The Cupertino Courier

Sports

Small numbers, big dreams for Fremont football team

By Mike Barnhart

Fremont's coaching staff was hoping to have an intra-squad scrimmage at the end of its second week of practice, but it didn't happen.

"We only had 19 players show up and two of them couldn't play," said Ron Demonner, heading into the second season of his second term of duty as the Firebirds' head coach. "Some of the kids we have are fantastic athletes, but we are small on numbers."

Probably the biggest question that looms for Fremont this season centers on the issue of quality versus quantity. Can the Firebirds' fine quality at the skill positions overcome their overall small number of players and lack of depth in 2007?

Fremont lost several starters to graduation and a handful of other eligible players did not return for various reasons.

"Hopefully we can play halfway decent in the pre-season and gain enough confidence and experience to be a factor when league play begins," said Demonner, whose team will begin with all four of its non-league games prior to its league schedule in the El Camino Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League.

Last season Fremont lost five of its first six games before closing with a rush of four division victories in a row. With wins over Gunn, Monta Vista, Cupertino and Lynbrook, the Firebirds finished 4-2 in division and 5-5 overall.

Demonner hopes senior Kenney Pope (5-foot-9, 161) and junior Pat Washington (5-foot-10, 191) can come close to the eye-popping exploits that they displayed last season. Washington was named Best Offensive Back and Pope Best Defensive Back by the El Camino coaches.

Washington, who tied a school record by scoring five touchdowns against Del Mar, totaled team highs of nine touchdowns and 762 rushing yards. The five-TD game put Washington in the company of Fremont greats Rick Armer (1974) and Willie Harper (1990).

"He's a strong athlete, a north-south runner who can really slam it up in there," Demonner said ofWashington, who is tabbed to start at outside linebacker for the defense.

Pope also scored nine touchdowns last year, sharing the team lead with Washington. Some of the scores were produced by some of his nine takeaways. The defensive back recovered three fumbles and tied a school season record with six interceptions, joining the elite company of Rick Ashby (1979) and Jason Simontacchi (1989).

"He's an amazing athlete," Demonner said of Pope, who paced Fremont's offense in receiving yardage (334) and touchdown catches (4).

Another returning two-way starter is senior Daunte Mills (5-foot-9, 161), "a high-courage guy," says Demonner. Mills ran for five touchdowns and passed for another last season, while sharing the quarterback position with Kevin Woods (5-foot-8, 165).

Mills usually will line up at a wide receiver position, along with Pope, when Woods lines up behind center, Demonner noted. Woods completed 64 percent of his passes (32 for 50) as a junior, totaling 447 yards and three touchdowns. Mills was a double threat, running for 383 yards and passing for 368.

"Last year, we were three yards and a cloud of dust, but this year we could be a big-play team," Demonner said. "The challenge will be to get the ball into the flats and to the curl routes and let Pope and Mills use their speed to get extra yards."

Senior Luis Roa (6-foot-1, 240) is the only returning starter on the offensive line. He will be joined across the front by a pair of returning seniors, center Edwin Macias (5-foot-10, 225) and right tackle Nick Sayers (5-foot-11, 230) and sophomore guard Rick Ramirez (5-foot-9, 180).

Ramirez's older brother, Robert, will play fullback on offense. Both brothers played for the frosh-soph team last season.

Other line candidates are senior newcomer Leroy Lee (312 pounds), juniors John-John Briones (5-foot-7, 180) and Robbie Weir (6-foot, 195) and sophomore Austin Hatfield (6-foot, 210).

Matt Alva, a 6-foot, 170-pound junior, likely will get game time at wide receiver, according to Demonner, while sophomore Jordan Sever (6-foot-3, 205) will get a chance to start at tight end on offense and outside linebacker on defense.

Junior Jesse Guerrero (5-foot-8, 190) will start on the defensive line alongside Roa and Ri. Ramirez. Two other newcomers who have impressed Demonner and will add depth at wide receiver and defensive back are senior Adam Stanton and sophomore Kumante Hendrix (5-foot-8, 175).

Junior placekicker Harrison Waid (5-foot-9, 150) is back for Fremont. He converted 19 extra points and one field goal as a sophomore.

Demonner said the team misses linebacker Ruel "R.J." Rivera, the team's leading tackler (227) over the past two seasons. Rivera graduated and took his game up the peninsula to Menlo College.

Mills, who will join Pope in the defensive backfield, had more tackles (41) last season than any other returning Firebird. Pope had 37, Washington 32 and Roa 25.

With several players going both ways, Demonner said, "We cannot have any significant injuries. If we stay healthy, we might have a chance to make some noise, but Homestead and Saratoga are the teams to beat."

Demonner praised the efforts of assistants Tim Wadholm, Cip Sena, Jason Barbeau and Marcus Boone.