LAKEPORT >> Just call them the “Fighting 14” of Clear Lake High School.
Barring any last-minute additions or subtractions, that’s the approximate number of players the Cardinals and second-year head coach Darin Brodnansky will carry into their 2015 opener on Sept. 4 at home against Durham.
Clear Lake graduated all but seven of its 25-man roster last year when the Cardinals went 3-0 in the preseason portion of their schedule — beating Durham, Upper Lake and South Fork — before going 0-7 in the North Central League I. Of the seven players who didn’t graduate, all seniors now, three decided not to play football this season. The other four — quarterback/defensive back Tyler Dore, lineman Nate Jones, running back /linebacker Jeffrey Morton and running back/outside linebacker John Vertrees — are the only returning players.
Brodnansky said the senior class — the class of 2016 — has never produced much in the way of football numbers and absolutely nothing has changed this year.
“It’s not that the numbers have dropped off, it’s always been a small class,” Brodnansky said.
Darin, the Cardinals’ defensive coordinator, and brother Derek, the offensive coordinator, are above all hoping for good health this season.
Asked what the team’s goals are this season, No. 1 was a no-brainer.
“To be able to play 10 games,” Derek Brodnansky said. “To remain competitive.”
Added brother Darin, “These kids never gave up last season. We had some bad breaks and some injuries we didn’t count on, but no one gave up.”
Not giving up is part of the rallying cry this season for the Cardinals, who play Durham (home on Sept. 4), Colusa (at Colusa on Sept. 11) and South Fork (in Miranda on Sept. 25) in the preseason portion of the schedule. Their North Central League I opener is ept. 18 at home against this year’s league favorite, Fort Bragg, and its standout quarterback, Kaylor Sullivan (he passed for 3,038 yards and 29 touchdowns last seasonbefore going down with a broken arm in week nine).
“(Roy) Perkins puts together a good program over there,” Darin Brodnansky said. “So does Bill Foltmer in Middletown.”
While the Cardinals are small in numbers, the Brodnansky brothers both believe there is talent to be found on the small squad. The question is will it be enough?
“The kids have the talent,” Darin Brodnansky said. “They have a great attitude, they show up every day to practice and work as hard as they can.”
Conditioning will be a major factor for the Cardinals given that some of them may not be able to come off the field for a breather.
“One of things they understand is they have to be in shape,” Derek Brodnansky said.
Injuries, the one variable impossible to predict, also figures to play a huge role in the Cardinals’ season. They can’t afford many if any with their lack of depth.
“We have to stay healthy,” Darin Brodnansky said.
Clear Lake’s coaches have the option of bringing up younger players from a junior varsity squad that isn’t short of bodies this season, but they won’t call for reinforcements unless its absolutely necessary.
“A lot of what happens depends on the scrimmage,” Darin Brodnansky said of a preseason scrimmage on Friday in Middletown.
Along with the four returning seniors, the Cardinals are a junior operation with the likes of Aireon Banuet, Cody Dillsaver, Fernando Figueroa, Christian Foutch, Michael Foxworth, Jake Jackson, Samuel Long, Gerardo Martinez, Frankie Sturr and Shane Taffi rounding out the current roster. All are up from the JV program with the exception of Foxworth, who is new to the program, and Sturr, who moves over from the soccer ranks.
“He’s a first-year player but he has talent and speed,” Darin Brodnansky said of Sturr.
Taffi, Banuet, Martinez and Foutch are all linemen as is Foxworth. They will join veteran Jones up front.
“It’s not a big line but it is a mobile line,” Darin Brodnansky said. “They have good speed and technique … I’m pleased with it.”
Rating the overall talent level of his new varsity charges, Darin Brodnansky said, “We have some quality players.”
Dore, who played sparingly at quarterback last season, should fill in more than adequately at quarterback.
“He put in a lot of extra effort in the offseason. I expect a lot from him and he expects a lot from himself,” Darin Brodnansky said.
Morton, Vertrees, Jackson and Figueroa figure to run the football a lot while Dillsaver will be one of Dore’s downfield targets.
While the Cardinals could use big seasons from Dore, Figueroa and Vertrees, according to Darin, brother Derek chimed in, “We need big seasons from everyone.”
Clear Lake certainly won’t be lacking for challenges this season. In fact, the first challenge is the most basic, according to Darin Brodnansky.
“We have to last four quarters,” he said.
