Thoughts on H.S. Football/Titans Are For Real

I just finished watching Burbank roll up 67 points on Florin Saturday. It was like a college team scrimmaging a bunch of high schoolers. The Titans are the real deal, too bad they are in a league with lots of poor athletic programs.

I don't want to diss the coaches at the City schools which make up the Metro Conference. I know they work with the kids they have at their school and try hard. Many of the good student/athletes who live in Sacramento migrate elsewhere to play high school ball.

Yet, explain to me how one of this Section's top football teams play at a school located in a poverty-stricken neighborhood along Florin Road?

I know. It's because John Heffernan, James Pale and the rest of the coaching staff ignore the surroundings, the oft-times apathy and bring the very best out of their guys. I walk by the weight room in the off-season and there's the football players. I bet if I were to do the same thing at many other schools those rooms would be empty.

It doesn't hurt, too, that your school got a $9.3 million dollar stadium last year.

Coaching is now a year-round job, no matter the sport. If the coaches and the players aren't committed to it, then you'll be on the wrong end of 67-12 games every weekend in the fall like what happened to the Panthers on Saturday.



This same thing goes for any other sport. Baseball teams have been working out for a month now, at least the good programs have. The great tracksters in our Section have been running all fall, too. This isn't all on the coaches and the schools. The athletes must work in the off-season. They cannot begin practice and workouts a month before the first game.

Unfortunately at many schools that's what happens and that's why in some sports at many schools there hasn't been a winning record in many years.

Burbank could very well win the Division I football championship this season.

Other tidbits:

Davis was very impressive in defeating Monterey Trail, 42-7. Steve Smyte has brought his college and professional coaching experience to the Blue Devils and it is now showing in his third year at Davis. They will make the playoffs, mark my word. They will give Franklin a tough game Friday.

Grant is not quitting. After a rough pre-season (2-3), the Pacers almost beat Franklin Friday barring a blocked field goal that would have given them the win. Now, they host Elk Grove this week. It's a must-win game for Grant, otherwise they'll be 2-5 and likely out of the playoffs.

Pleasant Grove rolled right over Sheldon Friday, giving all us observers assurances that Joe Cattolico has the Eagles ready for the Delta River League slate. Isaiah Saunders gained 268 yards and scored six TD's in their 55-20 romp. Look for more of the same this Friday at Ponderosa.

And, we must congratulate the Bruins for their first-ever DRL win, 17-3 at Jesuit Saturday. They are much, much better, but not as good as PG.

No surprise Folsom defeated Oak Ridge, 49-21. Can anyone stop the Bulldogs offense this year?

And, a big, big congratulations to coach Dave Filan and the Valley Vikings on a 26-20 win over Kennedy. This was that school's first win (on the football field) since the 2010 season opener. Last year, Valley got a win when Kennedy and McClatchy were both forced to forfeit their next games following a game-ending brawl.