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Mike Janda and his Bellarmine Bells have been familiar faces in the Central Coast Section playoffs over the years and have become accustomed to extended seasons.
After winning or sharing three straight West Catholic Athletic League titles from 1995 to 1997, the Bells have missed the playoffs only one year since then. In 2003, they advanced to the second round in the CCS Division I playoffs. The combination of playing in the always tough WCAL and fielding a group of inexperienced players could present Janda a challenge to keep that tradition alive.
"We are a very young team this year with only two defensive and three offensive starters returning," Janda said.
Out of 10 WCAL all-league selections in 2003, only senior John Gill (6-foot-4, 290 pounds) returns. Gill will anchor part of the offensive line. Helping provide a foundation up front will be returning starter junior Tim Dancer (6-foot-3, 270).
"One of our strengths is that we have two returning starters on the offensive line," the coach said.
That experience on the offensive line could prove to be invaluable to the success of the Bells this year. Bellarmine lost a lot of pop at the running back slot to graduation and may have to depend on a strong offensive line to generate a consistent ground game until the offensive backfield is solidified. Senior fullback David Abraham (5-foot-7, 183) is the lone returning starter in the backfield and looks to ramble through the holes opened up by that line.
Janda sees the major weaknesses of the 2004 Bells as being "quite a bit inexperienced in the backfield and on defense." The defense will be bolstered by the return of starters senior Steve McGovern (6-foot-1, 188) at cornerback and junior Jalal Beauchman (6-foot-4, 190) at safety.
Janda will be counting on a number of players that have been waiting in the wings to step up and fill some crucial roles both offensively and defensively.
Junior Matt Zuniga (5-foot-11, 170) is a strong candidate to earn the start at quarterback. Zuniga will be flinging passes in the direction of wide receivers senior Kevin Madden (6-foot-2, 176), senior Blaze Silberman (6-foot, 182) and senior Jon Yee (6-foot-1, 175). This trio could also see action on the defensive side of the ball in the defensive backfield.
Battling for opportunities to log some time carrying the pigskin will be running backs junior Joe Borromeo (5-foot-8, 176) and seniors Andrew Robb (6-foot, 187) and Hiroaki Rodriguez (6-foot, 179). Robb and Borromeo combined for more than 325 yards rushing and each scored a touchdown in Bellarmine's season opener, a 30-0 win over North Monterey County last Friday night.
Robb and Rodriguez will also be called upon to meet opposing runners from their linebacker spots as well.
Digging in to anchor the offensive and defensive lines and provide a solid foundation to build upon will be seniors Robert Woblesky (6-foot, 213), Eric Jauch (6-foot, 202) and Tyler Anthony (6-foot-3, 270).
Janda will have his hands full and his troops will be tested right out of the starting gate. Three of Bellarmine's four pre-season contests are against perennially strong teams from tough leagues. The Bells won the first one against 2003 Monterey Bay League co-champ North Monterey County. They will also travel to face Piedmont Hills (Sept. 10) from the Mt. Hamilton Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League and San Benito (Sept. 24), which finished second last year in the Tri-County League.
The Bells open WCAL play when they host Riordan on Oct. 1. Janda may have caught a break in the league schedule since the Bells will not face traditional powerhouses such as Mitty, St. Francis and Valley Christian until the final three weeks of the regular league season. This could work in Bellarmine's favor, giving the Bells time to battle test that group of young unproven players. But as anyone who follows the WCAL knows, the competition is always strong each week and wins are hard to come by no matter the opponent.
Janda sees Valley Christian as the team to beat in 2004 and the most likely candidate to grab the WCAL title. The Bells will square off against the Warriors in the final game of the regular season which gives Janda time to mold and shape the 2004 Bells into the contender he would like to see them become.
It just might turn out that a league title is on the line for that Nov. 6 encounter with Valley Christian. Since Janda has 20 years of experience as the head coach at Bellarmine and an impressive track record of developing outstanding teams during that time, it's probably not a good idea to bet against it.
Bellarmine 2004
Football Schedule
Sept. 3, N. Monterey County, 7 p.m.
Sept. 10, at Piedmont Hills, 7 p.m.
Sept. 17, Bartlett, 7 p.m.
Sept. 24, at San Benito, 7 p.m.
Oct. 1, Archbishop Riordan, 7 p.m. *
Oct. 9, at St. Ignatius, 2 p.m. *
Oct. 15, Serra, 7 p.m. *
Oct. 22, at Mitty, 7 p.m.*
Oct. 29, St. Francis, 7 p.m.*
Nov. 6, at Valley Christian, 2 p.m. *
* Denotes West Catholic Athletic League game
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