HERRICK RETURNS FOR VALENCIA VIKINGS REBUILDING AROUND STAR QUARTERBACK.Byline: Gerry Gittelson Staff Writer The good news is Valencia High's football team returns Michael Herrick, who passed for more than 4,000 yards last season and is on pace to break California's career yardage yard·age 1 n. 1. An amount or length measured in yards. 2. Cloth sold by the yard. Noun 1. record. The bad news is just about every other key starter from last year's Southern Section Div. II finalist has graduated - the notable exceptions are standout running back Shane Vereen and defensive back Michael Robotham - so there's a lot of new faces in Herrick's supporting cast. Even the head coach, former offensive coordinator An offensive coordinator typically refers to the coach on a football team in the National Football League or College football who is in charge of the offense. This position aids the head coach by designing and scripting plays, delegating work to offensive position coaches during Larry Muir, is new. Can a group of honored upstarts successfully defend the Foothill League title against perennial state powers Hart and Canyon, which have averaged more than 10 wins the past three seasons? We shall see. Herrick is quite a nucleus for any high school football team. After passing for more than 3,000 yards as a sophomore, he followed by completing 66.4 percent of his passes for 4,065 yards and accounting for 33 touchdowns (27 passing, six running) in a remarkable season. He needs 2,768 yards to become the first Californian to surpass 10,000 yards. Vereen also is terrific. As a sophomore last season, he rushed for 1,389 yards, caught 57 passes and scored 32 touchdowns - including 18 in five league contests, all victories. The 5-foot-11, 171-pounder is bigger, stronger and faster, and he's slated to start as a cornerback this season, too. Vereen also is a dangerous kick returner who returned a punt 70 yards for a touchdown on the first play of a scrimmage last week. Chris Vandepas and Matt Goetz are the only returning offensive linemen, and both should play pivotal roles. Junior Virgil Hill Virgil Eugene Hill (born January 18, 1964 Clinton, Missouri) is a Joplin, Missouri fighter partly of Native American heritage, who forged a solid connection between the state of North Dakota and the sport of boxing. , a promising speedster speed·ster n. 1. One who drives very fast. 2. A fast car. who led the JV team in receptions a year ago, and Canyon transfer Taylor Sellnow are among several newcomers at receiver. Defensively, Valencia graduated its veteran linebacking corps, which included Daily News Defensive Player of the Year Anthony DiFilippo, and this season every defensive lineman is new, because Travis Marziani and Travis Quesada have moved to linebacker. Robotham, one of the league's top returning cornerbacks, is back. An intriguing transfer is Rickie Crouch, who has arrived from Crenshaw cren·shaw also cran·shaw n. A variety of winter melon (Cucumis melo var. inodorus) having a greenish-yellow rind and sweet, usually salmon-pink flesh. [Origin unknown.] of Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. and has won a spot as the starting safety. If nothing else, it should be an interesting year for Valencia, which isn't afforded the luxury of tip-toeing into the season thanks to a grueling nonleague schedule that includes an opening matchup Friday at Div. I power Bishop Amat of La Puente La Puente (lä pwĕn`tē), city (1990 pop. 36,955), Los Angeles co., S Calif., a suburb of Los Angeles; laid out 1841, inc. 1956. Primarily residential, the city manufactures hardware, electronics, and paper products. , - plus games against Birmingham of Lake Balboa Balboa, town (1990 pop. 2,751), Colón prov., in the former Panama Canal Zone, on the Gulf of Panama. The port for Panama City, Balboa was the administrative headquarters of the Panama Canal Zone. It was also the site of a U.S. navy base (closed 1999). , St. John Bosco "Don Bosco" redirects here. For other uses, see Bosco (disambiguation). Saint Don Bosco, born Giovanni Melchiorre Bosco, and known in English as John Bosco of Bellflower bellflower, in botany bellflower or bluebell, name commonly used as a comprehensive term for members of the Campanulaceae, a family of chiefly herbaceous annuals or perennials of wide distribution, characteristically found on dry and Notre Dame Notre Dame IPA: [nɔtʁ dam] is French for Our Lady, referring to the Virgin Mary. In the United States of America, Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks, all of which advanced to at least the second round of the playoffs last season. Gerry Gittelson, (661) 257-5218 gerry.gittelson(at)dailynews.com POSITION-BY-POSITION ANALYSIS QUARTERBACK Herrick is as good as it gets, a strong-armed, accurate passer who is a natural leader and effective scrambler A device or software program that encrypts data for security purposes. See scramble. . The 6-2, 163-pounder has committed early to Mississippi, so the pressure of recruiting won't be an issue. Returning backup Michael Neiberger is solid, but he won't see much action, barring a Herrick injury. RUNNING BACK Vereen, the son of former pro football player Henry Vereen, came on strong last season, amassing most of his production the final third of the season. He's added some muscle, which means he ought to break more tackles this season, and he's a bit faster, too, which likely will lead to more breakaway touchdowns. In Valencia's one-back system, there are many opportunites for others to see the football. RECEIVERS Jason Engleberg, who made 21 receptions as a part-time starter last year, is the only experienced returning receiver. Neall Brick and Sellnow looked good during the summer, and Hill could make a major impact if he recovers from a knee injury suffered in June. LINE Offensively, Vandepas and Goetz (who has switched to center) provide experience, and Christian Sanchez, Eric Ivarsson, Michael Mauceri, Ben Warner and Wilson Gonzalez are competing for the remaining three spots. Defensively, coach Muir really likes his ends, Eric Iverson and Matt Mastro. LINEBACKER Marziani, the team's top hitter, had 60 tackles and seven sacks last year. Others expected to make an impact are Quesada (40 tackles last year) and Keith Klemens. SECONDARY Expected to be the strength of the defense. Robotham (71 tackles, five interceptions) is among the league's most productive defenders after receiving first-team all-league acclaim last year. Vereen, who has won a job as the starting cornerback, figures to be a natural because of his quickness and athleticism. Crouch is starting, but Hill and Chris Koshak will make a strong push for playing time. SPECIAL TEAMS An important priority, because school record-holding place-kicker Brian Malette is now at UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX . Ricky Drake will handle kickoffs, and Ryan Smith For the hockey player see Ryan Smyth. Ryan Smith may refer to:
CAPTION(S): 2 photos, 4 boxes Photo: (1) Michael Herrick has returned to the Valencia High's football team. Evan Yee/Staff Photographer (2) Shane Vereen Box: (1) POSITION-BY-POSITION ANALYSIS (see text) (2) NUMBERS GAME (3) SCHEDULE (4) VARSITY ROSTER |
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