FALL SPORTS PREVIEW: Gauchos try to start season the way they ended

Casa Grande High School’s homeless Gauchos will try to start right as well as finish strong when they kick off the new football season Friday night in Santa Rosa against Analy’s Tigers.

Analy, with one of its best teams in decades, shocked the Gauchos, 47-14, last season, setting off a chain of five straight losses, before Casa turned things around, winning five of its last six, with the only loss in the good streak coming against Clayton Valley in the semifinals of the North Coast Section playoffs.

Both the disappointment of the start and the excitement of the finish were learning moments for a Casa team that returns most of the skill people for what everyone is convinced will be a much better 2015 campaign.

Much of the optimism is built on the athletic talents and improvement shown by returning quarterback JJ Anderson. He was thrown into the fire as a first-year varsity quarterback last year, facing Analy, Napa, Franklin from Elk Grove and eventual North Bay League co-champion Rancho Cotate in his first five varsity games.

Improving as he learned, he finished by completing a credible 106 of 212 passes for 1,320 yards and seven touchdowns.

According to Casa Grande coach Trent Herzog, he is on pace for a much better senior season. “He is physically and mentally more mature,” Herzog said. “He knows the offense this year. The game is slowing down for him.”

There was strong competition for the back-up spot behind Anderson between a pair of juniors, left-handed Tobias Isreal and Garrett Buffo, but the competition is already over. Buffo underwent elbow surgery last week and will be lost for the season. Look for the competition to resume next year.

With the improvement of the strong-armed Anderson, Herzog says fans can expect to see the Gauchos pass more this season, but throwing more might not be easy with Casa’s two-headed rushing attack of juniors Spencer Torkelson and Max Cerini.

After a slow start as a sophomore when he shared playing time with several other backs, Torkelson exploded in the second half, showing the promise that he might become one of the best ball carriers in a school of great running backs. He finished with 815 yards in just 116 carries, averaging seven yards a carry and scoring six touchdowns.

“He’s an unbelievable athlete,” said Herzog. “He can run, catch and block. He is special.”

The coach is also high on Cerini. “He is pretty special himself,” Herzog said. “He is big, strong and fast, and he has the Petaluma country-boy attitude. He is tough.”

Cerini gained 309 yards on 47 carries last season, averaging 6.6 yards per carry.

Nick Jensen will not get as many carries as Torkelson or Cerini, but he is as important to the success of the Casa Grande offense. The 6-0, 190-pound junior is the Casa Grande fullback. It is his main job to clear the way for the ball carriers.

“He is as good a blocker as we’ve had here,” Herzog said.

Cerini will also see time at fullback.

There are two good athletes behind Torkelson and Cerini in Sawyer Johnson and Andrew Floerke. Johnson was the Most Valuable Player on the junior varsity team last season. Floerke is a solid 220 pounder who saw extensive action on the varsity, gaining 215 yards in 39 carries. He will play both halfback and fullback.

When Anderson does throw, he will have two of the team’s best athletes as targets in Kaleo Garrigan and Nic Petri.

Herzog calls Garrigan, “a solid all-around athlete,” and said he has the potential to be an all-leaguer on both sides of the football. Petri has similar skills. He has the speed to play either as a wide out or in the slot.

Casa Grande will find some way to get the ball into the hands of Colton Johnson. He may be the fastest player on the team. After setting out five games because of transfer rules, he gave the Gauchos a much needed shot of energy when he joined the team last season.

Casa Grande did lose a potentially excellent receiver when senior Dylan Roberts was injured in a dirt bike accident right after the start of practice.

“He was looking very good,” said Herzog. “He had a huge summer.”

Brandon Keefer, a junior who was the offensive Most Valuable Player for the JVs last season, will also be in line for playing time at wide receiver.

Junior Dulio Froes and senior Alec Burdette will also be in the wide receiver mix. ?Casa Grande lost it entire offensive line, but Herzog said he is excited about the athletes the Gauchos will have up front.

The current projected starters are senior Kameron Chase (6-2, 240) at center, junior Tommy Luchese (5-10, 200) and senior Tony Perez (5-9, 240) at guards; and junior Brian Kolodin (6-1, 220) and senior Brandon Bibeau (6-0, 210) at tackles. Junior Travis Voight (6-0, 215), senior Jorge Barajas (5-11, 185) and junior Dylan Korte (6-6, 270) will work into the rotation.

“It is a good group. We are really excited about them,” Herzog said.

Elijah Chirco brings size (6-4, 235). strength and good hands to the tight end spot.

Junior Billy Brown will also block and receive.

Junior Quinton Gago, a key member of the Gaucho defense, has moved from inside on offense out to tight end to make use of his receiving abilities.

Casa lost a potentially strong tight end when Trevor Naugle had to undergo surgery to once again repair a thumb injury that originally occurred last season.

Herzog said the Gauchos will run the same offense they have employed for the past several years. It is basically the West Coast offense run from multiple sets with a few wrinkles to utilize the skills of key players.

The coach is very enthused about the Casa Grande defense. “We will be fast and explosive,” he said.

The key tacklers will be the linebackers.

Herzog calls Jensen, “the heart and soul of our defense. He is a great overall player with a nose for the football,” the coach said.

He will be backed up by Jacob Voight, who was the Most Valuable Defensive Player on the junior varsity last season.

Also on the inside will be Cerini and senior Ryan Lowe, who Herzog calls, “a throw-back linebacker.”

Torkelson, an all-league defensive selection last season, will be at outside linebacker with several others getting playing time at the position.

Burdette, who will also play some at strong safety; junior Matthew Kubes and Sawyer Johnson are all in the mix.

Garrigan is being counted on to anchor the defensive backfield at a corner, with seniors Grant Davis and Stephan Dennis also seeing playing time.

The injury to Roberts, who was being counted on to play strong safety, has forced a bit of shuffling in the defensive backfield where Petry will be at free safety backed up by Froes.

Others in the backfield mix are Johnson and Keefer.

Herzog has also been impressed with senior Jordan Saltzman. “He has really improved,” noted the coach. “He has worked his butt off.”

A huge loss to graduation for the Gauchos was kicker/punter Matt Abramo who is now at Washington State.

Herzog said he has confidence that Keefer or Petri can handle the job. Keefer kicked three field goals in one game for the JVs last season.

Tobias Mungia will be the long snapper, backed up by Anderson who handled the chore last season.

After a difficult pre-league season, the Gauchos get no break as they face a talent-rich North Bay League agenda.

“There are five teams in our league that could make the playoffs, said Herzog.

That includes the ?Gauchos, who are junior-dominated, but have the talent to again extend their season.

“I’m excited about this team” the coach said. “I especially like the team chemistry and the work ethic.”

Herzog said he doesn’t expect having to play all the Casa “home” games on borrowed fields as new turf is installed on the school field to be a major factor in the Gaucho season.

“We’re looking at it as a challenge,’ he said. “I don’t think it will be a big problem.”