Giants football preps for season opener, set for 11 a.m. Sept. 2 vs. Butte

By Nick Giannandrea

COS ATHLETICS

Half a century has passed since the only state football championship in College of the Sequoias' history.

It's been more than two decades since the Giants have captured a conference championship.

And it's been 11 seasons since Sequoias' last defeated rival Fresno City.

Fourth-year coach Travis Burkett and his staff have assembled an 82-man roster who will attempt to end those droughts, while extending a streak of playing in a bowl during the past three championship seasons.

The Giants open at 11 a.m. Sept. 2 against Butte in the first game at Sequoias Stadium, the college's new 3,000-seat campus facility. General admission tickets are $10 and $5 for seniors, veterans and college staff. Sequoias students and children 9 and under are free.

"We want to beat our rivals, and we expect to put a product on the field that represents our brand and this college," Burkett said. "We want to be Valley Conference, Northern California, California and national champions. That's what we set out every day to have the results look like."

The Giants have undergone considerable turnover since going 6-5 and ending last season ranked No. 20 in the state by the JC Athletic Bureau's Coaches Poll.

Burkett will have a new quarterback for the first time since arriving at Sequoias after a three-year stint as an assistant at NCAA Division I UNLV.

With two-year starter and former Tulare Union High standout Nathan Lamb now at Western Illinois, sophomores Clark Coleman (Vancouver, 

Wa.) and Sadler Smith (Jackson Hole, Wyo.); as well as freshmen Riley Garcia (Gilbert, Ariz.) and Hunter Maxwell (Mesa, Ariz.) are competing for the quarterback job.

The Giants' leading rusher from last season -- Danny Olivera (Firebaugh) -- is back, along with experienced running backs John Friend (Pearland, Texas), David Alcantar (Tulare Western) and Aaron Moreno (Selma). Olivera had 540 yards and five touchdowns last season.

Freshmen Dylan Gurule (Highlands Ranch, Colo.), Kenroy Higgins (Oakland), Ivan Bunakov (Russia) and Adam Ceballos (Strathmore) round out the depth chart at running back.

Tae Marks (Vancouver, Wa.),. who caught 11 passes for 214 yards and three touchdowns last season, is Sequoias' leading returning receiver. Also returning at receiver are A.J. Dixson (Vancouver, Wa.), Zeke Dixson (Vancouver, Wa.), Camren Hemzacek (Corvallis, Ore.) and Valek Douglas (Porterville). Sophomore transfer Jaylen Laudermilk (Ashburn, Va.) and Wailoa Manuel (Honolulu, Hawaii), and freshmen Leo Blumentritt (Germany), Nigel Winters (Chicago); Moses Farmer (Portland, Ore.), Noah Williams 9McKinney, Texas) and Nick Nelson (El Diamante) also provide depth at receiver.

At tight end, converted running back James Adams (South Lake Tahoe) is the Giants long returner. Newcomers include sophomores Pierson Morelli (League City, Wa.), Shane Pond (Buchanan-Clovis), Alex Herrera (Linden) and Chris Camy (El Diamante), and freshman Steven Lucas (Kennedy-Delano).

"We've got multiple guys we'd like to distribute the ball to," Burkett said of his skill position players.

Sophomore offensive linemen Jakob Guzman (Corcoran) and Willie Asalele (American Samoa) helped Sequoias average 359.5 yards per game last season. Abel Barajas (Porterville) and Ulises Salazar-Casian (Alpaugh) have experience in the program, while sophomores Nathan Chavez (Orosi) and Alejandro Arnaiz (Miami), and freshmen Hector Hernandez (Gallop, N.M.), Josue Flores (Hanford), Karson Seaman (Los Molinos), Clayton Loney (Atascadero) and Dedrick Payne (Denver) are in the mix to play on the offensive line.

"We like our people on the line of scrimmage," Burkett said.

On defense, the Giants have four returning linemen, led by Hayden Scott (Porterville), who had 15 tackles and 2.5 sacks last season. Also returning are Rhett Sarvela (Vancouver, Wa.), Tywun Gordon (Orlando, Fla.), Taaj Andrews (Boston) and Julian Castillo (Corcoran). Additional depth on the defensive line comes from freshmen Michael Powell (Clarksville, Ark.), Deshawn Jenkins (Vacherie, La.), DeAnthony Burks (Palmdale), Liam Lyck (Germany), Lakota Bailey (Portland, Ore.), Forrest Barnes (Mt. Whitney), and Andres Rodriguez (Cesar Chavez-Delano).

Burkett said a pair of locals -- sophomore Caleb Chennault (Hanford) and Cole Dias (Kingsburg) -- are expected to play large roles at linebacker. Sophomores Davonte Brown (Golden West), Matthew Lopez (Mt. Whitney), Otton Roca (Croatia) and Kelton Law (Winter Garden, Fla.), and freshmen Isaiah Huihui (Queen Creek, Ariz.), Josiah Perez (Monache-Porterville), Will Henderson (Immanuel-Reedley), Fagali'i Leatutufu (Wahiawa, Hawaii), Jake Morones (Paso Robles), Roberto Vargas (Tracy) and Tovie Martin (Clovis) are also in the mix at linebacker.

Returning strong safety Julian Espinoza (Tulare Union) is expected to be the leader of a secondary that also includes returners Marcus Aparicio (Strathmore), Glen Mackey (Hanford) and Louis Sanders (Missoula, Mt.), and newcomers in Justin Collins (Baton Rouge, La.), Derrick Jones (New Orleans, La.); Gary Turner (Atlanta), Jah'mere La'sane (Las Vegas, Nev.), Jaylon Brown (Chandler, Ariz.), Xavier Hailey (Tulare Union), My'Quel Johnson (Las Vegas), juan Rodriguez (Kerman) and Richie Diaz (Lindsay).

"The big thing our coaches and players have done is instill the habits and protocols and standard of effort in practice and in the weight room," Burkett said. "That's where we expect to make a big jump defensively. We have really high expectations here."

Sequoias brings back all of its specialists in kick/punt returner Alcantar, kicker Kurt Kawamoto (Honolulu, Hawaii), punter Mark Melanson (Las Vegas, Nev.) and long snapper Michael Nakao (Hanford).

 Alcantar averaged 26.4 yards per kickoff return while bringing one back for a touchdown last season.

Kawamoto made three field goals and 23 point-after tries, while Melanson averaged 39.1 yards per punt while placing 20 inside the opponents' 20-yard line.

"I'm excited about our team," Burkett said. "We have a genuine group of guys who understand what it's like to be a college football player and what it means to be a COS Giant."

Sequoias beat Butte 39-33 last season in Oroville. The Roadrunners went on to finish 7-4, losing 13-10 to Fresno City in the season-ending Northern California Bowl.

The Giants ended last season with a 34-24 loss to San Francisco in the Golden State Bowl.