The Sunnyvale Sun
Cover Story
Photograph by Jacqueline Ramseyer
Homestead players (from left) Kevin Rogers, Rex Blodgett and Darnell Green are among the many talented football players featured.
Huddle Up
High school football players ready for the 2007 season
By Mike Barnhart
After an injury-plagued season in 2006 produced a disappointing 2-8 record and a winless De Anza Division slate, head coach Charlie Bostic and the Homestead Mustangs are looking forward to new life in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League's El Camino Division.
Not that the Mustangs were dropping like flies last season, but injuries did keep top senior running backs Brian Backo and Shamir Ross off of the field for some division games. However, that meant another back--Kevin Rogers--got more opportunities as the featured runner in the team's power-running attack.
Rogers ran the ball 62 times for 387 yards last season, more than six yards a carry.
With four returning starters on the offensive line and Rogers (5-8, 175) back for his senior season, Bostic believes the Mustangs can rack up big yardage, as they did in last year's Bell Game against Fremont.
Homestead rushed for 235 yards and Rogers romped for 54 of them in the 32-0 non-league shutout of Fremont, the team's only victory other than a forfeit decision over Saratoga.
"The offensive line is a strength with four returning starters," Bostic noted. "If we stay healthy, we can compete for a league title."
Opening the holes up front for Rogers and junior fullback Alex Lumidao (5-foot-9, 210) will be seniors Jeff Neale (5-foot-10, 210), Philip Birton (6-foot-2, 230) and Jefferson Arrellano (5-foot-10, 180) and junior Ben Kimure (6-foot-1, 205). Neale, an all-De Anza second-team selection last season, again will anchor the line at center.
Other linemen hopefuls are returning seniors Casey Anker (5-foot-10, 205) and Nick Nguyen (5-foot-10, 230) and junior Jack Snyder, an all-league performer on the frosh-soph level last season.
Returning seniors Penn Lillie (6-1, 175) and Courtney Dance (6-foot-1, 170) are competing for the tight end position.
Leading the offense will be senior quarterback Rex Blodgett (5-foot-9, 175), who shared the position last year with Alex Jones.
In addition to Rogers and Lumidao, seniors Darnell Green (5-foot-9, 170), J.J. Kizine (5-foot-11, 230) and Ceazar Agront (5-foot-9, 170) provide depth at the running back position.
Homestead's defensive strength will be in its linebacking corps, Bostic said.
"We have five good players competing for two spots--Birton, Anker, Lumidao, Kizine and John Batinich, the only sophomore on the team," said Bostic.
Green, a returning starter, Rogers and Agront are the top candidates in the defensive secondary. Arrellano, another returning starter, provides experience on the defensive line.
With just 32 players, several will be required to play both ways, offense and defense.
"Low numbers is a concern," Bostic said, "but not as much as if we were in the De Anza Division."
Instead, since they dropped down to the El Camino Division, the Mustangs are likely to finish among the top three along with Fremont and Saratoga, Bostic said.
A challenging preseason against three Blossom Valley Athletic League teams--Silver Creek, Branham and Leland--should prepare Homestead for its El Camino opener against Monta Vista. The Mustangs will host the Matadors on Sept. 28 at Diesner Field.
Bostic has five assistant coaches in Milo Lewis, Sam Picture, Jamode Caldwell, Paul Steffen and Leonard Morris. All but Morris worked together for the Mustangs last season.
