https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2...nsive-minded-aptos-ready-for-big-mack-attack/
Airing It Out: Offensive-minded Aptos ready for big Mack attack
Though lacking numbers when compared to the Mariners, visiting McClymonds boasts plenty of size
Aptos High will host a big McClymonds football team in Saturday’s NorCal 4-A Championship. Warriors running back Adi Anderson, pictured, is bigger than any of the Mariners’ linemen. (Jose Carlos Fajardo – Bay Area News Group)
By JIM SEIMAS | jseimas@santacruzsentinel.com | Santa Cruz Sentinel
PUBLISHED: December 6, 2018 at 3:34 pm | UPDATED: December 6, 2018 at 3:37 pm
APTOS — Aptos High football coach Randy Blankenship was watching game film of his next opponent when he called over his wife, Rhoda.
“Look at this group,” Blankenship told her Sunday, a day after leading the Mariners to the Central Coast Section Open Division III championship, the school’s fifth section title.
It was game film on McClymonds of Oakland, aka Mack, winner of back-to-back state titles and the team standing in the Mariners’ way of a berth to the state title game. They have some big boys — like, really big, with a capital B.
“Now look at these guys,” Blankenship said as pulled up footage of the Los Angeles Rams.
“See any difference?”
It was hard for him and his wife to tell.
The mighty Mariners (11-2) will be severely undersized when they host the Warriors (10-2) in the CIF NorCal Division 4-A championship on Saturday at 6 p.m., but they’re more than ready to show how they measure up.
“We’re going to have to compete,” Blankenship said, “and gang tackle. We better. If we try to go one on one, we’re going to have to replace some arms and shoulders.”
Perhaps most eye-opening is that Mack has an enrollment of 318 students. And of its 27 football players, five will likely sign scholarship offers with NCAA Division I schools in mid-December. Conversely, Aptos has an enrollment of 1,479 and a roster of 55 with no D-I players.
“We have open enrollment,” said Warriors coach Michael Peters, whose son, Marcus, a Mack alum, is a cornerback for the NFL’s Rams. “Winning state has helped us. But we’ve lost kids, too.”
The key, Peters said, isn’t necessarily transfers, though he has a couple of good ones; it’s offseason weightlifting. “We work all year,” he said.
McClymonds High’s Jarmar Julien, a transfer from Oak Grove in San Jose, will showcase his skills in Saturday’s NorCal 4-A Championship at Aptos on Saturday night. (Doug Duran – Bay Area News Group)
Each year, he plans team trips to combines and camps at major universities to help inspire the kids in the weight room. It further motivates some of them, he said.
“If we get two or three big guys, we’re all happy,” Peters said. “But we have a couple big guys on campus who don’t play or are academically ineligible.”
Despite the size disadvantage, the well-coached Mariners aren’t playing over their heads. In fact, Aptos is ranked No. 70 in the state by MaxPreps.com and Mack is No. 147. CalPreps.com’s computer ranking predicts the Mariners prevail over the Warriors, winner of 61 straight games in the Oakland Athletic League, 35-27.
Take the rankings with a grain of salt, though. Aptos was predicted to win its regular-season games against both Palma and Salinas and lost both. (It avenged the regular-season loss to the Chieftains in the CCS semifinals, 49-6.) That said, Mack, though its section isn’t highly regarded, is now ranked higher than both Palma (No. 161) and Salinas (No. 181).
The Warriors boast two-way linemen Mark Hoching (6-foot-2, 290 pounds), who has a scholarship offer from Air Force, and Charles Joseph (6-5, 290), both of whom play guard and defensive tackle. Joseph, fittingly enough, has his nickname included on the team’s MaxPreps roster: “Big C.”
The Mariners biggest offensive lineman? Center Hayden Mennie (6-1, 235). And Levi Slay (6-0, 195) is the only other Aptos lineman taller than 6 feet. The Mariners’ other starting linemen include Josh Sousa-Jimenez (5-7, 210), Angel Morales (5-8, 190) and Adam Candelario (5-8, 190).
The Mariners may be small, but they’re good. Aptos’ linemen are the bread and butter to an offense that has produced more points (590) and yards (5,603) than any other team in school history. Said Peters, “We know they’re going to get us a couple times.”
Blankenship said the Warriors don’t have anything the Mariners haven’t yet seen. Aragon, Salinas, Palma, Sacred Heart, they all had plenty of big boys. The Warriors just have a couple more.
“I’m not gonna lie, they’re big,” Mariners running back Marcos Reyes said. “But their players play both ways. They’ve got less numbers. They probably get as tired as much as us. They haven’t seen a team like us. They haven’t seen the wing-T since, I think, last year. I think they’re going to be shocked when we keep punching them in the mouth.”
The Warriors, who defeated La Jolla Country Day 20-17 for the 5-A state title in 2016 and Golden West 42-12 for the CIF 5-AA state title last season, return 12 players, most of them on the defensive side of the ball.
The leader of the bunch is linebacker JaVanz Dornners (6-2, 220), who has offers from Fresno State, Nevada, San Jose State, San Diego State, Utah State and UNLV. Other returners include four all-league players: linebacker/defensive end Islee Cassidy (6-2, 225), outside linebacker/safety Monte Smith (6-1, 215) and the runts of the bunch: defensive backs Montrell Smith (5-8, 180) and Cory Hayes (5-9, 160). That bunch, no doubt, is chomping at the bit to devour Aptos’ speedy backfield.
It’s mind over matter, Reyes said.
“We don’t have anyone on our defense over 190 pounds,” he said. “It doesn’t mean anything. It’s all heart. Heart and mentality. Mentally, you’ve gotta be focused, you gotta have it in you. You gotta want it. That’s all it is.”
While the Warriors feature a spread formation on their equally formidable offense, they run a ton — a figure of speech — with a pair of senior running backs who are bigger than most of the Mariners’ linemen. Adi Anderson (5-11, 200), a transfer from Moreau Catholic in Hayward over the summer, has verbally committed to San Jose State, and Jarmar Julien (5-11, 226), a transfer from Oak Grove in San Jose who also plays linebacker, will see the bulk of the touches.
“They’re big, they’re scary, they’re fast, they’re explosive,” Reyes said. “They got everything, but once we get past they’re D-I, I feel like we can definitely hang with them. We’re going to win the game. It doesn’t matter how many D-I guys they have, no matter how big they are, how fast they are. If we play as a team, if we execute like we’re supposed to, like we’ve been doing, I feel we’re going to come out victorious.”
Luckily for the Mariners, they won’t have to contend with K’aun Green (6-4, 230), Mack’s left-handed quarterback and defensive end who has received scholarship offers from San Jose State and Nevada. He’s out with an injury.
His replacement the past two games has been freshman Dreyan Paul (5-10, 160). Paul threw two touchdown passes and ran for another in last weekend’s Oakland Section final, but also threw three interceptions.
The Mariners, in addition to rattling Paul, plan to hit Mack’s big boys low and cut them down to size. After all, the bigger they are, the harder they fall.
Like Reyes, Mariners middle linebacker Dre Gomez isn’t intimidated. No, he’s honored, honored to play against so many college-bound players.
“We just wanna make a name for ourselves,” Gomez said, “show we’re just not from little Aptos.”
If You Go
McClymonds at Aptos
What: CIF NorCal Division 4-A football championship
When: Saturday, 6 p.m.
Airing It Out: Offensive-minded Aptos ready for big Mack attack
Though lacking numbers when compared to the Mariners, visiting McClymonds boasts plenty of size
Aptos High will host a big McClymonds football team in Saturday’s NorCal 4-A Championship. Warriors running back Adi Anderson, pictured, is bigger than any of the Mariners’ linemen. (Jose Carlos Fajardo – Bay Area News Group)
By JIM SEIMAS | jseimas@santacruzsentinel.com | Santa Cruz Sentinel
PUBLISHED: December 6, 2018 at 3:34 pm | UPDATED: December 6, 2018 at 3:37 pm
APTOS — Aptos High football coach Randy Blankenship was watching game film of his next opponent when he called over his wife, Rhoda.
“Look at this group,” Blankenship told her Sunday, a day after leading the Mariners to the Central Coast Section Open Division III championship, the school’s fifth section title.
It was game film on McClymonds of Oakland, aka Mack, winner of back-to-back state titles and the team standing in the Mariners’ way of a berth to the state title game. They have some big boys — like, really big, with a capital B.
“Now look at these guys,” Blankenship said as pulled up footage of the Los Angeles Rams.
“See any difference?”
It was hard for him and his wife to tell.
The mighty Mariners (11-2) will be severely undersized when they host the Warriors (10-2) in the CIF NorCal Division 4-A championship on Saturday at 6 p.m., but they’re more than ready to show how they measure up.
“We’re going to have to compete,” Blankenship said, “and gang tackle. We better. If we try to go one on one, we’re going to have to replace some arms and shoulders.”
Perhaps most eye-opening is that Mack has an enrollment of 318 students. And of its 27 football players, five will likely sign scholarship offers with NCAA Division I schools in mid-December. Conversely, Aptos has an enrollment of 1,479 and a roster of 55 with no D-I players.
“We have open enrollment,” said Warriors coach Michael Peters, whose son, Marcus, a Mack alum, is a cornerback for the NFL’s Rams. “Winning state has helped us. But we’ve lost kids, too.”
The key, Peters said, isn’t necessarily transfers, though he has a couple of good ones; it’s offseason weightlifting. “We work all year,” he said.
McClymonds High’s Jarmar Julien, a transfer from Oak Grove in San Jose, will showcase his skills in Saturday’s NorCal 4-A Championship at Aptos on Saturday night. (Doug Duran – Bay Area News Group)
Each year, he plans team trips to combines and camps at major universities to help inspire the kids in the weight room. It further motivates some of them, he said.
“If we get two or three big guys, we’re all happy,” Peters said. “But we have a couple big guys on campus who don’t play or are academically ineligible.”
Despite the size disadvantage, the well-coached Mariners aren’t playing over their heads. In fact, Aptos is ranked No. 70 in the state by MaxPreps.com and Mack is No. 147. CalPreps.com’s computer ranking predicts the Mariners prevail over the Warriors, winner of 61 straight games in the Oakland Athletic League, 35-27.
Take the rankings with a grain of salt, though. Aptos was predicted to win its regular-season games against both Palma and Salinas and lost both. (It avenged the regular-season loss to the Chieftains in the CCS semifinals, 49-6.) That said, Mack, though its section isn’t highly regarded, is now ranked higher than both Palma (No. 161) and Salinas (No. 181).
The Warriors boast two-way linemen Mark Hoching (6-foot-2, 290 pounds), who has a scholarship offer from Air Force, and Charles Joseph (6-5, 290), both of whom play guard and defensive tackle. Joseph, fittingly enough, has his nickname included on the team’s MaxPreps roster: “Big C.”
The Mariners biggest offensive lineman? Center Hayden Mennie (6-1, 235). And Levi Slay (6-0, 195) is the only other Aptos lineman taller than 6 feet. The Mariners’ other starting linemen include Josh Sousa-Jimenez (5-7, 210), Angel Morales (5-8, 190) and Adam Candelario (5-8, 190).
The Mariners may be small, but they’re good. Aptos’ linemen are the bread and butter to an offense that has produced more points (590) and yards (5,603) than any other team in school history. Said Peters, “We know they’re going to get us a couple times.”
Blankenship said the Warriors don’t have anything the Mariners haven’t yet seen. Aragon, Salinas, Palma, Sacred Heart, they all had plenty of big boys. The Warriors just have a couple more.
“I’m not gonna lie, they’re big,” Mariners running back Marcos Reyes said. “But their players play both ways. They’ve got less numbers. They probably get as tired as much as us. They haven’t seen a team like us. They haven’t seen the wing-T since, I think, last year. I think they’re going to be shocked when we keep punching them in the mouth.”
The Warriors, who defeated La Jolla Country Day 20-17 for the 5-A state title in 2016 and Golden West 42-12 for the CIF 5-AA state title last season, return 12 players, most of them on the defensive side of the ball.
The leader of the bunch is linebacker JaVanz Dornners (6-2, 220), who has offers from Fresno State, Nevada, San Jose State, San Diego State, Utah State and UNLV. Other returners include four all-league players: linebacker/defensive end Islee Cassidy (6-2, 225), outside linebacker/safety Monte Smith (6-1, 215) and the runts of the bunch: defensive backs Montrell Smith (5-8, 180) and Cory Hayes (5-9, 160). That bunch, no doubt, is chomping at the bit to devour Aptos’ speedy backfield.
It’s mind over matter, Reyes said.
“We don’t have anyone on our defense over 190 pounds,” he said. “It doesn’t mean anything. It’s all heart. Heart and mentality. Mentally, you’ve gotta be focused, you gotta have it in you. You gotta want it. That’s all it is.”
While the Warriors feature a spread formation on their equally formidable offense, they run a ton — a figure of speech — with a pair of senior running backs who are bigger than most of the Mariners’ linemen. Adi Anderson (5-11, 200), a transfer from Moreau Catholic in Hayward over the summer, has verbally committed to San Jose State, and Jarmar Julien (5-11, 226), a transfer from Oak Grove in San Jose who also plays linebacker, will see the bulk of the touches.
“They’re big, they’re scary, they’re fast, they’re explosive,” Reyes said. “They got everything, but once we get past they’re D-I, I feel like we can definitely hang with them. We’re going to win the game. It doesn’t matter how many D-I guys they have, no matter how big they are, how fast they are. If we play as a team, if we execute like we’re supposed to, like we’ve been doing, I feel we’re going to come out victorious.”
Luckily for the Mariners, they won’t have to contend with K’aun Green (6-4, 230), Mack’s left-handed quarterback and defensive end who has received scholarship offers from San Jose State and Nevada. He’s out with an injury.
His replacement the past two games has been freshman Dreyan Paul (5-10, 160). Paul threw two touchdown passes and ran for another in last weekend’s Oakland Section final, but also threw three interceptions.
The Mariners, in addition to rattling Paul, plan to hit Mack’s big boys low and cut them down to size. After all, the bigger they are, the harder they fall.
Like Reyes, Mariners middle linebacker Dre Gomez isn’t intimidated. No, he’s honored, honored to play against so many college-bound players.
“We just wanna make a name for ourselves,” Gomez said, “show we’re just not from little Aptos.”
If You Go
McClymonds at Aptos
What: CIF NorCal Division 4-A football championship
When: Saturday, 6 p.m.
