Trojans borrow a home for entire 2017 season

Petaluma High School’s varsity football Trojans are experienced, quick and dedicated, but that doesn’t mean everything is perfect in the Trojan world.

There is the little matter of them being homeless. The situation is temporary, but it will last all season as the school’s Steve Ellison field is re-topped with a new synthetic turf and the stadium completely refurbished. Also of concern for a team that relies heavily on two-way players is four potentially hot Saturday afternoon games. Also, for the first time ever, a Petaluma team will not play a single game on natural grass.

Those problems aside, Trojan coach Rick Krist said that so far he likes what he has seen as his Trojans prepare to open their season Friday night against Montgomery on the Casa Grande field, where all Petaluma “home” games will be played this year.

“This has been one of our better years in terms of getting ourselves prepared to be competitive,” Krist said. “Having a lot of returning players helps a lot.”

It also helps that Krist returns his entire coaching staff with the exception of junior varsity coach Braedon Ross, who has left to pursue a career in law enforcement. He has been replaced by Nick Emmanuel.

“It is really nice to have the same coaches,” Krist said. “That makes us unique in this county.”

The list of returning players is headed by quarterback Justin Wolbert. As a junior, he rushed for 103 yards and seven touchdowns and completed 38 of 81 passes for 565 yards and five touchdowns last season. More importantly, he mastered the difficult Petaluma option offense, improving with his “reads” in the 11 games he played.

Wolbert is being pushed for the job by junior Cole Powers, who comes up from the junior varsity with the reputation of being an excellent athlete. “Cole has been working really hard. He is pushing Justin,” Krist said.

Varsity veterans Dominic Ayers and Jacob Rollstin will share playing time at fullback. Ayers rushed for 230 yards and speedster Rollstin for 430 last season.

There also is experience at halfback with Justin Turner, Erick Diaz and Riley Whisman all returning. Junior Garret Freitas also is in the mix for playing time.

“We have more speed throughout our offense,” Krist said. “We have several players with good speed and that means we don’t have to rely on one guy.”

Petaluma is known as a running, ball-control team and that won’t change.

“If we get a big play that’s great,” said Krist, “but for us, seven yards a carry and keeping the ball for four minutes is success.”

That doesn’t mean Petaluma won’t throw when the time is right.

“We have guys who can throw and catch the ball,” Krist noted. “When the opportunity is there, throwing the ball will come into play.”

When the Trojans do throw the football, they have players who can catch it: wide receivers Jacob Havard, Isaiah Blomgren and Daxton Hogya and tight ends Nick Ayers and Hayden Fehler.

Ayers and Fehler also are important components of an offensive line anchored by two outstanding seniors, Lucas Haggard and Xavier Crysdale. Haggard was an all-league selection on offense and defense last season. They will be the tackles, with Nick Siembieda and True Overton at guards and Daniel DeCarli at center.

Jacob Cybulski, Mike Baribault and Chris Olvera will add depth to the line.

Petaluma’s offense will again be centered around its triple option and ball control.

“That’s who we are and what we do,” Krist said. The coach spent four days at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland this summer watching and learning how the Midshipmen run their triple option.

As always, the Trojans will use their best athletes on both sides of the football, and the defensive line will be anchored by Crysdale and Haggard. Also on the line will be DeCarli, Cybulski, Overton and Siembieda.

A pair of juniors, Nick Ayers and Derick Pomi, lead a strong group of linebackers.They will play inside along with Fehler and Dominic Pignata.

Rollstin returns at an outside linebacker spot along with Dominic Ayers, Havard, Prieto and Griffin Sisemore.

Riley Whisman is the mainstay of the defensive backfield. The senior safety will be what Krist called “our No. 1 team captain.” McLaren Shattuck and Trey Davis also will see playing time at safety.

The cornerback contingent includes returner Diaz, Freitas, Blomgren and junior Connor Pedersen.

Blomgren gives the Trojans an experienced kicker, while Nick Ayers will handle the punting.

Petaluma was 7-4 last season and second to Analy in the Sonoma County League with a 5-1 record. Analy loses many key players from last season’s championship team and has a new coach, but Krist sees the Tigers as “still the team to beat.”

“The transistion to a new coach is always a distraction, but they are still pretty athletic and they should be good again,” Krist said. “The sleeper team could be El Molino. They have good numbers this year, and El Molino is always a tough place to play.”