Greyhounds primed to continue tremendous pigskin success

Pride and tradition will be a familiar theme this Saturday at
Recreation Park, when the Greyhounds make their much-anticipated
fall gridiron debut against visiting Piedmont. Kickoff times
beginning with the JV game are 5 and 7:30 p.m.
Despite graduating most of their starters from the 2009 squad,
this year’s varsity Hounds should provide plenty of headaches for
opposing teams. The Greyhounds figure to have many of the same
qualities as their predecessors- an undersized squad with an
“us-against- the-world” mentality, which few small schools can
match.
Under returning veteran coach Tom Kirkpatrick, Healdsburg will
begin the season with just 29 players, about average for a program
known as much for its dedication and toughness as its rich history
and success.
As in previous years, the lack of overall numbers will
necessitate the need for most starters to go both ways, placing a
huge premium on health and conditioning.
Last year, the Hounds powered to an overall record of 6-5,
including an impressive, 3- 3 mark in a fourth-place Sonoma County
League finish. Healdsburg made its sixth straight appearance in the
North Coast Section playoffs before being bounced by Miramonte,
30-28 in an opening round barn-burner.
Although this year’s edition of the Greyhounds will lack last
season’s experience level, it may compensate with a strong work
ethic and intelligence.
“We’ve only got four returning starters on offense and three on
defense, but these kids are very coachable and are progressing
really well, even better than we expected,” noted Kirkpatrick, back
for his 18th season overall in his second tour of duty as head
coach. “I’ve been stressing to the kids that we’ll be an attacking,
defensive type of team, with the strength being our running
game.”
Leading the charge for the Hounds’ offensive unit will be junior
quarterbacks Max Opperman and Luis Nieves, who’ll combine to bring
both toughness and talent to the position. The primary
ball-carriers in one, two, and three-back sets will be senior
returnee Carson Seanor, and junior backs Gerardo Cervantes, Spencer
Engelke, and Adam Hendrickson. Fullbacks include senior Travis
Arreguin and junior Nick Mariani.
The receiving corps should be a good one, featuring returning
senior big-play man George Brush, and senior Dom Tynan. Other
receiving targets include talented senior transfer Matt Spillane,
and juniors Charlie Conrad, Malcolm Beltran, Richard Grant, and
Jordan Walker, and seniors Martin Chesley, Jose Fonseca, and Omar
Flores.
The offensive line figures to be solid with talented senior left
tackle Gary Randolph, junior left guard Mitch Mariani, junior
center Jonathon Martinez, junior right guard Dom Passalacqua, and
junior right tackle Jordan Harrington. Other linemen include
juniors Eric Chavez, Sergio Reyes, Jamison McKay, Max Manoukian,
and Jacob Alger. Chesley will handle the kicking and punting
chores.
Defensively, the Hounds will count on an aggressive, swarming
unit led by a talented linebacking corps that includes Arreguin,
the team’s second leading tackler in 2009, in the middle, Nick
Mariani as the “spider back,’ and Hendrickson and Brush on the
outsides. Other linebackers making an impact will be Chesley,
Nieves, and Spillane.
The defensive backfield will feature starters Seanor and Tynan
at the corners, Opperman at free safety and Cervantes at strong
safety. Other DBs will be Engelke, Conrad, Walker, Fonseca, and
Beltran.
The Greyhound coaching staff will include veteran coaches Bob
Besancon (Defensive Coordinator), Mike Ruiz (receivers) Pat
McDowell (OL/DL), Gale Bach (defense), and former JV and head coach
Pete Thomas (running backs). The JV coaches include Dan Tynan, Mac
Montanye, Jim Collins, and Rob Walker.
2010 Greyhound JV/
varsity football schedule
Sept. 4 – Piedmont at Healdsburg, 5/7:30 p.m.
Sept. 10 – Healdsburg at Alhambra (time TBA)
Sept. 18 – Healdsburg at Piner, 10 a.m. /1 p.m.
Sept. 24 – Acalanes at Healdsburg, 5/7:30 p.m.
Oct. 1 – Petaluma at Healdsburg, 5/7:30 p.m.
Oct. 8 – Healdsburg at Analy, 5/7:30 p.m.
Oct. 15 – Sonoma at Healdsburg, 5/7:30 p.m.
Oct. 22 – Healdsburg at Windsor, 5/7:30 p.m.
Oct. 29 – Bye
Nov. 5 – El Molino at Healdsburg, 5/7:30 p.m.
Nov. 12 – Healdsburg at Casa Grande, 5/7:30 p.m.