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Scotts Valley High preseason schedule
n Aug. 26: Varsity Jamboree at Cabrillo College, 6 p.m.
n Sept. 3: At Capitol Christian (Sacramento), noon
n Sept. 10: Versus Half Moon Bay, 2 p.m.
n Sept. 16: At Kings Academy, 7:30 p.m.
n Sept. 24: At Sacred Heart Prep, 2 p.m.
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A San Lorenzo Valley High School football preview can be found in next week’s edition of the Press-Banner, Aug. 26.
As summer winds to a close, the sounds of whistle blasts ring across the campus at Scotts Valley High. The shrill tweets herald that the time for football has arrived.
Whistle-happy coaches hustle the nearly 35 varsity players from drill to drill, and as the temperature increases, so does the tempo of the practice as the team prepares for the Varsity Jamboree on Aug. 26 at Cabrillo College.
The Falcons had won at least a share of the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League title for four years running until San Lorenzo Valley High captured the 2010 league crown.
Scotts Valley head coach Louie Walters hopes to restore the team to its former position at the top of the league, starting with his preseason regimen.
“We are trying to mix it up this year with our double day practices — two and a quarter hours practice with four hours off between practices,” Walters said. “I am hoping it will help the kids retain what they learned a little better.”
Walters emphasized that this team’s strengths are speed and the return of most of the offensive line. That inherited experience means the running game figures to be the team’s bread and butter.
“We plan on being a 70-percent, 30-percent run-to-throw-ratio team,” Walters said. “Real basic pro formations, with some spread offense thrown in.”
Offensive line
Patrick Flebbe, three-year varsity veteran and team senior captain, and Patrick Marigonda, senior co-captain, have returned to play the offensive guard positions for the Falcons. Returning senior tackles Joel Claasen and Tyler Marshall are slotted to fill the starting spots, and junior Carson Shoemate is getting starting reps at center.
Jonathan Fisher, Daniel Garcia, Greg Kohler, Kyle Dean, Cameron Boostani, Josh McKim, Michael Stevens and Tyler Bach will also be working on the line for the Falcons.
At tight end, All-SCCAL tight end senior Ryan Wortman will return with classmate Jake Duncan and junior Emmanuel Johnson.
Backs, receivers and quarterback
A group of nine running backs will look to bolt through the holes their veteran linemen create.
Senior running backs Victor Passanisi and Collin Corbella will lead the way at running back, and Alex Benko, Johnny Materassi-Shultz and Robbie McClure will vie for carries with juniors Abe Alvarez, Ari Wargon, Jared Franich and Hector Navarro.
Seniors Kevin Bargetto, Noah Beito, Michael Haro and Jacob Sanchez return, along with challengers Andrew Stumbo, Joe Gillette, Adrien Dollar, Matt Becker and Ian Howard, who are working hard to earn playing time.
Senior co-captain Jack Pasquini will take snaps at quarterback ahead of junior Garrett Johnston.
Defense
On the defensive side of the ball, the Falcons plan to stick to a base 5-2 defense (five men on the line and two middle linebackers behind them) with a cover two as their base defense (two safeties covering deep halves of the field behind the cornerbacks).
Returning All-SCCAL safety Robbie McClure will team up with Collin Corbella to help suppress passes and deep threats.
Linebackers and defensive line
Captain Patrick Flebbe, a 6-foot, 235-pound wrecking ball, will bolster the middle from his middle-linebacker spot, and Ryan Wortman. Jake Duncan and Johnnie Materassi-Shultz will be outside linebackers. Daniel Garcia, Joel Claasen, Tyler Marshall and Patrick Marigonda fill out the defensive line.
At cornerback, Noah Beito and Victor Passanisi will assume coverage.
Special teams
Beito earned all-state honors as a kicker last season and set an SCCAL record by kicking 11 field goals.
“I really like what I saw from the first day, like what I’m seeing out there,” defensive coach Jeff Metter said. “We have a long way to go. We have got to get better, got to keep working at it.”
Coaching staff
Now in its 13th year, Scotts Valley High School has had one head football coach: Louie Walters. Walters serves as offensive coordinator and leads a staff made up of experienced coaches from the area, including Metter as defensive coordinator, Michael Scott coaching running backs, Isaac Dawid coaching quarterbacks, Paul Niday as the linemen and strength coach, Russ Miller coaching offensive linemen, Nick Correa coaching defensive linemen, Keith Booth with the defensive backs and Sean Coyne with the special teams. Trainer Carolyn Walker will keep the players ship-shape, and Mike Smith returns as longtime videographer.
