Editor’s note: This is the second in a five-part series previewing Lake County’s varsity football teams as they prepare for the 2018 season.
LOWER LAKE >> They’ve posted winning records two years in a row and have qualified for the North Coast Section playoffs three times in the last four seasons. While it appears the Lower Lake Trojans are on the right path, one big question remains as they prepare for their 2018 season opener.
Can Lower Lake maintain its winning momentum now that quarterback Hokulani Wickard has graduated and moved on to Shasta College?
Wickard, the Trojans’ starting quarterback each of the last three seasons, directed the team to a 7-3 record a year ago (5-2 in league) and a 6-5 mark in 2016 (5-3 in league). During his time at Lower Lake, he passed for a county-record 5,135 yards, including a career-best 1,978 last year when the Trojans finished third in the North Central League I standings.
“We not only lost Hoke, we lost 18 seniors,” Lower Lake coach Justin Gaddy said of graduation losses following last season. “Our entire offensive line has been replaced.”
While it’s difficult to find another player the caliber of Wickard, the Trojans aren’t lacking for players to man the quarterback position in 2018. They have two primary choices in senior Elijah Hernandez and junior Cole Doud, and another option in junior Gavin Watson.
Hernandez, Wickard’s backup a year ago, didn’t see much playing time behind center as you might expect. He completed just four of seven passes for 13 yards.
“Both (Hernandez and Doud) had been committed to offseason training since January,” Gaddy said. “We’ve set some high expectations for our quarterbacks going back to Isazah King (who preceded Wickard),” Gaddy said.
All those expectations aren’t necessarily football related. If you want to play quarterback at Lower Lake, be prepared to post no less than a 3.0 GPA.
“You need to be a leader on campus and in the community,” said Gaddy, who expects his quarterback to lead by example in all facets of his high school life.
Hernandez and Doud will have more run-pass options than ever before, according to Gaddy, who said it’s just one of many new wrinkles in the Lower Lake offense.
“You run the spread and people automatically think pass, but the idea is to spread out a defense and take advantage of the defense whether it’s with the pass or run,” Gaddy said.
While both Doud and Hernandez possess strong and relatively accurate arms, Hernandez rates a slight edge there, according to Gaddy.
Who will be the starter when the Trojans open their 2018 campaign on Aug. 24 on the road against Carson High School in Carson City, Nevada?
“It’s too close to call right now,” Gaddy said.
Wickard also was a key component of Lower Lake’s running game the last two seasons, in fact he led the Trojans with 649 rushing yards a year ago. The Trojans also lost their second- and third-leading rushers to graduation.
Taking their place will be a handful of relatively untested players, two of whom saw limited action last season. They are seniors Adam Deleon and Jesus Bettencourt.
“They have been animals in the offseason,” Gaddy said. “They have been doing all the right things.”
Aries Brooke, a junior, is another primary threat in Lower Lake’s new-look backfield.
Gaddy said he has plenty of flexibility in his offensive backfield, especially with his quarterbacks.
“They can all play other positions,” he said. “Elijah played some lineman for us last year, that’s why he was wearing 74 during the passing league.”
In fact, Hernandez saw playing time at right tackle, defensive end and defensive tackle a year ago. Doud and Watson are also both capable receivers.
“Cole is like a linebacker playing quarterback,” Gaddy said. “He’s tough.”
The Trojans have strength in numbers at wide receiver as well.
“We don’t want people to focus on one person,” Gaddy said. “On a lot of teams if you take that one person away there goes the offense.”
Lower Lake’s top wideouts are seniors Darian James and Diego Mendoza.
“Darian truly loves his team and it shows,” Gaddy said.
Mendoza is a transfer from Elsie Allen High School in Santa Rosa.
“He’s the biggest surprise so far,” Gaddy said. “He’s thriving in this environment and he’s going to carry the ball, receive the ball. We’re going to get him the football any way we can.”
Other wide receiver candidates are Doud, if he’s not playing quarterback, junior Matthew Kincaid, who Gaddy calls “a sleeper,” senior Keshaun Bridges, who is 6-foot-3, 180 pounds and “can jump out the roof,” according to Gaddy, and junior Semaj Clark.
The offensive line is a work in progress, something Gaddy freely admits.
“We’re very young, very green,” Gaddy said. “They need playing time, game time.”
Alex Castillo, a junior guard, has the most experience and did see a fair amount of playing time a year ago.
Forrest Fowler, a transfer, and sophomore Jose Garcia, have been looking good in practice so far, according to Gaddy.
“Those three guys have set the tone so far,” Gaddy said. “We’ll just have to see where everything else falls.”
Turning to defense, the Trojans are anchored up front by defensive ends Bridges, a third-year starter, veteran Joe Boyd, a junior, and defensive tackle Castillo.
“We have to be able to get a pass rush,” Gaddy said.
Gaddy also likes his linebackers — Doud, Bettencourt, Fowler and Brooke.
“It’s a good group,” he said.
The secondary features Mendoza, Deleon, James, Clark and Watson.
“Mendoza is a solid technician,” Gaddy said. “He has the ability to be aggressive, he can pressure you, he can cover deep or short routes, and he can tackle.”
Deleon brings a work ethic from wrestling that is second to none, according to Gaddy.
“He’s physical and a great leader. He’s like a coach on the field.”
Lower Lake is counting on its special teams, under the direction of new coach Joe Park, to contribute to the team’s success in 2018, according to Gaddy.
“We’ve got some guys who can kick the ball,” Gaddy said of Doud, Hernandez and Watson. “There are so many games where being able to get a field goal is really important. I’m so excited for our special teams.”
Where do the Trojans shake out in this year’s league race?
That’s a good question, according to Gaddy.
All of Lower Lake’s opponents have improved since last season, according to Gaddy, who is not shy about picking Middletown as the leader coming out of the gate.
“Middletown is always the team to beat until you beat them,” Gaddy said.
And Lower Lake?
“I’m wondering if teams have us penciled in at the one team they can call beat,” Gaddy joked.
“I think we’re going to know a lot more after our first three (non-league) games,” Gaddy said. “We can’t focus on record. We have to focus on being prepared to play each game.”
After opening the season against Carson on Aug. 24, the Trojans travel to El Molino on Aug. 31 before returning home Sept. 7 to face Novato in their annual homecoming game.
“Our goals are to qualify for the playoffs, earn a home playoff game and win a playoff game,” Gaddy said. “We’ve never done that in Division IV.
“We’ll strive to get better and better each game,” he added.
