Anzar High head football coach Luis Espinoza had one thing on
his mind when he created the first ever Anzar football schedule –
give the athletes as much time as they would need.
To do that, Espinoza gave his team an extra week of rest during
the early part of the season.
Anzar High head football coach Luis Espinoza had one thing on his mind when he created the first ever Anzar football schedule – give the athletes as much time as they would need.
To do that, Espinoza gave his team an extra week of rest during the early part of the season.
“I wanted to give them that second week,” he said. “I didn’t want to give them too much.”
The seven-game schedule is relatively short, but it’s is supposed to be.
“I’ll add some games next year, and eventually we will be playing 10,” he said. “We weren’t going to do that this year.”
Despite some pressure from the school board overseeing the new program, Espinoza thought a full slate of 10 games would be too much for this young team. Instead Espinoza scheduled seven games and a season opening jamboree that would introduce his team to other programs in the league.
The jamboree will take place Aug. 27 at Pinewood school in Los Altos. It will include most of the schools from the seven-team West Bay Athletic League. Schools include Gilroy’s Anchorpoint Christian.
As of now, Espinoza is expecting the Aug. 27 jamboree to be a good barometer on what the team can do.
“That’s what we are preparing for,” he said. “It is an important day.”
Anzar will open its season at home against Monterey’s Trinity Christian. During halftime of the game the new football field will be dedicated to the late Raymond C. Barragan. The game is the first of four games at Barragan Field.
Anzar will then host Anchorpoint Christian, who had a 9-1 record last year. Espinoza has used the Anchorpoint program to help create a playbook and plan for the Anzar season, he said.
Anzar will have two early bye weeks, before finishing the season with five games in October.
The short seven-game season ends Oct. 29 at Alma Heights Christian Academy in Pacifica.
The season will present many challenges for the new Anzar High program. With a majority of underclassmen, the team will be playing varsity squads from around the area. The other programs have played football for much longer.
“As for the competition, we will be playing a lot of good teams,” he said. “It’s my responsibility to establish the program.”
During summer practices, Espinoza had 12 freshmen, 10 sophomores and few upperclassmen participate.
“We are going to be young,” he said.
Espinoza hopes the team has enough success to expand the season in upcoming years, but for now, seven games is just enough.
“This is our first year … it takes some time,” he said.
Anzar High Football schedule
9/9 – 6 p.m. v.s. Trinity* (first ever home game)
9/23 – 6 p.m. v.s. Anchorpoint*
10/1 – TBD @ Cornerstone Christian*
10/7 – 6 p.m. v.s. Priory*
10/15 – 4 p.m. @ Pinewood*
10/21 – 6 p.m. v.s. Crystal Springs*
10/29 – 1 p.m. @ Alma Heights
