Editor’s note: This is the fourth in a five-part series previewing Lake County’s varsity football teams. The Clear Lake Cardinals will be featured on Wednesday.
LOWER LAKE >> With a baker’s dozen worth of returning players, most of them starters, Lower Lake High varsity football head coach Justin Gaddy has a pretty good foundation to construct another winning season at the Southshore school.
Even in those areas where the Trojans were hit hard by graduation, such as wide receiver and running back, there are so many players contending for starting jobs that the competition level is off the charts, which is all good for Gaddy and his coaching staff as the Trojans move closer to Friday’s season opener at De Anza.
The added depth the Trojans are enjoying this season is the result of a football program busting at the seams with nearly 80 players out for the sport – 35 at the varsity level and 43 at the junior varsity level.
“The competition for several of the open positions is at a pretty high level, which is something you always want and like to see,” Gaddy said. “We have choices.”
Lower Lake’s veterans include All-League offensive lineman Virgil Ellis, All-League quarterback Hokulani Wickard, All-League linebacker Peerliss Brooke, running back/wide receiver/linebacker Jordan Lott, defensive back/wide receiver Taylor Scott, defensive back/wide receiver Matthew Clasen, running back/defensive back Charles Powell, linebacker/fullback Ray Mayo, lineman Michael Jamison, offensive lineman Tristan Leard, lineman Keshaun Bridges, quarterback/wide receiver Elijah Hernandez, and lineman Jesus Betancourt.
While it’s too early to make any concrete comparisons between this year’s team and the 2016 playoff squad that tied for third in the North Central League I standings at 5-3 and went 6-5 overall, Gaddy offered an early preview of the 2017 Trojans.
“We’re untested in a lot of spots and not nearly as fast as last year’s team. If you’ve got speed, speed kills,” Gaddy said.
“We’re also better in some ways,” Gaddy added. “Our football IQ has improved, we have one more year in the system running our offense and defense, and that makes us a more confident team in the things we do.”
Offense
Three of the biggest losses to graduation were Wickard’s favorite targets, wide receivers Ethan Watson and Marlon Jones, and the Trojans’ top rusher in Nick Sani, who ran for 1,088 yards and 10 TDs. Watson, Jones and Sani combined to catch 84 of Wickard’s 116 completions a year ago as well as 1,124 of his 1,442 passing yards and 12 of his 15 touchdown passes.
“Hoke had played with those guys (Watson and Jones) since Pop Warner,” Gaddy said. “They knew what to expect, anticipate, just with a look sometimes. That’s how well they knew each other.”
Fortunately the list of candidates to fill those wide receiver vacancies is a long one, led by slot receivers Scott and Clasen.
“Our guys on the outside are more untested,” Gaddy said of Lott, Carlos Avelar, Darian James, Izzac Carver, Hugo Salazar and possibly even Bridges.
Lower Lake opponents might also be surprised to see another familiar face lining up at receiver this season, none other than Wickard himself when Hernandez shifts to quarterback.
“He will line up at wide receiver at some point,” Gaddy promised. “Hoke had a great offseason. He’s lost some weight and is faster. He’s able to hit that extra gear.”
Gaddy also might bring up a talented sophomore in Cole Doud from the JV squad if the need arises.
“So far in practice it’s been non-stop, high-tempo competition for the wide receivers,” Gaddy added.
Replacing a 1,000-yard rusher in Sani isn’t easy but the Trojans will look to Powell, Lott, Mayo and Adam DeLeon for a worthy replacement.
“Powell is built for the offense we run,” Gaddy said. “Lott is a shifty, one-step cut back. Mayo can run over people.
“I see a little bit of Nick Sani in all of them,” Gaddy said.
Lower Lake’s offensive line originally had four of its key members back but that number has since been trimmed to three – Ellis, Brooke and James.
“I have experience in these players, they’re all two-year starters, they’ve all been to the playoffs,” Gaddy said.
Veteran Betancourt and sophomore Alex Castillo are among the frontrunners to earn the vacant starting jobs at left and right guard.
“One guy who has stepped up tremendously is Jesus Betancourt,” Gaddy said. “He’s doing a great job filling that (right guard) spot.”
Castillo might move to tackle while the versatile and talented Ellis takes over at left guard, according to Gaddy.
Consideration was even given to moving Jamison from his center position, but it’s unlikely.
“He is so confident on his snaps we don’t want to lose that,” Gaddy said.
With so many returners back, including a tried-and-tested three-year varsity veteran in Wickard, the offense is shaping up nicely, according to Gaddy.
“We are further ahead than we’ve ever been at this point,” Gaddy said.
The biggest concern for the offense is consistent play up front from the line, especially with two new players stepping into the guard positions.
“We’re probably going to have growing pains,” Gaddy said. “We made a lot of mistakes last year that we can’t afford to make again this year if we expect to have a big season.”
Defense
Wickard will play both ways this season and is likely to start at safety for the Trojans. Scott, James and Powell are battling it out for the cornerback positions while Clasen is another safety candidate.
Middle linebackers Brooke and Mayo anchor the Trojans’ linebacking corp, however outside linebacker remains a work in progress with Lott, Avelar, DeLeon, Betancourt, Chris Espinoza and Jafet Negrete all looking for starting jobs.
The Trojans should be solid up front with Ellis and Bridges playing at end and Jamison in between them. Castillo and Leard are backups.
“Outside linebacker is the biggest concern right now,” Gaddy said.
Special teams
The Trojans are dedicating more time to special teams this season with the hope of tightening up a few things. They are auditioning several players at kicker or may pull up a soccer player at some point.
League race
Gaddy looks for a wide-open race and doesn’t see any team going undefeated this year.
“The team that can stay healthy and is peaking at the right time will win it,” Gaddy said. “It (the league title) goes through Middletown because (head coach Bill) Folmter could take the volleyball team and make it competitive (in football).
“I think Clear Lake is tremendously improved and Kelseyville runs that Wing-T really well. St. Helena and Fort Bragg are both well-coached teams,” Gaddy added.
How the Trojans fare in their first two games of the season – non-league contests against De Anza and Esparto – are critical, according to Gaddy.
“De Anza will test us and I’m curious to see where we’ll be in the third and fourth quarters of that game,” Gaddy said.
De Anza dominated Lower Lake 32-0 in week one a year ago at Lower Lake. Although the Trojans had opportunities to score in that game, they repeatedly shot themselves in the foot with a blizzard of yellow flags. They bounced back the following week to dominate Esparto 49-12.
