Last fall, the Homestead football team was loaded with speed and talent at the skill positions—so loaded, in fact, that the Mustangs breezed to the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League El Camino Division championship and into the Central Coast Section Division II title game.

This year, though, the Mustangs have some rebuilding to do at the skill spots, but they're loaded up front as they make a run for the playoffs as a member of the tougher De Anza Division.

"Our line is our strong point," said head coach Charlie Bostic. "We have three returning starters, and they are very athletic."

All-league returner Mike VanOrden (6-foot-2, 225) leads the charge up front along with comeback starters Steven Kenney (6-foot-2, 215) and Jay Smith (6-foot-3, 215). All three are seniors and are two-way starters in the Homestead offensive and defensive lines.

Senior Robert Scott (5-foot-7, 170) saw his share of action at running back and defensive back for last year's championship team. He'll return to the secondary this fall, but he'll also take over for the graduated Craig Maynard as the Homestead quarterback.

Marc Robinson, Matt Deihl and Chris Morris are juniors coming up from the frosh-soph who Bostic figures will help the varsity this season.

Robinson (6-foot, 205) and Deihl (6-foot, 235) are a couple of offensive linemen who won all-league honors on last year's Homestead frosh-soph club. Robinson doubles as a linebacker and Deihl will see time in the defensive line.

Morris (6-foot, 195) figures to start at running back and defensive back for the Mustangs.

"We have guys who can play, but they lack some varsity-level experience," said Bostic. "Depth is a problem for us. But if we stay healthy, improvement will come."

Life is anything but easy in the rugged De Anza circuit, but Bostic, whose club finished 10-3 last season, expects his Mustangs to finish in the top half of the division. He looks to perennial powers Los Gatos and Wilcox as the league-title favorites.

Bostic returns to head up the staff of Paul Steffen, Joe Marinello, Brian McCormick and Jamoke Caldwell, the group that led the Mustangs past Oak Grove and Piedmont Hills and into the CCS Division II finals against Menlo-Atherton last December.

Homestead will open the season at Fremont's Diesner Field on Sept. 12, 7:30 p.m., against Andrew Hill. The Mustangs will then face Capuchino and Monta Vista in nonleague games before jumping into the De Anza Division season against four-time division champion Los Gatos at Diesner.

Homestead 2003 Schedule

Sept. 12 Andrew Hill 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 19 Capuchino 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 26 Monta Vista 3:15 p.m.

Oct. 3 Los Gatos * 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 10 at Palo Alto * 3:15 p.m.

Oct. 17 Mountain View * 6:15 p.m.

Oct. 24 Fremont 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 31 Milpitas * 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 17 at Wilcox * 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 14 at Gunn *2:45 p.m.

*Denotes Santa Clara Valley Athletic League De Anza Division game.

All 7:30 p.m. home games played at Fremont's Diesner Field.