Photograph by Robert Scheer
Fremont's Darren Lang (left) and Luke Donigan bring down Willow Glen's no. 4.
By DICK SPARRER
If numbers are any indication, the Fremont football team should be twice as good in 1996 as it was last year.
And guess what? The Indians just might be and then some.
"We're a much-improved team," second-year head coach Ron DeMonner admitted as he looked back on a one-win season and checked out his '96 crew. "We had 24 kids out last year, and we have 47 this year."
Of course, DeMonner knows all too well that football is more than a numbers game. But he also knows that Fremont has more than just numbers this fall--the Indians have dedication, solid coaches, more than a little talent and size.
"We worked hard in the off-season," he said. "We have a great group of volunteer assistant coaches, a talented backfield and huge offensive and defensive lines."
And the Indians have even more than that. They have a hungry pack of returners who have every intention of turning Fremont into a winner in the 1996 season.
All-league returners Roy Ross and Jerrick Powell head up the list the Fremont lettermen.
Ross (5-foot-11, 170 pounds) is a senior wide receiver who earned all-league first-team honors in the El Camino Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League last year.
Powell (5-foot-10, 180) is back for his senior season at tailback after running for 730 yards as a junior. He earned all-league second-team honors for his efforts.
Senior Tony Brown (5-foot-10, 220) will join Powell in the backfield. Brown is a fullback and inside linebacker who DeMonner calls a "very good player."
Senior quarterback Lamar Harvey (5-foot-11, 165) will lead the Fremont offensive into action this season.
"He's a versatile quarterback," DeMonner said. "He can run and throw."
Senior Manuel Hernandez and juniors Warren Rick and Justin Stichter are top prospects up front for the Indians.
Hernandez (6-foot-2, 260) is a big defensive lineman with a "strong lower body," DeMonner said.
Rick (6-foot-7, 308) is a junior offensive tackle who DeMonner considers to be a "blue chip prospect," and Stichter (5-foot-11, 215) is a "versatile two-way player," the coach said. Stichter will see action in both the offensive and defensive lines, at fullback and at inside linebacker.
DeMonner expects to get a good deal of help from junior Tully Banta-Cain (6-foot-2, 190) and sophomore Ozzie Villagomez (6-foot-5, 320), both talented players coming up from the frosh-soph. Banta-Cain is a prospect at tight end and outside linebacker, and Villagomez is an offensive tackle.
Anthony Roberson (6-foot-1, 190), a senior transfer out of Dallas, is a top wide receiver for the Indians.
Junior Mike Barreras (5-foot-11, 190) is an outstanding prospect at noseguard.
"He's the strongest, quickest kid on the team," DeMonner said of Barreras.
DeMonner picks Mountain View as the team to beat in the division this fall. But the blend of solid returners and talented newcomers at Fremont give him good reason for optimism in 1996--and good reason to expect the Indians to beat twice as good this year as last... and then some.
Fremont opener
The Indians will be home to open the 1996 season when they host San Jose on Sept. 13, 7:30 p.m., in a non-league game at Diesner Field. The varsity game will be preceded by a 5:30 p.m. frosh-soph game.
The complete Fremont 1996 schedule follows:
Fri., Sept. 13 San Jose at Fremont 7:30 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 21 Lincoln at Fremont 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 27 Monta Vista at Fremont 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 4 Santa Clara at Townsend Field * 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 11 Cupertino at Fremont* 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 18 at Gunn * 3 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 25 Mountain View at Fremont *# 6 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 1 at Los Altos * 3 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 8 Homestead at Fremont 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 15 Lynbroook at Fremont * 7:30 p.m.
(All varsity 7:30 p.m. games are preceded by frosh-soph games at 5:30 p.m. The frosh-soph will play Thursdays, Oct. 17, at Gunn; Oct. 24, against Mountain View at Fremont; and Oct. 31, at Los Altos.)
* Denotes league games
# Denotes Homecoming game
This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, September 11, 1996.
©1996 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.