Even though the Anzar High football team lost its season finale last Saturday to Alma Heights Christian-Pacifica, 48-24, it couldn’t put a damper on the team’s overall body of work for the 2013 season.
Completing just its third year as a program, the Hawks finished 5-4 overall and 3-4 in the 8-Man Mission Trail Athletic League. Anzar recorded one win in its inaugural season and had two victories last year.
“Going into this season, getting five wins is something we never thought would happen,” Hawks coach Luis Espinoza said. “Now we can realistically go into next season with the mentality that we can compete for a league championship.”
Anzar probably would’ve finished with at least a victory or two more had it not been for players failing to make grades. Five starters were out for the first three games of the year due to grades, and two of the team’s best players — tailback Sergio Gonzalez and fullback-linebacker Angel Jimenez — were sidelined for the team’s final contest because they failed to make grades again.
The team loses four senior starters due to graduation, but return the core nucleus of the team for 2014, including Jimenez, who is only a sophomore.
“Hopefully, Angel learned his lesson,” Espinoza said. “Angel’s brother, Jessie, was on the team two years ago and ran for 780 yards in six games. Angel wants to beat what his brother did, but he can’t do it if he’s not on the field.”
Jimenez’s impact on both sides of the ball can’t be understated, Espinoza said. Offensively, Jimenez is a bulldozer of a fullback, providing crushing blocks to go along with the ability to churn out yards, usually with runs up the gut.
Defensively, the 5-foot-7, 175-pounder always seems to be around the ball making plays. Although the Hawks lose key players in Gonzalez, quarterback Sam Jimenez, center Cody Van Gelder and linebacker Jose Casaneda, they return big-time playmaking tight end Victor Flores, running back Marcos Galvan, defensive end Andrew Huaracha and right guard Cody Fisher, just to name a few.
Espinoza also expects to see an influx of newcomers because the program is rising in stature and popularity. The returning players know what the coaching staff’s expectations are, and that should set the tone to take the team to another level.
“We know where the bar is set and where we need to get it for next season,” Espinoza said. “What’s great is I’ve got eight juniors who have been with me all three years, and they want to do better next season.”
Like all high school football teams looking to succeed, Anzar’s off-season starts in January. That’s when coaches can hold a two-week intersession class with the players, usually involving a weightlifting program.
Espinoza also works with the players for two weeks once baseball season is over, before starting the summer session in June. Eventually, Espinoza envisions fielding a junior varsity team at Anzar, which would be no small feat for a school of 370 students.
“The foundation is set,” Espinoza said. “When I took this job, I said it was going to be a marathon, not a sprint. We have a lot to be proud of in three years at Anzar, but we still have a long way to go. The great thing is the future looks bright.”
