If you’re wearing a Bruin football uniform this fall, you’re pretty much guaranteed playing time – and lots of it.
The St. Patrick-St. Vincent High varsity football team has only 23 players on its current roster, leaving first-year head coach Lane Hawkins with very little wiggle room for personnel.
“It is what it is, but it only takes 11,” said Hawkins, who will be SPSV’s fourth head coach in the past four years. “We’ll have to be creative and smart about how and where we play guys. It’s about making sure we have the proper technique to avoid injuries. You don’t get the luxury of picking and choosing with only 23 guys. Everybody’s gotta play wherever we need them.”
The Bruins aren’t necessarily hurting for experience as 13 of the 23 players were on the opening day varsity roster last season, including 12 seniors. SPSV went 5-6 overall last year, including a berth in the playoffs, and hopes to be competitive again this season.
“We have a good senior corps,” Hawkins said. “Hopefully they can pass their knowledge to the juniors and sophomores.”
Most Bruins will play on both sides of the ball, especially veteran linemen like Triston Foley, Max King, Kevin Kadel, Julius Fernandez, Chris Stinchcomb, Devin Devlin and Dominic Scalero. Marcus Perrilliat will keep busy playing wide receiver, cornerback, kicker and punter.
Two new sophomore quarterbacks are vying for the starting job. Anthony Olmes and Michael Pappas each played for the junior varsity last year and worked hard over the summer preparing for the varsity level.
“They are neck-and-neck,” Hawkins said. “They’re very similar and both throw the ball well. I think we’ll have a two-headed quarterback.”
Quentin Bozeman, Deo Boongaling and Mark Gonzalez will carry most of the rushing load, with Marcus Oducado, Josh Cruz and Marcus Gay joining Perrilliat as dangerous receivers. Braxton Smith recently re-joined the team, junior Tyler Gyant is a promising transfer from Benicia High, and sophomore Tyler Chesney should play a critical role as a receiver and linebacker.
SPSV’s first two games are on the road beginning at San Marin this Saturday afternoon. The Bruins play six of their final eight games at home.
Hawkins knows his Bruins will have a tough time in the brutal Tri-County Athletic League but hopes to teach his players more than just football. The team’s 2014 motto is ‘Recapturing the Bruin way.’
“It’s about giving them the skills they need to help them become better citizens and better young men,” Hawkins said. “I’m using football to give them those skills.”