COS getting ready to take the field at Sequoias Stadium (Photo by Norma Foster).

September 29, 2023

COS Football vs. Diablo Valley College Game Notes

COS Football hosts DVC in the final non conference match up of the season on Saturday September 30th at 11am at Sequoias Stadium.

GAME NOTES . . .

College of the Sequoias vs. Diablo Valley College

Saturday, September 30, 2023—Sequoias Stadium

SEQUOIAS STADIUM: The Giants will be playing their third game in the newly constructed stadium, with the playing field named for former coach Al Branco. The giant scoreboard clock, which has been inoperable the first two games, should be working today.

RECORDS: Diablo Valley is 1-3, losing their opener to Fresno and getting shut out by Butte. That was followed by a win over Shasta, and last week a loss to Reedley. After losses to Butte and San Mateo to open the season, Sequoias has evened its record at 2-2 with victories over San Joaquin Delta and an impressive, come-from-behind win at Shasta last weekend. The Giants were down 31-14 at the half, then outscored Shasta 20-0 in the third quarter to take the lead. The Knights kicked a fourth quarter field goal to tie the game, and a 32-yard field goal in the overtime period gave them the lead. On COS' first play, Jaylen Laudermilk went untouched with a 25-yard run on a reverse to give the Giants the win.

SERIES: COS leads 7-3. The first game was in the 1989 Sequoias Bowl game. The Giants won the first five meetings. This is the third consecutive year the schools have played. DVC won last year 50-43 in overtime.

RANKINGS: COS moved up 5 spots this week in the JC Athletic Bureau state rankings, as the Giants are now ranked 20th in the state. They are also ranked 9th among Northern California teams. Diablo Valley is unranked.

COACHES: COS head coach Travis Burkett is now in his fourth season, having been hired in April of 2020. His career record at COS is 14-14. Burkett has 15 prior seasons as an assistant at the Division 1 level, most recently as the running backs coach at Nevada-Las Vegas. He was also an assistant at Cornell for 10 seasons. Travis starred at San Luis Obispo High before advancing to St. Mary's College on scholarship, where he earned a degree in history. Burkett is the 22nd head coach in COS history. The new DVC coach is Austin Kiraly, who is in his third year on the staff. He was the offensive line/tight ends coach the last two years. Kiraly played against COS when he competed for Feather River College. He earned a bachelor's degree from Wisconsin-Eau Claire and a master's from Concordia. Prior to coming to DVC, Kiraly coached one season at Sul Ross State (Texas) and three seasons at Butte. The Vikings' co-defensive coordinator is former head coach Ed Hall (1983-94), whose 79 career victories are the most of any DVC coach and earned him a spot in the college's Hall of Fame.

VIKINGS: Diablo Valley's offense has two returning all-conference players, running back Gavin Cribb and wide receiver Mekel Ealy. Another returning starter is receiver Elijah Alonso. Top newcomers include transfers Brian Pierce and Damani Burrell (WR), and freshmen running back Sean Davis and linemen Logan Loy and Toby Bunch. The Vikings have had trouble running the ball—their season high was 68 yards vs. Fresno and since have gained 19, 39 and 39 yards the last three games. Ealy has 22 catches for 272 yards, with a high of 9 receptions vs. Fresno. Pierce is the second leading receiver with 14. Sophomore quarterback Jerry Johnson has thrown for 809 yards, with 5 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. Returning starters on defense include linebackers Niko Bohler and Marcus Nunes, and backs Jaden Price and Adrian Mashia. Other standout players have been linebacker Isaiah Nobriga, back from two seasons ago; lineman Amari Comier, and backs Anthony Henry and Marcel Anderson.

GIANTS: The Giant secondary will have its work cut out for it this week, facing a Viking team that passes around 75 percent of the time. And look for the offense to play ball control and take time off the clock, to keep the defense rested. Standouts in the Shasta victory included running back Dylan Gurule (team leading 82 yards rushing), defensive lineman Rhett Sarvela (7 tackles, sack, 2.5 tackles for loss), linebacker Caleb Chennault (6 stops, sack, 1 TFL), offensive linemen Jacob Guzman and Shane Pond, tight end Alex Herrera, receivers Nick Nelson and Laudermilk, and defensive back Jaylon Brown (interception).Kurt Kawamoto missed his first extra point of the season last week, but has still made 15-16 and is 2-4 in field goals. He is tied for 20th in the state in kick scoring…Mike Melanson has a 37.1 punting average, which ranks 15th in the state and eighth among NorCal punters…Giants will need to work on eliminating penalties. 10 for 110 yards last week hindered the performance.

NOTES: Seven COS opponents are ranked this week, led by No. 1 San Mateo. Butte is ranked 7th in the state and 4th in NorCal, Contra Costa is 10th and 5th, Reedley 15th and 7th, Modesto 17th and 8th, and Fresno and Sacramento are tied for 26th and tied for 10th…most of the state, including COS, take a week off and then will begin conference play October 14. The Giants will host Fresno that day at 1 o'clock.

Team Logs:

Diablo Valley (1-3)

13 Fresno 19

0 Butte 51

25 Shasta 13

20 Reedley 37

COS (2-2) 20 Butte 23 OT

21 San Mateo 49

42 Delta 7

40 Shasta 37 OT

2023 VALLEY CONFERENCE FOOTBALL STANDINGS (non-conference games)

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