Sports

The San Lorenzo Valley Cougars return home this weekend to face another big-school opponent, and try and remain unbeaten in non-conference play.

The visiting Balboa High team came to the Santa Cruz mountain field of San Lorenzo Valley off a winning record a year ago in a tough San Francisco prep league.

The Scotts Valley Falcons lost two-thirds of last year’s team, five of 11 starters on defense and offense.But Louie Walters’ boys are always tapped as one of the top teams in the league, and this year is no exception.Quarterback Tyler Stow led an almost-successful second half comeback with six straight completions against Los Altos on Aug. 26, a promising start for the Falcons.Walters is making some adjustments in his backfield, with Tyler Stone moving to fullback and Tanner Gilton moving from fullback to tailback.He says Gilton is the player to watch, and his second half performance in the first game set him off on a good start at the new position.Walters also lists running back Trevor Ponos and wide receivers RJ Johnston and Jason Bucio as keys to Falcon success this season.The coach said Tyler Stow has emerged as the team leader, and that showed in the quarterback’s second half against Los Altos.“We’re going to continue to run the ball – it’s a Scotts Valley tradition,” Walters said.He also said he liked the way his swarming defense stifled the Los Altos running game for much of the game, which was marred by costly turnovers.The defense will be led by defensive end Jason Bucio, 6-4, 230.Walters acknowledged that his biggest challenge is all of the new varsity players, but is mindful of the fact that last year’s junior varsity team shared the league title with Aptos and Santa Cruz.When asked for one word that summed up this year’s squad? “Heart”That was clearly on display in the opener.   2016 SCHEDULE Aug. 26,  7:30 p.m.Los Altos              Sept. 2  7:30 p.m.Carmel (Carmel )at Monterey Peninsula College              Sept. 9,  7:30 p.m.Watsonville at Scotts Valley Sept. 16,  7:30 p.m.Seaside at Seaside  Sept. 23,  7:30 p.m.         Eureka at Eureka              Oct. 7,  7:30 p.m.Aptos at Aptos              Oct. 14,  7 p.m.Harbor at Scotts Valley Oct. 2,  2 p.m.San Lorenzo Valley at SLV Oct. 9,  2 p.m.Soquel at Scotts Valley Nov. 4,  7:30 p.m.Santa Cruz at Scotts Valley

San Lorenzo Valley Coach Dave Poetzinger says he wants to take this season one game at a time. But looking at his roster, and the results of his opening dismantling of San Francisco’s Balboa High, it must be hard for him not to look ahead to his BIG games against Scotts Valley on Oct.22 and Aptos on Nov. 5.The Cougars lost to Aptos, winner of five straight league championships, by just two points last year, and fell in five overtimes to Scotts Valley 52-51.This year, 21 players in those games are back on the field for the Cougars.Many of this year’s seniors have played together since junior high school.Poetzinger ticks off the plusses for this year’s team.Three of last year’s starting four defensive linemen are back: junior Mark Carling, 6-1, 210;  senior Marcus Khokar, 6-3, 245, and senior Ryan Kinch, 6, 200.His three all-league linebackers are back: Jack Gentry, 6, 205, Ryan Levitra, 6-1, 190, and Jackson Turner, 6-2, 215.“It’s really a good front that’s coming back,” he said.This unit let one 75-yard touchdown run slip through against Balboa, then held them to minus-three yards the rest of the game.On offense, kicker and quarterback Tanner Murray moved back into that position after a year as wide receiver last year. In his first game, he was 6-for-6, for 178 yards.Poetzinger’s son, senior running back Scott, tallied 550 yards rushing last year, and is stronger this fall.And he has Joe Oard. The state finalist in the 400 meters last spring, Oard came out of the starting gate in a sprint, catching 5 passes for 155 yards and three touchdowns. He led the league last year.“Remember, we’re the smallest public high school in the county,” Poetzinger said, knowing full well that a key injury can hurt his team’s chances more than some other teams with more depth.That’s why he was happy to report weight and strength gains over the summer from some of his key players.He intentionally scheduled big schools – two or three times the size of SLV – in his first non-league games, to toughen his crew physically and mentally for league play.Observers have tapped SLV and rival Scotts Valley as the two teams with the best shot at ending the 30-game league winning streak of Aptos.The Cougars are off to a good start.   2016 SCHEDULE Aug. 27,  2 p.m.Balboa (San Francisco ) Sept. 2,  7 p.m.Homestead (Cupertino )at Homestead High School Sept. 10,  2 p.m.Santa Clara (Santa Clara )at San Lorenzo Valley High School Sept. 16,  7 p.m.King’s Academy (Sunnyvale )at King’s Academy Oct. 1,  2 p.m.Capuchino (San Bruno)At Capuchino High School Oct. 8,  2 p.m.Harbor at San Lorenzo Valley High School Oct. 14,  7:30 p.m.Soquelat Soquel High School Oct. 22,  2 p.m.Scotts Valleyat San Lorenzo Valley High School Oct. 28,  7:30 p.m.Santa Cruzat Santa Cruz High School Nov. 5,  2 p.m.Aptosat San Lorenzo Valley High School

Twenty years ago, they were green-and-gold and red-and-black mud-spattered teenagers locked in a furious gridiron struggle remembered simply as The Game.

Scotts Valley resident Andrew Tsaranou, 13, won the silver medal at the World Taekwondo President’s Cup at the Telekom Dome in Bonn, Germany on April 7.