The Monta Vista frosh-soph football team, on the other hand, ended the '02 campaign with a solid 6-4 mark.

So when the Matadors' head coach, Jeff Mueller, thinks about football, he chooses to forget the past and look to the future.

"With the addition of the talented junior class, the outlook is quite positive for Monta Vista," said Mueller, as he looks ahead to the 2003 campaign. "Last year's varsity squad was 1-9, but the frosh-soph team was 6-4, losing a few games by a small number of points."

Mueller hopes that those numbers will add up to success for this year's Monta Vista club, which he hopes he can guide up the ladder in the standings of the El Camino Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League.

The coach greets 10 comeback starters from last year's varsity squad, led by senior all-league returner Gavin Zack.

Zack (5-foot-8, 165) won all-league first-team honors as a defensive back for the Matadors last fall and doubles up as a wide receiver.

Seniors Dan Kobylenski (6-foot-3, 235) and Alex Marino (6-foot-1, 215) are returning this fall after winning all-league second-team spots in the El Camino Division in 2002.

Kobylenski, an all-league tight end last year, will move to wide receiver this season and will see double duty as a linebacker. Marino returns to the linebacker post that earned him an all-league spot, and he figures to start at running back on the offensive side.

Junior noseguard Matt Delgado (5-foot-8, 200) is another returning starter for the Mats, along with senior two-way linemen Robert Dee (6-foot-2, 265), Dan Maples (6-foot-2, 225), Jon Goldman (6-foot, 200) and Haun-Hung Wong (6-foot, 235).

Seniors Ben Cohen (6-foot-1, 200) and Travis McColskey (6-foot, 200) are a couple of returning starters at defensive end for Monta Vista. Cohen also plays wide receiver, and McColskey is a running back.

Newcomers moving up from Monta Vista's talented frosh-soph club who Mueller expects to help the varsity this fall are Jason Dias, Andrew Lane, Josh Schroeder, Jason Van Wijk and Jake Zander.

Dias (6-foot, 175) won all-league honors as a frosh-soph quarterback for the young Matadors last season and figures to take over the offense for the varsity this year.

Lane (6-foot-1, 200) won an all-league spot in the offensive line for the young Mats last year, and he'll play in the offensive line and at linebacker this season.

Schroeder (5-foot-10, 155) was an all-league defensive back as a sophomore and will play in the secondary and at wide receiver for the varsity club.

Van Wijk (5-foot-10, 190) is a two-way lineman who won an all-league defensive-line spot last year.

Zander (5-foot-9, 185) brings versatility to the varsity, having won the all-league utility spot in 2002. He figures to see action at running back, wide receiver and linebacker.

Mueller looks for Saratoga and Fremont to figure as the El Camino Division title contenders this season and predicts a "middle of the pack" finish for his own Matadors.

Monta Vista will open the 2003 season at Yerba Buena on Sept. 12, 7:30 p.m. The Matadors will play nonleague games against Willow Glen, Homestead and Palo Alto before opening the El Camino Division season at Fremont on Oct. 10.

Monta Vista 2003 Schedule

Sept. 12 at Yerba Buena 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 20 Willow Glen 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 26 at Homestead 3:30 p.m.

Oct. 2 Palo Alto 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 10 at Fremont *7:30 p.m.

Oct. 17 Cupertino *7:30 p.m.

Oct. 24 Saratoga *7:30 p.m.

Nov. 1 at Santa Clara *1:30 p.m.

Nov. 7 Lynbrook * 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 14 at Los Altos * 3:15 p.m.

*Denotes Santa Clara Valley Athletic League El Camino Division game

All home games at the Cupertino High School football field.