State No. 23-ranked Giants set to launch football season at No. 8 Butte

By Nick Giannandrea

COS ATHLETICS

Expectations are on the rise for College of the Sequoias' football team.

After posting sub-.500 records in 16 of the past 21 seasons before the arrival of coach Travis Burkett, the Giants went 6-5 in 2021 and won a postseason bowl for the first time in 30 years.

With 31 returning players listed by Burkett among the team's two-deep depth chart, and a talented class of freshmen recruits, Sequoias looks to build on last year's success when it opens the 2022 season Sept. 3 on the road against Butte.

The Giants enter ranked No. 23 in the state by the JC Athletic Bureau. The Roadrunners, who went 7-4 last season, are ranked No. 8.

Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Oroville.

Sequoias will be playing for the first time since a dramatic 40-39 overtime win over Merced in the Valley Center Bowl on Dec. 2, 2021.

"Our goal is to win every game. And we expect to win here," Burkett said. "We did what we were supposed to do in that (Valley Center) Bowl. Now, we're focused on Butte and doing what we need to do to beat Butte."

Six All-Valley Conference selections highlight the Giants' group of returners, including quarterback Nate Lamb (Tulare Union High), who passed for 2,271 yards and 16 touchdowns last season. He'll be backed up by Clark Coleman (Vancouver).

"When you have your quarterback back, that's a good thing," Burkett said.

Lamb will operate behind an offensive line that features all-conference selection Jakob Guzman (Corcoran), along with fellow returners Tyler Ball (Redwood), Matthew Sanchez (Tulare Western), Caleb Walker (El Diamante) and Willie Asalele (American Samoa).

"We're excited about what (assistant) coach (Darian) Warford has done with the offensive line," Burkett said. "All these returning guys really did a great job of developing their bodies, getting bigger, faster and stronger."

Lamb has a deep group of receiving targets, including returners Willie Neal (Fort Myers, Fla.) and Tae Marks (Vancouver), and newcomers R.J. Holmes (Tulare Western), Alex Ledesma (Mission Oak), DeWayne Coleman (Exeter), Willie James (Tulare Union), A.J. Dixson (Vancouver) and Zeke Dixson (Vancouver).

Tight ends Anthony Valencia (Mt. Whitney) and Jake Tarwater (South Lake Tahoe) will also be targets for Lamb.

John Friend (Pearland, Texas) is the Giants top returning running back, having gained 278 yards and one touchdown on 78 carries last season. The Giants also have Tairyn Johnson (Tulare Union), Aidan Galvan (Monache), Danny Olivera (Firebaugh) and Zemare Harvin (Fort Myers, Fla.) pushing for carries, and fullbacks James Adams (South Lake Tahoe) and Josh Sousa (Central Valley Christian paving the way.

"We have a really deep running back room," Burkett said. "We believe in running to win here. We feel good about our running backs and fullbacks. And we have some outstanding tight ends."

Defensively, Sequoias' 3-4 base features four returning all-conference performers in lineman Rhett Sarvela (Vancouver),  inside linebackers Isaak Guzman (Porterville) and Lonnie Wessel (Golden West) and safety Michael Wessel (Golden West).

"We're thrilled with the development of the heart of our defense up the middle," Burkett said. 

The defensive line also features experienced players in Michael Machado (Tulare Western), Isaiah Jackson (Tulare Western), Shayden Molina (Honolulu) and Terrance Irons (Fort Myers), and newcomers Hayden Scott (Porterville), Tywun Gordon (Adairsville, Ga.).

Sequoias' outside linebacker group includes sophomores Anthony Vaca (Madera South), Kevin Chavez (Wasco), Michael Gary (Fort Myers) and freshman Tokyo Gordon (Adairsville, Ga.), while sophomore Dorrian Felix (Fort Myers, Fla) and freshman Caleb Chennault (Hanford) provide addition depth at inside linebacker.

An experienced secondary is led by sophomore safeties Jimmy Pouba (Chicago), Brendan Feeney (Vancouver), freshman safety Julian Espinoza (Tulare Union), sophomore corners Amar Smith (Las Vegas), Benjamin Hayward (Cape Coral, Fla.), Delvon Fegans (Fort Myers) and Zavion Battle (Fort Myers).

"Our defensive guys understand we have an expectation in all three phases to swarm the football," Burkett said. "A defensive unit that is committed to that and pushing the tempo will permeate the rest of the team."

Specialists include kicker Kurt Kawamoto (Honolulu), kickoff specialist Alberto Nunez (Golden West), punter Mike Melanson (Las Vegas), retuner DeWayne Coleman (Exeter), deep snapper Sullivan Focke (Monache), short snapper Michael Nakao (Hanford) and holder Melanson.

"We've got a great group of young men. We have some really good guys here," Burkett said. "I'm excited for them to go out and compete and play winning football."

Sequoias' first home game is set for 11 a.m. Sept. 10 against state No. 4-ranked San Mateo.

The Giants' also play at San Joaquin Delta at 1 p.m. Sept. 17, host Shasta at 11 a.m. Sept. 24 and conclude their nonconference schedule against No. 17 Diablo Valley at 7 p.m. Sept. 30.

Sequoias opens Valley Conference play against No. 10 Fresno City at 1 p.m. Oct. 15. The rest of the conference schedule sees the Giants host No. 18 Reedley at 1 p.m. Oct. 22, host Sacramento City at 1 p.m. Oct. 29, play at No. 11 Modesto at 5 p.m. Nov. 5 and host No. 24 Contra Costa at 1 p.m. Nov. 12.