Cover 3 Sports Podcast
The Cover 3 Sports Podcast is a weekly show that highlights local sports in Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties.
Cover 3 Sports Podcast
Prep Football Jamborees and Catching Up in San Benito County
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In this week’s episode, Juan Reyes and John Devine check in with sports reporter Gordon Kass to get an update on what’s happening in San Benito County.
Then the guys take time to chat with Cabrillo College football head coach Anthony Romero to see how things are going in Fog City (Aptos).
And finally, we’ll round up our football camp tour this week and preview some of the jamborees going on this weekend.
We’ll have all this and more on… the Cover 3 Sports Podcast.
Editor's note: Portions of this episode were recorded Aug. 20, 2026.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cover_3_sports_podcast/
Music provided by Bensound.com
I mean it's uh what is it's only week three two week three false season and I can kinda I can kind of feel the gas tank starting to go down just a little. You know, we need we need a lot, you know. I mean we we we still got a whole way to go, but uh but yeah, now now we're here. Jamborees scrimmages this weekend. Uh it's uh with that song, it's the most wonderful time of the year. Oh no, don't do it one, don't do it. But uh no, like I said, I mean we're we're we're we're here. I mean it it it just seems like uh like yesterday we were talking about barely going on our football tour and jamborees, scrimmages. It's it's it's here, it's here, John. It's here.
SPEAKER_03And I think most coaches and players already, I mean, uh out at a lot of practices this past week. I saw the aggression of some of these players, uh maybe I don't know if they've taken a little too far, but just kind of had that look in their face. And you could tell by the coaches like, you know what, we need to hit somebody else.
SPEAKER_01Yep, yep, a different colored jersey for sure. Uh well, yeah. I mean, we we still have uh a lot of prep football to to talk about here, and uh may maybe we'll delve into some college pig skin, especially with uh today's special guest. So uh what are we waiting for? Let's uh let's get this party started. In this week's episode, we'll check in with sports reporter Gordon Cass to get an update on what's happening in San Benito County. Then we'll take time to chat with real college football metal to see how things are going in Fox City. And finally, we'll round up our football camp for this week and preview some of the uh images going on this weekend. We'll have all this and more on the Cover Three Sports Podcast. When we launched the Cover Three Sports Podcast, we intended to include San Benito County, hence the name Cover Three, three counties. But uh I feel like we've been leaving Hollister High and even Anzar out of the mix. And I I I I I guess we should just you know get a little update here and let's take a drive down state Route 156, where we check in with sports reporter Gordon Cass. Gordon, how was your summer, man, since uh winding up that spring and baseball, softball, playoffs, all that good stuff.
SPEAKER_02Thanks for checking in, Juan. Uh I had a great summer uh with uh the high schools out until this upcoming exciting football and so on in the fall. I was working for FIFA, uh, and so I got to work the six World Cup games in Santa Clara. Uh, and that was just a blast. Uh enjoyed what I did working for them in operations and then got to see the second half of a bunch of games after my shift was over. So that was fun.
SPEAKER_01Nice, nice. Uh that I know I I didn't forget that the World Cup was coming into town, but I I just got so busy that I I didn't uh apply for credentials, and now I'm kind of kicking myself in the butt for not doing it, but it's all good. Uh Olympics are coming up, so hopefully I can try to get into that. That would be sweet for sure. Um, all right. Well, let's let's start with uh the Hollister High football team. Um I know you've been kind of keeping a close eye on them. How's everything looking out in Haybaler country?
SPEAKER_02Optimism is high for what they can do this year. They've been down a notch the last uh three years or so. Uh in 21, they were strong, nine and two overall, six and one in league, twenty-two they were strong, seven and six overall, two and three in league. Last three years they've been under 500. And uh the signs of improvement came during this past season, especially late in the year. So the hope uh going in is that they can continue that. Last year, uh three and five league record. Uh they got outclassed by Soquel and Salinas, no surprise. But the other six games, they were competitive. Uh one three, lost three, and and they they gave Palma uh quite a run. It was a 28-14 game, which is not bad at all given that Palma won the league, was unbeaten into the late into the playoffs when they ran into Los Gatos. So uh that kind of competitiveness and in fighting through to the end of the season was a good sign.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it looks like um Hollister does have a uh another year of uh of uh a schedule lined up for them, another solid one, starting with Soledad. Then they got uh uh go to Salinas and play Alvarez, and then they got a home game against Wilcox. I I think that's a familiar foe uh for the Hay Balors, and then of course, like you mentioned, the Gablin Division, it's it's a gauntlet every year. Um you want to talk about maybe some of the key games for for success this year for the Hay Balors?
SPEAKER_02Uh the schedule, the key is gonna be winning those winnable games. Uh, you know, maybe uh a team or two is gonna be super tough, uh, but there's a lot of games where you know they're 50-50, they could go either way, or maybe even Baylors would look at up and go, we got to get that win. And that would get them to uh over 500 and a good good record in league. Uh they start with Soledad, who uh was uh kind of a 500 team out of the Mission South. Uh the uh Everett Alvarez, uh pretty similar, another uh team out of the Mission South. Those two are winnable games. And uh if they're gonna have success, it would be nice to go 2-0. Uh Wilcox, as you mentioned, familiar foe, and usually very, very tough uh with their veer offense and and how they run that. That's hard as everybody to defend. Their coach uh retired uh and moved on, Paul Rosa. And so they got a new coach. Uh they were maybe a step back last year, Wilcox was. Uh so it's gonna be tough. Uh you certainly can't uh figure you're gonna uh go play the Chargers and uh have a strong chance of success, but they'll have they'll have a good chance uh to maybe steal that one. It'll be at home on September 11th. And uh if if uh Wilcox is down a notch, uh that game's a little bit more uh of an opportunity. Still, you you kind of want to be at least two and one heading into league. The league schedule, uh Alisal first, uh they held off uh uh the Trojans 44-40 last year. Um should be a pretty even game, but Jaden Duarte, who was the do everything star for Alasol, has graduated. So that that helps the outlook to beat them. Uh so Kell will be tough again. Uh then it's at Palma. So uh you know, first part of league ain't gonna be easy. Um but then it's like they're games they can take. Uh Monterey, uh you want to win that game. They they won uh over on the road last year, 27-14. Um hopefully, you know, get back on the winning track there. Carmel was a 500 team, and and the Baylors lost to them last year, 28-21 in a close one. Um that won't be easy, but Carmel, you know, maybe is takeable. Uh, and then it's Salinas, and then North Salinas uh is the end of the regular season. North Salinas last year was the game that got away. Uh Baylors outplayed them and lost at home 13-10. So the league schedule, uh you're looking to win those uh even games or ones where you might be favored a bit. And if you can do that, then you can have a good record. You can be four and three or five and two, or if things click even better. Um and again, in the non-league going in, you want to be two and one uh ideally uh going into league.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, no doubt. Yeah, definitely want to want to go into league play with that winning record, like you said, two and one and and get those winnable games. Uh get get the ones against Monterey, uh because you know, last year again, the competitive and then um uh against Alisal. And obviously we know the the top three, right? Palma, Salinas, and uh I can't think off the top of my head. Uh Sokel. Um I mean th those are as long as uh they can stay competitive in those games, then then they're I think they'll they'll be on the right track for sure. Uh can you can you maybe talk about some of the the key returners that that will help Hollister kind of get through that uh again gauntlet uh of a schedule?
SPEAKER_02The Baylors gonna gonna win on the ground this year. That seems pretty clear. The two best running backs uh are were underclassmen last year, Cole Seymour and Brayden Hernandez. Uh Seymour uh 453 yards uh on the ground, uh five plus yards per carry average. Brayden Hernandez uh did really well uh before getting injured, 270 yards, uh over four yards of carry. Um those guys are back. If if the line can can help out, uh which it should be able to do against most teams, uh that's gonna be the strength of the team and the ticket to winning. Um passing game, uh almost all the passing came from Cruz Raket, who's now at MPC, Monterey Peninsula College. Uh he threw 94 for 179, 1,366 yards. He was quarterback in uh the whole time and drove the passing game. Uh and they had uh good receivers, Jordan Casada, uh, and uh Jacob Jackson, uh both of which graduated, both of them graduated. So uh the passing game's gonna have to be rebuilt. The the the running game comes back strong. If you if you have that, you can be good. Uh and then you need also strong play from the defense. Um they lost Trip Felice to graduation. He's uh at Laverne in Southern California. There's an article in the last week in the in the freelance about him. Uh he was the MVP of the team last year. Uh but they get a bunch of guys back. Uh Jason Nervaez, uh middle linebacker, uh Jacob Perez on the DL, uh Ben Candelaria, uh strong, promising kid, uh also a linebacker. Um so they got some good strong guys coming back on defense. The defense can can uh hold their own. Uh running games can control the ball. They they they'll be they'll be uh really good this year, uh the Baylors will um and win the close games because you know they've they pulled out a couple, but they you know lost uh at the end a couple and uh like I say six of the games last year in league were close out of eight.
SPEAKER_01Um you you mentioned you mentioned uh uh offensive line, right? Uh I I again in that gabeling, you gotta have a big offensive line to to keep up with w it throughout the whole game. And and and and uh if you got a good run game and a good defense, and yeah, you're gonna stick around for sure. Um but yeah, no, it sounds it sounds like a pretty good start for Hollister, uh which by the way made it up to uh last week's top ten football rankings at the number eight spot uh behind Alaselle and ahead of Monterey. And remember, guys, uh those are super early rankings. It doesn't matter right now. I gotta wait until uh mid-September and more importantly, November to see where teams are are standing at that time. And again, um they are ranked number eight, and and we'll see we'll see what happens uh after uh a couple weeks and we'll they end up. And then uh before I forget, uh you you did talk about uh Trip Felice, you and you wrote that story about him. Can you maybe briefly talk about uh him and him going over to Laverne?
SPEAKER_02Well, he was uh a force uh as a linebacker for for several years, uh every every year at Hollister. Uh every game, no matter who the opponent was, no matter how strong the opponent was, he was in there making plays. And like Wilcox, uh year after year, strong physical team uh gets off the ball fast, and that opens it up for the running backs. And he he had 22 tackles or something against Wilcox. So uh phenomenal player, MVP of the team last year. Uh and so he uh chose uh D3 School Laverne down in Tuscan, California. Plays in a very good competitive conference. Uh and uh due to size, I mean he he's probably you know not chosen by some better schools, but if you ignore that, uh phenomenal linebacker. Nice, nice.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and I know.
SPEAKER_02So we wrote about him uh uh a week or so ago, and then the other one uh has been uh out of Hollister at JC for two years. Uh Joey Fernand is a phenomenal kicker, just incredible kicker, and he's at San Jose State. Uh they open uh at USC uh in uh the coming week, uh and it's another Hollister kid moving up to play at the next level.
SPEAKER_01That's awesome. That is so awesome to hear. Uh well, yeah, best of luck to to Joey and Tripp. I mean, again, some a couple of Hollister kids uh going big time at the college level. That's pretty cool. That's awesome. That's awesome. Um I I Gordon, I know it's early, but uh any sneak previews on some of the other programs on campus? Uh anything that uh that maybe we can look forward to for next week?
SPEAKER_02Primary other program that uh is looking good is volleyball, where uh uh Lisa's team uh keeps getting better every year. And last year they won their first uh CCS playoff game during her five-year tenure. Um they did lose uh Danny Orsati to graduation, and she had like 31 kills in the playoff game where they beat Mountain View. So uh there's a little graduation thing there. They're gonna have to come up with a hitter who can come through in the clutch. Uh the center Trixie Ryzen comes back. They have a bunch of other kids coming back. Um, but volleyball is is promising. And uh Lisa's uh running a very strong program and uh we'll be watching them uh as they battle. Uh they had a, like I say, darn good season last year, hoping to do it again this year. Um flight football uh is the other uh exciting thing on campus. Um they they were good uh two years ago, really good with uh Gisela Mariscal and a few others. Uh and then graduations hit. And last year they were uh a step back. They did not have a good year. Um so there are there are athletes on campus that that hopefully will bring that one uh back up in the in the league standings. It's like football has really taken off around the state and around the country.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Uh last year was the first year for CCS playoffs in different divisions, and uh the Baylors will you know be looking to get back to that.
SPEAKER_01That's that yeah, that sounds pretty good. Um yeah, uh Hollister they they they've got athletes, uh galore, and and they'll probably have no trouble filling in some of those uh those vacant spots that were left from the graduates and uh flag football. Yeah, I remember a couple years ago they were they they were one of the top teams for sure. I remember them battling Watsonville and St. Francis. Uh again, pretty good program. And uh I'm pretty sure they'll have no trouble uh bouncing back there. Um sounds good. Sounds good. That's awesome. Well, let's let's catch up again next week, Gordon, when we uh start to break down the divisions and maybe do a little bit uh other previews on some of the other programs as well, and maybe even do a little preview on Hollister football on the uh their season opener against Solidad.
SPEAKER_02Uh yeah, exactly. Sounds good. Um the the first few games for the Baylors and for a bunch of the other schools that we're talking about or that John's talking about really tell a lot about where things are going.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_02Um, so uh for Hollister, it's gonna be right off the bat after you play Solidad and Everett Alvarez, you'll know an awful lot about your team and how things are going. So there's gonna be a lot of interest in that. The Solidad game is at home, August 28th. Okay. And then Alvarez is on the road the week after.
SPEAKER_01Okay, nice, nice. Well, yeah, we're um we're definitely looking forward to that. And yeah, season kicks off next week. And wow, I I can't believe it. I can't believe we're already here at this time of the year. It's pretty awesome. All right, thanks again, Gordon. Thanks for uh thanks for the updates, and and we'll catch up with you soon. Super, thank you, all right, folks. Those were your news and notes for Stampin' Town County. Thank you again, Gordon, for your insights on what's happening at Hollister. Hi. Uh well let's uh jump into our interview portion of the show. Uh I think we need to come up with a good name for this segment. Uh maybe maybe that'll be our homework uh for next time. Or maybe our special guest can help us come up with uh with a good uh uh name for this. Uh speaking of special guests, uh why don't we uh bring them on the show right now? So uh currently he is the uh interim head coach of the Cabrillo College football team. Uh before that he got his first gig at Alvarez High, and then he spent some time at Hartnell College uh as the run game and coordinator and offensive line coach. Oh, let's not forget uh he was also a standout in his playing days over at Hartnell and Alistal High School. Uh John, am I forgetting anything? Any other uh any any other uh cool stats about this guy?
SPEAKER_03He was a pretty damn good player.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, for sure, for sure. Well, ladies and gentlemen, let's uh welcome Anthony Rometo uh to the Cover 3 Sports Podcast. Anthony, thanks for joining us tonight.
SPEAKER_00All right, thank you guys so much. It's a great opportunity to speak to both of you guys. I've been a fan. Um, like I was telling John earlier when I messaged him, um, when you guys did this pre-COVID. Um, yeah, it's it's awesome what you guys both do for the local high school and junior college and just sports in general um in both your guys' counties. Um, and I mean it goes it goes without being said. I mean, without you guys, there's no coverage, there's not the recognition for these young athletes that are really putting in the time, but you guys put in a lot of time to get them the notoriety that they deserve. So hats off to you guys and uh an honor to be on this with you guys.
SPEAKER_01Awesome, awesome. Well, we we feel uh we feel honored. That's awesome. Thanks, thank you, thank you, appreciate that. Uh hey Anthony, uh, just uh if you can tell us how how are things going over in the land of fog known as Aptos at Cabrillo College.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, a lot of a lot of a lot of fog when it gets into our nighttime of practice. Um, it's going well. Um, we had an inter squad scrimmage not that long ago, had the refs, did it under the lights, invited the families of the players and stuff. Um and it was good. A lot of good competition. Um feel really good about the team that we have coming back. Um good, strong leadership coming back with the returners. We've had a couple late additions um as we got into fall camp. Um and I really like the way our team is progressing right now. Um, and I feel really strong about just really the kids that we got. I mean, they're really bought into what we're doing. Um, they're really excited about the season and really just to go and really what it comes down to with junior college football is just guys just trying to prove themselves. And I think that's what we got with this group is that they're just trying to go and just play football. I mean, it's all and all else, and trying to earn an opportunity to continue playing after um their time in junior college. Um, so that's really what this group is about right now, and I'm really excited to work with this group going into the season and taking on the challenges that may be coming up. So um, but yeah, that's kind of what the group's looking like. Um, we have a couple of kids that we're pretty excited about, so um, it should be good to see them kind of roll out and ball out the season. Nice, nice.
SPEAKER_03Anthony, I I got a question for you. Uh obviously you've been around long enough with this program, and you and I kind of discussed this earlier, but uh I feel like the program got what I would call the death penalty after the 2019 season. Obviously, COVID shut down 2020, and then you guys were, you know, I guess sanctioned is it would be the right word, where you didn't have a season in 2021 when the program was shut down. It's been four years since that occurred. Uh, you guys have had your ups and downs a little bit, but I'm curious as an assistant, now that you're taking the reins, uh is stability uh something that you're still is still a process in terms of getting this program back on its feet?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean in in a sense of now, first, like I said, I w I was at Hartnell previously um in 2021. So I when they had the program off, um so then when I got there in 22 as the offensive coordinator would Justin Hanson, he was the head coach. Um, he set a lot of the foundational pieces. He he did a lot of great things really to instill in me and instill in our staff. Um, because that's the biggest thing right now with me taking the reins right now. We kept everybody on staff from the previous season. So there was a lot of stability there and a lot of just familiarity um with the kids coming back, people in the community. Um so I feel like that helped a lot. Um, but yeah, as far as being firsthand, being part of the program when it first came back after the death penalty. Um 2022 was a special season for me as far as being a part of that. Um we came out in our first game against De Anza, and it was um it was special. It was it was I've never seen a crowd like that before for a football game before ever in my life as a coach. It was it was the uh the stands are packed, um that you could see the community come together to finally have their junior college football team back. Um, but I think the stability was built on that season. It showed that um that Santa Cruz County can have a uh community college football team to be proud of and that locals can come and play and support. And um I think the foundation was laid in 2022, and then I think 2023 really showed that if it's supported the right way, um, what it could be like because that was the best season I've been a part of since I was at Korea was 2023. Um we had start our lumps in 24 and 25, but I think stability hasn't really been the hardest part, it's more so just kind of building recruiting momentum, you know. And in a community college, it's hard. If you can't get out of area, guys, you have to really bang on the local kids and just hope that or bank on the local kids and hope that you get all a lot of those to come out. And I feel like this year we've done a heck of a job of that where our roster's around 50 um with pretty much all of them local kids. Um, I think it's it's helped a lot and just looking to build from there.
SPEAKER_01So yeah, kind of going off of that, Anthony. Um I I I know you have the the the interim tag attached to your role as as the head coach, but but you're still taking on those full-time duties, right? I mean, recruiting all that stuff. And can you maybe talk to us a little bit about what it's been like since February when you stepped in for Justin and and just kind of, I don't know, maybe like you like you mentioned, some of those bumps in the roads and and just just stuff like that.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so I mean, yeah, it's good it's gonna come with some challenges. You know, you have to earn the trust of the players, the trust of the community to know that you're here for the right reasons and to show them that this is a quality program that they can go and send their kids to. I mean, we're we're trying to win not alone not alone just student athletes, but their parents, their mentors, whoever's really important to them that are helping them make these decisions about where they want to go play. Um, it's it's really just trying to build a buzz, trying to build something in recruiting that makes a kid feel confident that I want to go play at Cabrillo College, and this is where I want to go, and I see myself for the next year or two. Um, obviously it's very junior college is really fast. Some kids you can leave, kids can leave in a semester if they're a qualifier. Some kids are there for all two years, some three if they redshirt. Um so it's really just entrusting the parents, the community members, the supporters, and the and the student athletes in the area and beyond to really just trust in what I'm building, my staff is building. So, yeah, that would say the biggest challenge was just kind of rebuilding it in the sense of our own reputation, you know, and and letting people know this is still gonna be a quality program, um, even though Justin did step down and and I took it over um in this time. Um, but yeah, I think it did help just like I said, I'll tap the hats off to my staff. They did a great job of just recruiting their butts off and getting kids in. And we only had about 10 returners from last year's team that are eligible to play this year, and we still have the roster hovering around 50. So we brought in 40 new guys to come in and and build this roster up. So um and I think it goes with just earning the trust and build getting gaining support from local members of the community that are advocating for the program as well. So that was the biggest part, just kind of getting our name out there again and letting people know that we're here and we're a quality program.
SPEAKER_03Anthony, when you look at the Coast Conference now, obviously Deanne's is no longer a part of it, thankfully. Um I feel like when I look at you, Hartnell, you know, uh I think they call it Kalinga now, West Hills, whatever it's called. Merced, I mean it I feel like it's a pretty balanced conference.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, no, and I feel like I I honestly it it reminds me of when the Golden Coast was first assembled back in 2013 when I was a player, when they brought Merced and West Hills and Readley down and they morphed us together with MPC back in the day, um Um Cabrillo and Hartnell, and you had pretty much five schools every week, week in and week out, fighting for the conference championship. Um and it feels like that this season that there's viable options up and down the conference that can go and fight for this thing. Shasta's a dark horse, they joined our conference up in Reading. Um, so they could be someone that, like I said, they're in the mix too. Um they're a big former A-League roster that is coming down to us. Um, so they could, they're still someone that you have to really account for just because you they've earned that respect of playing in that tougher league the last several years and then coming down to our to our league. Um it could be it could pose a challenge, you know. But yeah, there's quality opponents, it's pretty balanced, and every week's gonna be uh it's gonna be tough, you know. But uh we're up for the challenge, and I'm really excited to see our guys have the opportunity to compete with those schools.
SPEAKER_03Hey, Juan, you probably won't remember this when Really was actually in the Coast Conference, but there was one player at Really that year that's turned into a pretty good NFL player. Do you know who I'm talking about?
SPEAKER_01No, uh-uh, not off the top of my head. He doesn't know. He doesn't know.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah. Yep, that was um that was 2015 2014. We played him in 2014 when I was at Hart No as a player. Yep, we did play against them. Um, Sunil Smith, my old high school? Yeah, yeah. Buffalo Bills, fireball high school. Wow, played at Wyoming. Wow, that's awesome.
SPEAKER_03Uh over 400 yards. You know, you know what we're talking about now.
SPEAKER_01Yes, yeah, for sure. Damn, well that must have been an experience. Wow.
SPEAKER_00Oh no, there's stories on that one. He you go you go to warm-ups and he's like just throwing bombs in warm-ups, and we're like, we have to stop this kid. Like, this is I remember looking at coach Coach Smith and our our defensive coaches were like, this is the guy we have to stop this game, and we did. No, we ended up beating him that year. So um yeah, in 2014.
SPEAKER_03I think he against you and NPC, he accounted for like nine touchdowns, but both Hartnell and NPC beat Josh Allen and Redley that year.
SPEAKER_00Yep, yep. No, that was uh that was a story of that year. Yep. Who would have known after that season that you would be seeing him in the NFL a couple years later? So but he did, man. He was he was he was as as advertised, that's for sure.
SPEAKER_01That's awesome. That's awesome. That's a that's a pretty cool story to to share, right? Uh with with all your uh players and and and everyone else too, friends and all that. That's pretty cool. That's dope. Yeah, it is pretty awesome. Awesome, awesome.
SPEAKER_03Hey, before we let you go, Anthony, I'm just curious, since you spent some time with uh former head coach Matt Collins, who is a good friend of mine, although he's a maniac on the sidelines when he coached, uh you take any tips from him?
SPEAKER_00Oh, well, like I said, I he was my head coach back in the day, you know, when I played at Hartnell, and then I had the the the opportunity and honor to coach with him for several seasons when I first was back in town. Um I was there 1890 for four seasons. Um and yeah, no, just I mean, I don't think he gets enough credit for what he did at Hartnell. I think he did a great job there. I mean, he I mean he had a lot of successful seasons, broke a ton of records, um, and he really laid the foundation of what a small like for the numbers that we had for a lot of those years, especially the later parts where numbers were just tough to come by, he did a great job. And I think that's one thing I did learn from him is that how to maximize your group, even when you're only there's a season where we end my last year there, we ended the season with about 29 guys. We went to play a 65-man roster at Merced, and we were a play away from beating him. We had no business beating being in the game with the with a double roster like they did, and and we almost did, you know, and we had a lot of games like that. So um that's what I got a lot from him is that he just really found ways to maximize his groups regardless of circumstances. Um and I'm my hat's off to him for doing that, you know. So yeah, no, I mean, like I said, that he's done a heck of a job. So and he's in the Hall of Fame too now, so right.
SPEAKER_01Well you you know who else is in the Hart now Hall of Fame, right? Oh god.
SPEAKER_00From the line, yeah. He's gonna be in it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Congrats, homie.
SPEAKER_00Congratulations on that one.
SPEAKER_01For sure. I I just I was waiting for a moment to to congratulate him, and that was perfect. For talking about the Hall of Fame and all that stuff. That's that's awesome. You well deserved. For sure, for sure. Heck yeah. All right, Anthony. Awesome. Hey, well, thank thank you, thank you, man, for taking time to uh to chop it up with us here on the Cover Three Sports Podcast. And uh yeah, you're welcome back anytime. And uh and hopefully I'll I'll see you out there pretty soon on the field. I need to uh get out there and and see what the what the guys are are doing uh this season.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, no, definitely come out. Would love to give um some spotlights on players that we have and kind of give them their flowers heading into the season. You know, we got a lot of guys that are working their butts off and and getting ready for the season, and and yeah, that'd be awesome, Juan. So it'd be awesome when you get out there. For sure, man. Yeah, we're gonna be able to do that.
SPEAKER_03Hey, Juan, one last one last thing, Juan. Oh, go ahead. What's up? Who won the Super Bowl this year?
SPEAKER_01This year? Or last year, I guess. Oh, I won this last year. Uh the Seahawks, yeah, right.
SPEAKER_03And what's Cabrillo's nickname?
SPEAKER_01Ah, all right, all right, the Seahawks. Just saying, just saying moments.
SPEAKER_00Subliminal, right? I would I would love for that to be, even though I'm a Niner fan, so it hurt to see the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl. But it would be nice for the Cabrill Seahawks to win a conference championship this year. But we'll see if that subliminal comes true. I appreciate you guys. Heck yeah, for sure. I appreciate it. Thank you again, man. Have a good one. Have a good one.
SPEAKER_01That's pretty cool that uh Anthony got to play against Josh Allen during their college days there. I bet I bet they I I I I bet they must have known Josh Allen was gonna was gonna be a beast and and go pretty far, but man, boy did he get pretty far. He's he's uh he got drafted in the NFL and he's now he's opening up that new stadium in Buffalo. Uh you know, I I mean I don't know. The funny thing is I used to visit a buddy in Madeira, uh the Fresno area, and and we would pass the fireball exit. Never in my life did I think someone from there would make it to the NFL, but there you go, right? That's pretty cool.
SPEAKER_03You know, it's funny because uh I got a chance to talk to Josh Allen a few years ago when he was at the ATT ATT tournament and I asked him about do you remember playing against NPC Hartnell? And he said, Oh yeah. He said uh some of my best games, except we didn't win.
SPEAKER_01That's right, huh? Yeah, that's right. Anthony got the best of them for sure.
SPEAKER_03Um but uh Hey, I was gonna say one other thing to you. Juan, yeah, I know you like to call Cabrillo Fog City, which is which is true, but I think Marina might have a little bit of a debate there because if you've ever been to Marina, um it's always socked in with fog, and and they like to refer to themselves as fog city as well.
SPEAKER_01No, no, I I I know and I know Marina gets pretty foggy as well. I just I I mean, you know, me being from Santa Cruz County and just kind of always not always, but just driving by Aptos. I mean, every time you come up that that big hill uh by Buena Vista and you get into Aptos fog, right? You just see this big, big freaking cloud coming over, and you're just like, oh, there goes the sun. But uh you're right, Marina. We could put a debate about that, right? We'll put we'll put a vote. Who owns the title of Fog City? Uh for sure. But uh no, like I was saying, you know, Allen, uh little little town, uh fireball. And then I I guess that's that's what they probably say when our local athletes uh go to the pros as well. Uh we've had a couple uh coming out of our area, um, going way back with uh Marv Marinovich, and then we got Sherman Cocroft, Wally Kennedy, uh he won the Super Bowl. Um then we got Dwight Lowry, who's actually the head coach for Stokel High, and then uh another pair of Super Bowl champions in uh Ty Sambrello and Trent Dilfer. So uh we we we've like we've had a couple, right? I mean we've had some names, and I I know how to moderate as have yeah.
SPEAKER_03I was gonna say, as have we with uh Carl Nix, a former North High Hart and L uh disciple with the uh New Orleans Saints, which uh on that roster was also a gentleman by the name of Scott Fajita, who makes his home in Carmel Valley right now. Um and of course, in terms of players that have gone on to the NFL, I mean, from Herman Edwards to LaCharles McDaniel to Sim Osgood, Evan Smith, who actually won a Super Bowl with the Packers as a backup center. So yeah, we've had quite a few as well. And right currently, right now, Jeff Wiemer, a Salinas High graduate, spent a year at Hartnell, is into Kansas City Chiefs training camp and and trying to make a name for himself.
SPEAKER_01Nice. That's awesome. Well, uh good luck to uh Jeff. And uh yeah, that's awesome. Hopefully he uh he he gets that spot there on the on the uh Kansas City team, you said. Yes. I hate to say that. Uh but anyhow, no, like I said, good luck and for sure. Uh awesome, awesome, good deal. All right, Don. How many more spots left on your uh football tour of the Monterey County area?
SPEAKER_03One, and that'll be Monday at Monterey Peninsula College. Uh it's been a grind here these last 18 days, but uh we've knocked out all the high schools, and I was able to see Hartnell in their scrimmage last Saturday. Um a lot again, I I don't want to be the dead horse here, but there's been a lot of optimism at every stop. I think most schools believe they can contend for a playoff spot. And I know we had conversations about what about a league title, but most coaches now are, you know what, if we can get to the postseason, it's it's a great season, and and then let the chips fall in terms of where we are in uh what division. Uh I think the concern that I'm seeing so far, if there is one, is we've seen an uptake on injuries and we really haven't, as you mentioned, had a scrimmage or a jamboree yet. And um I know you said you've seen that as well in some of your stops. Ironically, I was out at Stevenson today talking to Kyle Kasmus, and he pointed directly down to his field. And of course, like most schools, Stevenson has turf. And it it makes sense when you think about it, particularly when you look at some of these turf fields now around Monterey County and probably San Badido County and and uh Santa Cruz County, that after three or four years, if these turfs aren't maintained, they get hard. And if anybody remembers AstroTurf from the nineties, uh it it's very similar. I mean, this is like landing on cement. And I can see why we're seeing a lot of these soft tissue injuries right now.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and like like uh we we talked about it before. Uh that's why these NFL players are kind of um kind of complaining about it too, right? I mean, why why are they taking out the natural grass and putting back the turf uh after the World Cup? And it's like I don't know. Yeah, it sucks.
SPEAKER_03No, you're right. And uh it's funny, uh last year speaking about Josh Allen, when they asked him what he was gonna like most about the new stadium that the Bills are moving into this year, he said it's gonna have grass.
SPEAKER_01There you go. There you go. Um yeah, uh uh I I guess uh kind of going back on on the tour and and and injuries, um I I did talk with uh St. Francis head coach John Osman. And I I as usual they they they deal with the numbers because it's it's such a small school, but uh but they hear uh the charge they they they caught that injury bug uh pretty early, uh forcing some of the players to sit out, and then now they got this uh scrimmage coming up um uh tomorrow against uh North Monterey County and Monta Vista Christian and I I think it's Eastside and uh I don't know. I I g I I there's a couple other things.
SPEAKER_03No, it's supposed to be uh you're right. It it's it's Seaside, St. Francis, and North County, and Carmel was also supposed to be in that, but they uh just in the last 10 minutes have uh withdrawn.
SPEAKER_01Okay, gotcha. All right.
SPEAKER_03No specific reason was given.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, for sure, for sure. Well, uh yeah, I I don't know. That kind of that I guess that kind of raises some eyebrows, right? And it's like, hmm, uh it makes you wonder. And and North County does have that turf. I I don't know how well maintained it is. I'm not trying to, you know, say that it's a bad field, but it's I I'm just uh it just makes you wonder, right? I mean, hmm. Okay.
SPEAKER_03Well, you know, the reason we have turf in high schools right now is simply because there's not enough maintenance now to take care of grass. And of course, these fields aren't used just for football or soccer, they're used for uh PE classes, they're used by the communities, and and that's great. But if you don't have what they call a buffer and you're not buffing that field at least once a week, those blades begin to just crumble and become, you know, as flat as a board. And a lot of fields that I was on uh over these past two weeks, uh, you know, even as I left, I could feel like my back started, my lower back was hurting.
SPEAKER_04Wow.
SPEAKER_03And and I just think that they're hard. And if you stand on them long enough, let alone run on them or get hit on them and land on them, it's probably gonna take a toll even on a 17 or 18-year-old's body.
SPEAKER_01For sure. Yeah, it it'll start catching up, man. Believe it or not. Um yeah, I mean, uh other than St. Francis, uh, what other schools do I need to go? Oh, I still have to uh stop by Watsonville, see how they're doing, and then Cabrillo College. Um, but we'll talk with uh with with or we we just talked with uh head coach uh Anthony Romero and we got a little inside scoop of what's going on, but definitely want to go over there and check it out and uh and see and see what's going on in in Aptos. Fog City. No, I'm just kidding.
SPEAKER_03Uh you know, I will I will say this, you know, if you've already asked me uh in terms of what I've liked at a lot of my stops, and a lot of it has been the energy that I've seen, the optimism, obviously. But there is one team that I think will take a step forward this year, and they took a step forward last year, and I see it happening again this year, and I'm calling it the revival of seaside. I mean, last year they barely had a heartbeat, you know. Now they have more than a pulse, and it's taken three or four years, and the numbers are still low there. He's gonna be lucky to have uh 28 players on his varsity roster, but in the Santa Lucia division, based on what I saw as a recent practice, and again, two hours at a practice is not a fair evaluation to grade any program, good or bad, but I really liked what I saw in terms of the uh uh of the emotion. Uh these are kids, a lot of them that had no football experience when they arrived at Seaside, and here we are four years later with some of these seniors, they're players. And I I think, you know, if if Coach Al Avala can find a quarterback that can do more than hand the ball off, he's got enough guys, I think, in the trenches, if they can stay healthy to to make a run at that division. And uh again, health is the issue. I I mentioned that he has four linemen that are really impressive looking. The trouble is they go both ways. So if you lose one of them, it's like losing two starters.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah. That's that's the big thing with the two-way starters for sure.
SPEAKER_03And they're not and again, they're not the only team in that position. I mean, you've seen it and there are a lot of schools now, including Monterey, that are in the low 30s. And Monterey's in a gabbling division, and uh that's gonna be challenging, you know, when you're a roster of 32 kids playing in in the physicality of that division. But again, a lot of it's luck. You've got to stay healthy.
SPEAKER_01Yep, yep. Health, health for sure. Um yeah, no, I I I know I haven't uh again, like I said, I haven't had a chance to to go check out uh Watsonville's team, so I I don't know how they're doing in terms of uh health health wise, but uh I I know that they're gonna be scrimmaging on Saturday at the Santa Cruz County Jamboree over at Harbor High School. Um I think the I think it begins at five o'clock if I'm not mistaken. So Watsonville's going to go out there. They they're going to go up against uh or they're scrimmaging against uh Lincoln and Carlmont a couple of teams from over the over the hills. So that that'll be interesting to see how that how they do against that. And yeah go ahead.
SPEAKER_03I'm sorry Juan I said this earlier and and I'll stand by it in terms of these scrimmages now which are really just you know when you have multiple teams glorify jamborees nobody calls them jamborees anymore because they don't want to have a jamboree. But I think really what it's all about really is like I said earlier let's just put a look at a different colored helmet in Jersey and let's hit it and let's we get accustomed to running our offense against another opponent. You know everybody's going to be vanilla they're not going to show much don't be surprised if a lot of marquee players don't even play in this scrimmages because obviously nobody wants to see an injury early in the season. It's more about getting other players that maybe have no varsity experience an opportunity to um you know impress the coaches and and maybe possibly earn some more playing time when the season starts next week.
SPEAKER_01For sure yeah the uh what is it the the final tryouts right there if so to speak uh before before the regular season gets going and yeah some of these some of these kids are are are fighting for for for a position on on the on the roster I've had coaches in the past tell me that every year there's one guy in these scrimmages that's like where's he been the last two weeks?
SPEAKER_03No he showed him nothing in practice and then he gets out and he just balls out in in a game. So I mean there's always going to be those elements of surprises.
SPEAKER_01That's the beauty of this for sure. Yeah I kind of going back on what you like you said jamb you know they're they're called jamborees but they're really little mini scrimmages within each other and I we we we talked a little bit about it and you said they kind of lost their juice. I kind of like what you said. And and it's true I mean I remember back when I when I was in high school it was kind of like the thing to do uh oh let's go to the jamboree you know and let's go hang out and this and that and that now I feel it it's not the same.
SPEAKER_03But well even even as early as I'll say pre-pandemic when the uh Salinas City Jamboree would go on you'd have Alas Al Alvarez North Salinas and Salinas all taking part in this before Rancho opened and they'd fill Robble Bank Stadium. It'd be the biggest crowd you see all year. But I also think it got sometimes uh maybe a little testy in the stands among student and athletes and and general and and and and I think they just I think most schools now don't want to face somebody they may see in a regular season to let us go scream as somebody we won't see.
SPEAKER_01For sure it makes a lot of sense yeah I'm I I'm interested uh in seeing what Paho Valley does here coming into this season how they respond uh after having uh what was considered the the program's uh best season um and and and I did have a chance to stop by the Grizzly Den as they call it and I I talked to to coach a first year head coach Ray Myers who took over uh for our buddy Casey Nealeg um but you know knowing Ray he he's he's gonna he he he's got that old school football coach mentality and and um just by being out there I I can see that that he's he's got the kids in line and and they're they're ready to go and and they were they were kind of running like a kind of like a two minute drill type thing and they were they were they look pretty smooth. And I I they've had a couple weeks to to work on it right and so today was kind of that uh that that last um uh rehearsal before the the jamboree or before the scrimmage and uh and yeah I I like I said for for Ray it's it it's I don't know it when he when he got the job he was telling me yeah wins and losses they'll come and go it it but for him it's about taking these youngsters and and showing them the ropes so to speak right just kind of it it's more than just football for Ray. And he probably got that's that same mindset that the that philosophy uh if if you say from from his dad uh longtime coach Ron Myers who uh he he he he's been around uh for years and he knows how to how to run a program and and I'm pretty sure uh Ray was able to kind of p pick his brain so to speak and and and and I can see it I I can see the way he runs he runs that team and it they're looking they're looking pretty good. They're looking pretty good.
SPEAKER_03You know a lot of veteran coaches will echo similar sentiments you know yeah you know everybody wants to win but when you're a coach it's more than just about wins and losses you know you're building men you're helping these teenagers become young men and you hope that you're teaching them some character and discipline along the way and uh you know King City coach Mac Villanueva who we'll get some point on to this podcast as well uh told me something that what he's most proud of as a coach is the integrity that he's instilled in his his boys as he calls them nice nice that's awesome yeah I can't wait to have coach Mac on here and uh and see what's going on over in King City.
SPEAKER_01Um yeah I remember first time meeting him it he he definitely left an impression on me and uh like I said I I can't wait to get him on here and and and maybe pick his brain a little bit for sure um and then uh I guess going back to to Parjo Valley uh again I I saw a little bit about of what they were doing uh their offense they're they're gonna run uh a double wing uh with with a pretty loaded uh backfield um Ray was telling me they're pretty stacked there uh some key returners with uh Joaquin Hidalgo Nick Martinez Marcus Flores a two-way lineman uh big guy and then we got Adrian Valadez uh he's gonna be one of those running backs and then uh Uriel Murillo uh big big uh tight end and a linebacker and uh and and actually I I actually talked to uh to Marcus Flores and and here's what he had to say.
SPEAKER_05I mean honestly it just feels like really nice and it just feels like a very good like feeling like like no other feeling has ever given me and nothing else has given me just being able to have contact with each other and being able to just play the game that we love out here is just it's just amazing. It's just a blessing honestly that special group that we did have last year since like you said there is a lot of returning players and it will help us out a lot especially on the line on offense and on defensive side and you know we're just it's gonna be fun.
SPEAKER_01And then also returning it uh for the Grizzlies is quarterback Landon Manzi who uh last season was kind of thrown into the Lions den as a sophomore and uh pretty uh you know he he did pretty pretty pretty good uh despite coming in as an underclassman and uh like I said that that Grizzly team went on that uh that streak and and uh they they won uh five straight there to end the season. I I don't know I guess I'd like to say that that league title it is up for grabs in that Santa Lucia division uh we mentioned uh before Gonzalez and Greenfield looking much much more improved uh marina is going to be competitive and then obviously we have the defending uh league champion uh Santa Cruz Cardinals who uh who could be the team to beat again this year uh who knows I mean it's again it's still early and no one's really kind of been out there in terms of and and us being able to evaluate but like just in terms of coming back and and and just on paper it could be anyone's league title this year I think.
SPEAKER_03Well again I think the beauty of the equity is that it really does work when you're talking about the San Lucia or the mission division north or south. Unfortunately and when we have more time we can delve into the gavel a little bit because it it in my opinion it doesn't work. And um you know somebody's always going to be a sacrificial lamb I think they've gotten better. I think there's more than three teams that can compete in that division. Yeah but there's still the bottom feeders as you might call them who would likely win a mission title are going to be sitting home for the playoffs this year.
SPEAKER_01Yep for sure well it looks like that's our show for today join us again next Tuesday as we wrap up our football tour and start getting into some of the other false sports and uh please make sure to follow us on the Cover 3 Sports podcast on Apple and Spotify and if you really really like what's going on here on our show please leave us some positive feedback so uh we can get some other listeners to to dial and tune in. Thanks again folks for listening catch you on the flip side
