work. And some practices were not as focused as we should
be, but me and the other seniors, like
Adam Wright and Brandon Martinez,
were really trying to pump these guys
up, just like the end of last year, said
Rowlett. Were going to start from the
beginning and were going to come in
23
hard.
But win, lose or draw, Western Sierra
will be trying to close the scoring gaps of
last season. They came to within six
against West Campus and lost by as
much as 62 against Bret Harte.
A big key to the academys progress
will have to come from the defense. And
that side of the ball is showing improvement as well.
Weve got a bunch more guys playing
defensive line. Last year, I was playing
defensive line and I had never played
that before, Wright said. And I wasnt
the most suited for it, as for size, but
weve got some bigger guys up front and
weve got some fast guys in the secondary so I think well be good this year.
If the tackling improves, as Rowlett
suggests, it could make a big difference.
New CIF regulations have limited full
contact practices complicating the issue
of tackling. However, Dolliver has adopted Heads Up tackling, which he terms
Hawk tackling after the techniques used
by the Seattle Seahawks.
We just understood thats the way the
game is going so we need to start teaching that way now. It makes you more of a
disciplined tackler, said Dolliver. If we
want to see our game continue at the
youth and high school level we have to
adapt.
Still, it has been a challenge to initially
get the Wolves used to hitting someone
and then learn to do it a safer way. But
since Western Sierra has a large number
of young players, Heads Up tackling may
be the only style theyll ever know.
One example is defensive tackle
Colton Bagly, who was a freshman last
season. Rowlett said Bagly and his classmates are learning quickly.
Definitely the freshmen have really
stepped up since last year going in as
sophomores, like Colton Bagly has really
improved, Rowlett said. A lot of these
guys are really good; theyre doing real
good.
Its a great day to be a Wolf.
Western Sierra has also been ushered
into the Sacramento Metropolitan Athletic League for 2016. The SMAL
includes Delta, Foresthill, Valley Christian and Woodland Christian, as well as
WSCA.
24

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