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A crowd of players greets De Anza staff
By Dick Sparrer
A crowd formed when the De Anza Community College football team began practicing for the fall season late this summer.
But it wasn't a crowd of spectators, it was a crowd of football players... and second-year head coach Mike Mitchell was pleased to greet them.
"We opened fall practice with the largest turnout in 10 years," said Mitchell. "Seventy-five players reported for fall camp."
And the best thing about it for Mitchell is that this is "his" football team.
"This is the first recruiting class for the new staff at De Anza, and excitement runs high," he said. "We've landed our share of top notch local recruits for the upcoming campaign."
Top new prospects for the Dons include Adam Toeniskoetter (Los Gatos), Adrian Rangel (Los Gatos) and Ben Gamble (Santa Teresa).
"Two talents we are extremely pleased with are [Toeniskoetter and Rangel]," said Mitchell. "Both boys have looked brilliant in early drills."
The newcomers join a solid cast of De Anza veterans to give the Dons an impressive squad for the 2001 season.
Quarterback Peter Salazar (Del Mar) is back from last year's club to lead the De Anza offense. Tailback Robert Harp (Del Mar), fullback Johnny Parra (Washington) and wide receivers Alex Edwards-Hastings (Santa Clara), Matt Carver (Valley Christian) and Vu Nguyen (Del Mar) are other top returners for the Dons along with tight end Frank Marotti Jr. (Prospect).
Up front, tackles David Ashkinaz (6-foot-4, 304 pounds, Oak Grove), Reed Maguire (6-foot-6, 280, Los Gatos) and Will Gandy (6-foot-3, 299) guards Brian Ashkinaz (6-foot, 260, Oak Grove) and Kata Longsworth (6-foot-1, 275, Milpitas) give the Dons size and experience in the offensive line.
Linemen Chris Frazier (6-foot-4, 237, St. Ignatius) and Nghia To (6-foot-1, 250, Milpitas), linebackers Beau Rhodes (Willow Glen), Rob Amjad (Oak Grove) and Karim Khaliki (Santa Teresa) and backs Rueben Mastin (Del Mar), Mike Cangi, Payam Shekari and Mark Smith (Valley Christian) are key returners on the defensive squad for the Dons.
Punter Jim Keil (Homestead) returns for his sophomore season.
"Our goal," added Mitchell, "is to recruit local kids and build a team from our area."
The Dons will open the 2001 season on the road when they visit San Jose City College on Sept. 7, 7 p.m. Their home opener is slated for Sept. 15, 1 p.m., against Yuba College.
De Anza Football
Fri., Sept. 7--De Anza at San Jose City, 7 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 15--Yuba at De Anza, 1 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 22--Contra Costa at De Anza, 1 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 29--De Anza at Mendocino, 1 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 5--Marin at De Anza, 1 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 20--De Anza at San Mateo, 1 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 27--De Anza at Monterey, 6 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 3--De Anza at Hartnell, 7 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 10--West Valley at De Anza, 1 p.m.
Sat. Nov. 17--Gavilan at De Anza, 1 p.m.
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Sunnyvale, California Since 1994
