Santa Teresa opener weighs heavily in title picture
MORGAN HILL — A two-week break following an emotional 21-14 loss to Live Oak turned out to be somewhat of a blessing in disguise for Sobrato High School football.
While the Bulldogs had seven more days than usual to brood over the three turnovers and several other miscues that cost them a second straight El Toro Bowl title, they also had extra time to build up for their first league game — and it’s a big one.
Today, Sobrato (2-1 overall) makes the trip to San Jose for a 7 p.m. showdown against former SHS assistant coach Norm Brown and the Independence 76ers (2-1), one of the preseason favorites to win the Santa Teresa Division title.
“If you asked me before the first week, I’d I’d have probably said Independence is the team to beat. Willow Glen might be, too,” SHS coach Nick Borello said, noting the Rams’ 2-1 record that includes a one-point loss to Oak Grove. “I think (Willow Glen) might be the team to beat. Independence is a close second but right there. It’s a 1A, 1B kind of thing.
“We’re hoping we’re the top team in the end, but the only people that think that are in this locker room.”
The 76ers use multiple offensive formations to exploit their bevy of talent. They run I formation, shot gun, tight “scrum” sets and even the wildcat with tailback Robert Rodriguez (97.7 yards per game) behind center.
“It’s all about preparing,” Bulldogs senior linebacker Jacob Molina said. “We’ve just got to study our stuff, get a lot of mental reps.”
76ers junior quarterback Tony Ulu is an accurate passer (17 for 29, two touchdowns) who can escape pressure and run for key gains.
“He’s a strong guy with great feet. We’ve got to keep him contained,” Borello said.
Independence has one or two FBS prospects along its offensive and defensive lines, Borello said.
Rodriguez is the biggest threat. The shifty 5-foot-9 senior rushed for 100-plus yards in lopsided wins over Fremont and Silver Creek and has three touchdowns. Rodriguez also starts at defensive back and returns kicks.
“He’s not a really big guy, but he runs like a big guy,” Borello said. “He’s hard to tackle. Referees are blowing the whistle, and he’s still got his feet moving.”
In their last two games, Sobrato faced similar rushing talent against Live Oak and Leland and almost ripped off two wins over A-league opponents.
The El Toro Bowl loss pushed the Bulldogs through a grueling week of practice in triple-digit temperatures.
“Whenever we got tired, whenever we got weak, we kept thinking 21-14,” SHS defensive end Simon Schmidt said. “We don’t want to lose again. We’re playing against our old coach this week, so we have lots of motivation for this game.”
Brown was on the coaching staff at Sobrato under his brother, Dan, for two seasons until both were not asked to return in 2008.
Brown has been with the 76ers since then and has turned their program around. Independence nearly upset San Benito in the first round of the 2009 Central Coast Section Division I playoffs.
That same day, Wilcox beat Sobrato 48-0 in a Division II-playoff opener with Dan Brown as the Chargers’ defensive coordinator.
The Bulldogs beat Norm Brown’s 76ers 31-21 in their last meeting in 2008.
“I think only a couple of us were on varsity when they were here, but we still feel like it’s big when we play them,” Schmidt said.
Priority No. 1 for Sobrato’s offense is protecting the football, Borello said. The defense “just needs to be prepared.”
“They run all those formations, but it’s like a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-nothing kind of thing,” Borello said. “They don’t run them as well as, say, Soquel, did against last year — and they beat the hell out of us. I don’t see that happening.”
