Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Photograph by Skye Dunlap

Los Gatos tackle Matt Klemchuk (68) returns for his third varsity season for the Wildcats. Klemchuk and the Cats will make a bid to defend their league and CCS championships this fall.

Cats out to defend titles

By Dick Sparrer

It took a while before Los Gatos finally won a football game last fall... about four weeks to be exact. But when the Wildcats started winning, they didn't stop until they had won 10 straight and wrapped up championships in the De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League and the Central Coast Section.

It was no coincidence that the winning streak coincided with Ryan Sorahan's return to the Los Gatos campus. The junior quarterback had moved out of Los Gatos during the summer months, but he moved back three weeks into the second. He played in the Wildcats' third game, a loss to Leland, but he took over a week later--and Gatos went on a tear.

Now he's back, and head coach Butch Cattolico expects his senior quarterback to take the Cats to further glory.

"Ryan Sorahan is probably the best in the state," said Cattolico of the talented quarterback.

Sorahan returns this season after winning all-league and all-CCS honors last fall.

"He provides great leadership, experience and attitude to the team," added Cattolico. "His great accuracy should make the Wildcat passing game a feared attack. He's capable of creating a great passing game, but the receivers and the line must step up a level."

The Wildcats have the receiving corps that could do just that.

Chris Cavanagh will likely be Sorahan's favorite target. The senior wide receiver is a two-time all-leaguer, and he was the outstanding junior in the De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League last season.

"Cavanagh is a great athlete who can do anything you ask on the field," said Cattolico. "He could be absolutely tremendous."

Starting opposite Cavanagh at the other wide receiver post will be senior returner Max Hirschman. "He has excellent speed and great hands," said the coach of Hirschman.

Senior transfer Adrian Rangel is also expected to see considerable playing time as a receiver.

"His quickness and running ability after catching the ball have been very impressive," added Cattolico.

The coach added that juniors Kevin Krug and Mike Cook have also caught the well and will be part of the receiving corps that also includes seniors Andy Housley, Phil Baiardo, Mike Geddie, Scott Buxton and Francisco Alameda, junior Ben Frazier and sophomore Brian Edwards.

Cook and Krug have also worked at quarterback, but junior Matt Torres is currently the back-up for Sorahan. "He has flashes of brilliant play but needs polish," said Cattolico of the young QB up from the frosh-soph.

Seniors Mike Harris and Troy Towner are battling for the starting job at tight end, and Krug, juniors Ben Winkelman, Rick Esparza and Ryan O'Gorman and sophomore Casey Neale are also competing for the position.

The performance of senior letterman Brandon Fennema has really pleased Gatos coaches in the early stages of the season.

"He's been the biggest surprise in camp," said Cattolico. "He was expected to be a starter on defense, but he seems to have won the starting tailback job with some great play."

Junior Justin Narragon "has great promise" at the position, said Cattolico, and senior Ken Troquato-Perrotti "has shown some real quickness and toughness."

Seniors Aaron Wagman and Matt Grover are expected to share time at fullback.

"They have waged a tremendous battle," said the coach. "Both can catch and run, and although Wagman is bigger and a better blocker, Grover is faster.

Sophomore Nick Skrabe has been pushing the two seniors at the position, and junior Vince Caviglia is another prospect at the position.

The Wildcats have plenty of experience up front offensively with returning all-league Matt Klemchuk leading the charge.

Klemchuk (6-foot-4, 250) is back for his third varsity season and "should have a great senior year" at tackle.

Veteran Mike Belsheim (6-foot-4, 306) is expected to start at the other tackle post with senior Chris McGilvray (6-foot-1, 254), juniors Nick Cisowski (6-foot-2, 290) and John McGuan (6-foot, 293) and sophomore transfer Philip Masleid (6-foot-3, 239) all expected to see action there.

Senior returner Kevin Mullen (5-foot-9, 254) "could be a force" at center, said the coach. McGilvray and junior Brandon Chapatte (5-foot-10, 210) will provide depth at the position.

Seniors Kellen Durose (6-foot-1, 220) and Austin Neale (6-foot, 228) are starters at guard for the Cats. Juniors Chapatte, Matt Spears (5-foot-8, 168) and Briston Lowry (6-foot, 191) and senior Andre Yancey (6-foot-1, 235) also show promise at guard along with juniors Forrest O'Leary (6-foot, 178), Dan Kramer (6-foot-3, 178) and Steve Smith (5-foot-11, 185).

Many of the names are the same over on the defensive side with Klemchuk, Fennema, Cavanaugh, Austin Neale and Durose leading the way.

"Klemchuk has looked unblockable during the camp," said Cattolico of the senior defensive tackle. Towner has also played well on the defensive front and will join Klemchuk as a starter. Mullen, McGilvray, Wagman, Belsheim, Cisowski and Masleid are other top prospects at tackle.

Lowry appears to have won the starting job at noseguard with Yancey, Smith and McGuan other prospects, and Harris and Winkelman are starting at defensive end with Chris Brown, Troquato- Perrotti and Skrabe also showing steady improvement at the position. Kramer and O'Leary are also in the hunt for work at end.

Neale and Durose are a couple of tough linebackers for the Cats. Esparza, Callahan, Chapatte, Wagman and Spears are all battling for the third 'backer post.

Cavanagh returns for his third season in the Gatos secondary and "has looked outstanding" at free safety. Fennema has been a leader at strong safety.

Edwards could back up either Cavanagh or Fennema after an impressive showing early in the year. Baiardo is expected to help at free safety and Grover, Neale, O'Gorman and Housley have worked at strong safety.

Hirschman and Rangel are the starting corners, with Geddie and Edwards pushing them hard for work in the secondary. Buxton, Housley, Frazier and Alameda are also working as corners.

The kicking game looks strong for the Cats, with Cook back as the place-kicker, and he is competing for Neale for the job of punter. Klemchuk and Chapatte "are both outstanding long snappers," said Cattolico.

So putting everything together, how does Cattolico rate this year's club?

"We should be in the hunt for a league title, and if some of the younger players progress as hoped, we could defend both the DAL and CCS titles," he said.

The Cats face a tough preseason that begins on Sept. 12, 2 p.m., at San Lorenzo Valley. Gatos then faces Oak Grove and Leland before opening league play against Wilcox.

"The tough early season schedule again can be used as a good guide to the overall season," said the coach. "But in the end, the real success will lie with at least three or four players stepping up and stepping in to make this a good team."

LG Schedule

Sept. 12: at San Lorenzo Valley, 2 p.m.

Sept. 18: Oak Grove at SJCC, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 25: Leland, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 2: Wilcox at Townsend Field,* 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 9: Mountain View, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 16: Saratoga,* 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 23: at Milpitas,* 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 30: Homestead,* 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 7: Palo Alto,* 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 13: Monta Vista at Cupertino*, 7:30 p.m.

*Denotes league game (Frosh-soph team plays at 11:30 a.m. at San Lorenzo Valley on Sept. 12, then at 3:30 p.m. at Oak Grove on Sept. 17. All other frosh-soph games precede the 7:30 p.m. varsity games at 5:15 p.m.)

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