Doing more with less
And they don't care. They've been beating the odds for years. Bishop Diego has barely 300 students, which makes it one of the smallest schools to be playing 11-man football. "That doesn't bother us," said linebacker Skyler Davin. "We've beaten schools three times our size." That they have. Even last year, when the Cardinals struggled to a 2-8 season, they beat a school with 1,600 students. And in better years, including a couple of runs that went deep into the playoffs, Bishop has turned giant-killing into a regular spectacle. "It's nothing new for us," said coach Tom Crawford. "We don't want to get caught worrying about the size or speed or numbers of other teams. Our mindset is just to worry about our own execution and to control the things we can control." In that regard, Crawford believes he has good cause for optimism. "Last year, we had only two guys on offense with any experience," he said. "This year, our quarterback is back and he gained a lot of confidence as the season went on. We have three varsity receivers back and we have three of our offensive line starters returning." Still, the limited student population does lead to some problems. The Cardinals' roster has less than two dozen players and includes as many sophomores and freshmen (8) as seniors. "We are young," said Crawford. "But that's how it is every year. The good thing this year is that, even though we're young, we've got some experience."
OFFENSE Quarterback: Mark Morones started slow but finished the season strong, completing 86 of 171 passes for 982 yards and 11 TDs, with only eight interceptions. Running back: Senior Kyle Martinez (5-10, 165) and Rueben Clark head a bevy of backs that includes sophomores Jacob Sandoval and Kevin Kelly. Martinez, Clark and Sandoval all carried the ball some last year. Davin (6-0, 205) and sophomore Steve Ceriale (5-10, 185) supply some muscle when a fullback is needed. Receiver: A relatively strong area. Matt Cummings (6-1, 170) caught 21 passes last year while Carlos Clark (6-2, 165) caught seven passes, including two for touchdowns. Junior Bobby Alvarez (6-3, 170) will also be a factor, said Crawford, who added that Davin will occasionally pop up at tight end. Line: Senior Andrew McGillivray (6-3, 255) is a three-year starter and is as solid as his 4.1 grade point average, said Crawford. Junior center Ryan Boehm and Mike Duran also started at times last year. Junior Ralph Ianelli (6-0, 215), sophomore Luis Solis (5-9, 185) and freshman Adam Cuevas (5-11, 210) also fit into the picture. Kicker: Cummings and Martinez are the leading candidates, said Crawford. DEFENSE Line: Senior Andy Goebel (6-0, 210) played mostly on offense last year, said Crawford, but has shown a lot of "potential" on the defensive side. McGillivray, of course, will be a staple. Duran, Justin Riggs and Boehm are also in the mix at either tackle or end. Linebacker: Davin, a three-year starter, takes the spot vacated by all-county inside backer Chris Olvera. Davin isn't quite as big but he's a little faster. The Cardinals as a whole are a bit faster this year, with roughly half the team running a 4.9 or better in the 40, according to Davin. Backs: Cummings, Martinez and Rueben Clark either started or played a lot in the secondary last year. Jared Daglis, Carlos Clark, Alvarez, Paul Camez and Drew Poulter are also candidates in the secondary or at linebacker, noted Crawford. In fact, just about anyone could be asked to fill in almost anywhere, he said. "We ask a lot of our kids to learn a lot of spots," he explained. |
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| Bishop Diego Cardinals
• Cabrillo Conquistadores •
Carpinteria Warriors • Dos
Pueblos Chargers • Laguna Blanca
Owls |
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Coach: Tom Crawford (4th year, 12-20-1)
The
deck is stacked against the Cards.