If there
’s one thing that Sobrato High football coach Jeff Patterson had
to expect this summer was that he would be faced with a host of
very young, very inexperienced football players for the new
school’s brand new program. And, for the most part, that’s what he
got.
If there’s one thing that Sobrato High football coach Jeff Patterson had to expect this summer was that he would be faced with a host of very young, very inexperienced football players for the new school’s brand new program. And, for the most part, that’s what he got.
But what has been a surprise, Patterson said, is the number of sophomores out for the team and the sheer weight of the response the program has drawn. In total, Sobrato has had 10-15 sophomores, including a few with previous high school football playing experience, and as many as 40 players show up this summer. (Patterson said the program is averaging about 25 per day for summer workouts.)
“I’m really happy with that number, especially at our level,” Patterson said. “Sometimes with freshmen and sophomores they don’t necessarily come to the weight room over the summer.”
Patterson’s crew began its summer sessions June 21 and will continue them through the end of July.
Top Bulldog prospects this summer include former Live Oak freshman stalwarts Tom Tavarez, Juvenal Rodriguez and Arthur Guerrero, along with newcomers Chris Montoya and Adam Perez (who will compete for the quarterback job), running backs Russ Tirey, Erik Woodruff and Brian Hornastra, and lineman Ray Uini.
After a couple weeks break, Sobrato begins its two-a-days practices on Aug. 10.
Thus far, Patterson’s coaching staff includes brother Mike Patterson, who coached with Jeff at both Gilroy and Gonzales, Jake Gutierrez, a seasoned youth league coach with Pop Warner connections, and Dino Garcia, a line coach from Gilroy.
Patterson said he plans to add more coaches, including perhaps some of his former fellow Gilroy coaches, “down the road.”
This season, Sobrato will field a frosh-soph team and play a frosh-soph schedule, before adding a varsity team next season.
Patterson has already pulled off a scheduling coup of sorts by signing up the Bulldogs to play in the annual Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League Jamboree on Sept. 3. The jamboree features a series of full-contact scrimmages that will give the callow Sobrato squad its first taste of competition.
In a recent scheduling change, Sobrato will officially open its season at Scotts Valley High on Sept. 10, instead of hosting North Monterey County on that date.
Sobrato’s home opener is scheduled for Sept. 17 against Seaside at Live Oak, where the Bulldogs will play all their home games.
In another scheduling change, the Bulldogs will play their season finale at another brand new program, Pajaro, on Friday, Nov. 12, instead of finishing with the Watsonville JV.
