Excitement and anticipation are building as the Lions and Tigers
near the start of the 2006 high school football campaign.
With the first pre-season games just a week away, both West
County squads are coming off a busy summer that included on-field
workouts and grueling hours in the weight room. Both teams look
stronger than last year- and they¹ll need to be in what appears to
be a well balanced and rock solid Sonoma County League.
Tigers the team to beat in the SCL
With Analy returning 20 talented varsity players from last
year¹s 7-4 playoff team, it¹s no wonder why head coach Chip
Castleberry is smiling. The long-time Analy football icon will be
surrounded by a great group of returning coaches in asst. head
coach and defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach Chris
Hoke, offensive coordinator Danny Bourdon, receivers coach Mike
Miller, and line coaches Jason Burley (OL, RB, strength), Matt
Stone (DL) and Thomas Pirinoli (DL).
³I think the biggest thing going for us this year is our
experience,² said Castleberry. ³Our kids expect big things of
themselves- they have a feeling that the playoffs is where they
belong. Coming in, we¹re very excited about the team and our number
one goal is to be the best we can be in our own league.²
The Tigers have every reason to be optimistic, considering the
wealth of talent they have returning this year. The offense should
be the league¹s best, led by senior all-league quarterback Nick
Maloney, who shattered the school record for touchdown passes last
year. Maloney will have a great receiving corps in talented seniors
Kyle Molkenbuhr, Nick Johnson, Daniel Albert, Mike Crivello and
Alex Houlemard. Running backs include seniors Cameron Cook, Mike
Paggi, Kyle DiTommaso, AJ Fox and junior Juan Moreno.
The offensive line features some of the area¹s best in senior
tackle Mike Stone (6¹4², 300 lbs.), junior tackle Ricky Bostic,
sophomore guard Malcolm Townsend, senior center/guard Luke Wells,
senior center/guard Rob Burns, senior Joey Mills, junior Nestor
Torres and senior CJ Riebli.
³The big surprise may be the strength of our offensive line,²
noted Castleberry. ³They¹re better than we thought they would be,
with a lot of depth.²
The defensive line will consist of Burns (DE), Townsend (DE),
junior Luis Santiago (DT), senior Josh Cota (DT) and Bostic (DE).
Linebackers include Luke Wells (OLB), Jason Dawe (OLB), and senior
transfer Donald Patrick (MLB). The defensive backfield returns
almost all of its players from last year in cornerbacks Crivello,
Fox and Molkenbuhr, free safety Cook, and strong safeties DiTommaso
and Paggi.
Special teams may be where the Tigers really shine, as they run
out quality players on kickoffs and punting situations. Molkenbuhr
will handle the punting chores, while Moreno will do the
kicking.
The Tigers will hold a JV/varsity scrimmage this Saturday, Sept.
2 at 5:30 p.m. at Karlson Field, followed by the pre-season opener
at home on Sept. 8 against Piner. Kickoff for the JV and varsity
are set for 5 and 7:30 p.m.
Lions looking for respect in tough Sonoma County
League
The Lions are coming off of a disappointing 2005 season,
dropping six of their last seven games to finish with a 3-7 overall
record. El Mo didn¹t win a single league game last year, including
a 35-13 loss to Analy in dropping its eighth straight Apple Bowl
game.
With a down year behind them, second-year head coach Mike Roan
returns to lead a squad that could prove to be the most improved in
the league, but still has some big question marks.
³When I look at the team on paper I think offensively we¹ve
improved everywhere but the offensive line,² said Roan. ³Our line
has the potential to be solid, but until we see these guys play,
there¹s going to be a question mark.²
The Lions will have their share of offensive weapons this year,
led by athletic and versatile senior quarterback Tyler Kozlowski,
who proved last season that he has both the arm legs to run the
offense. Backing up Kozlowski is up and coming junior Andrew
Raggio.
The Lions¹ offense will feature one of the league¹s top backs in
punishing senior running back Korey ³Goose² Gosselin. At an
estimated 250 pounds, the hard-nosed senior will be a force to be
reckoned with if he can find room to run. Also expected to carry
the football are nifty senior Robbie Spomer and junior Tony
Massey.
The receiving corps will be ably manned by senior H-back and
tight end Evan Englar, a gifted player who sat out last season.
Also in the mix are senior tight end Randall Packard, junior tight
end Graham Hitman and wideouts; junior Troy Bowen, senior Lucas
Golden, Raggio, and athletic, first-year senior Matt Weger.
The X-factor for the Lions this season may be the young
offensive line, where they lack experience, but could gel into a
solid unit. Manning the line are junior center Max Apodaca, senior
right tackle Theo Colluci, junior right guard Sam Wilmarth, junior
left guard Joe Durling and junior left tackle Bo Sandeen.
The Lions¹ defensive unit will be anchored by linebackers:
senior Nate Fye (OLB), Packard (OLB), Gosselin (MLB), Englar (OLB),
senior Casey Hopkins and Durling. Most of the offensive lineman
will see double duty on the D-line, along with senior nose guard
Devon Heffelfinger.
The defensive backfield will include a combination of free
safeties Lucas Golden (2005 interception leader) and Robbie Spomer,
senior strong safeties Brian Palazzo, and Todd Parmeter, and
cornerbacks Tony Massey and senior Josh Curtis.
The Lions will scrimmage at Rancho Cotate this Saturday, Sept. 2
at 1 p.m. and open the pre-season at Jesse Bethel (Napa) on
Saturday, Sept. 9. Game times for the JV and varsity are at 10 a.m.
and 1 p.m.
Apple Bowl to open SCL season
For the first time in recent memory, the Lions and Tigers will
open the league season with the Apple Bowl. The 42nd edition of the
game will be held in Forestville on Friday, Sept. 29 at 7:30 p.m.
Although the Lions have dropped eight straight games, they still
lead the overall series, 21-20.
2006 El Molino varsity football schedule
Sept. 9‹ El Mo @ Jesse Bethel (Napa) 1 p.m.
Sept. 15‹ El Mo @ Elsie Allen 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 22‹ Piner @ El Mo 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 29‹ Analy @ El Mo 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 6‹ El Mo @ Petaluma 7 p.m.
Oct. 13‹ Windsor @ El Mo 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 20‹ El Mo @ Healdsburg 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 27‹ Eureka @ El Mo (Homemcoming) 7 p.m.
Nov. 3‹ Casa Grande @ El Mo 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 10‹ El Mo @ Sonoma 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 16‹ NCS playoffs
2006 Analy varsity football schedule
Sept. 8‹ Piner @ Analy 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 15‹ Analy @ Archbishop Mitty 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 22‹ Santa Rosa @ Analy 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 29‹ Analy @ El Mo 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 6‹ Casa Grande @ Analy 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 13‹ Analy @ Petaluma 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 20‹ Drake @ Analy (Homecoming) 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 27‹ Sonoma @ Analy 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 3‹ Analy @ Windsor 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 9‹ Healdsburg @ Analy 8 p.m.
Nov. 16‹ NCS playoffs
