Willow Glen Resident

Cover Story

Photograph by Vicki Thompson

Willow Glen linebacker Charlie Findeisen is among the many talented football players featured in a special section in today's Willow Glen Resident.

Huddle Up

High school football players get ready for the 2007 season

By Dick Sparrer

When Ron Capurso was a quarteback at Gunderson High School, his Grizzlies were the best team in the Santa Teresa Athletic League two years running, and Willow Glen was one of his school's biggest rivals.

Now, more than 20 years later, the situation has changed.

The Grizzlies appear to be contenders again, now in the Santa Teresa Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League. But Willow Glen is no longer Gunderson's rival--heck, the Rams aren't even playing in the same division.

But they do have one thing going for them--Capurso.

The former Gunderson quarterback is the new head coach at Willow Glen, and he takes over a team that is the defending champion in the BVAL's West Valley Division, but a team that was hard hit by commencement ceremonies last spring.

"This is my first year at Willow Glen and we took a big hit, losing 20 players off last year's championship team due to graduation," said the veteran coach whose last stint was down the road at San Jose Academy. "We have 10 returning seniors back, and with them lies our success."

Comeback all-leaguers Charlie Findeisen, a solid 6-foot-4, 215-pound senior who doubles as a tight end and defensive end, and Mike Gibilisco, a speedy 5-foot-9, 150-pound junior who goes both ways as a wide receiver and free safety, lead the Willow Glen attack this fall.

Findeisen was selected the Junior of the Year and Gibilisco the Sophomore of the Year in the West Valley Division last year after they helped the Rams to a 6-0 finish in league play and to a 10-2 record overall.

Jose Gutierrez (6-foot, 245), Ricky Huynh (5-foot-9, 155), Bobby Lopez (5-foot-9, 160) and Schuyler Ross (6-foot-1, 200) join Findeisen as strong senior returners for Willow Glen

"They give us a solid nucleus to build our team around," said Capurso of his senior leaders, "and Gibilisco is a returning all-league player and will be a major part of our squad."

Gutierrez will be the big man up front for the Rams, leading the club in both the offensive and defensive lines as a tackle. Ross will start up front offensively at guard and will serve double duty as an inside linebacker.

Huynh has the tough task of replacing last season's West Valley Division Most Valuable Player, Marcos Garces, but Capurso is looking for big things from the senior running back this fall. Huynh will also start at cornerback for the Rams.

Lopez will be Huynh's running mate in the Willow Glen backfield, starting at fullback for the Rams. He'll also play one of the outside linebacker spots.

Rounding out the list of seniors on the Willow Glen club are Kurtis Smith (5-foot-9, 155), wide receiver and cornerback; Matt Ward (6-foot, 160), wide receiver and cornerback; Johnny Picazo (6-foot, 150), wide receiver and outside linebacker; Jared Castillo (6-foot, 170), fullback and outside linebacker; Robert Morrey (5-foot-10, 190), guard and middle linebacker; Joe Rojas (6-foot, 240), guard and defensive tackle; Robert Allen (6-foot-1, 260), offensive and defensive tackle; and Daniel Vega (6-foot-1, 170), tight end and defensive end.

Capurso is hoping that the senior leadership will help his club contend in the West Valley Division this fall.

"Our league will be a good one, so we will have to improve throughout the year and stay healthy to contend," he said.

The coach picks Andrew Hill as the league title favorite and says his Rams will finish "hopefully in the upper half."

Willow Glen faces a bye in the first week of the regular season before opening up a nine-game schedule on Sept. 14, 7 p.m., against Monta Vista at Cupertino High School. After visiting Del Mar on Sept. 22, the Rams open up at home on Sept. 28 against Prospect.

The division season begins on Oct. 5, and Willow Glen faces league favorite Hill right out of the chute. The Rams host the Falcons on Oct. 5.