By Dick Sparrer
Butch Cattolico knew he wanted to get the football into Joel Gremore's hands more often. He knew it before his Los Gatos football team's back-to-back losses to Mitty and Bellarmine to open the season, and he knew it before his club's final preseason game against Lynbrook.
But while he knew he wanted to get the ball to Gremore more often prior to Saturday night's clash with the Vikings, he's sure of it now.
Because Gremore touched the football three times on Saturday night--and all three times he scored touchdowns.
"We need to get the ball in his hands a little more," Cattolico said after Gremore scored three times in the Wildcats' 49-0 win over the Vikings. "He's going to make a difference."
But it's not Cattolico's fault Gremore hasn't had more opportunities with the football this fall. The senior sensation suffered a broken thumb in the preseason and has seen limited action in the first few weeks of the campaign.
He's played in each of the three games, but sparingly. In fact, Gremore even missed a couple of practices prior to the Lynbrook game. "We've got to get him in the ballgame, but more importantly, we've got to get him to practice," the coach said.
Cattolico expects Gremore to be on the field this week preparing with the rest of the Wildcats for their league opener on Oct. 4, 7:30 p.m., at home against Palo Alto. And the coach hopes that the senior star will be a major part of the offense against Paly.
He certainly was against Lynbrook.
"He touched the ball three times and scored three touchdowns," Cattolico said of Gremore. "The only other time he touched the ball was when he was punting."
But Gremore wasn't the only Los Gatos player who starred in the lopsided win over Lynbrook. Cattolico was pleased with the efforts of most of his Wildcats.
"They all played hard," he said of his Cats. "Everybody got into the ballgame, and everybody contributed."
"The kids came out and they really played well," he added.
He'd get no argument on that score from Lynbrook. The Cats opened up a 21-0 lead before the Vikings knew what him them.
Stu David ran back the opening kickoff 18 yards to the 33, and Gatos went right to work.
Josh Rogers, who hooked up on 7 of 10 passes for 112 yards and two touchdowns in the win, hit Reny Townsend for 10 yards, then Alan Rosa went to work.
The junior running back carried five times for 57 yards, including a 28-yard run and a nine-yard dash for a touchdown.
Lynbrook went three plays and a punt after the kickoff. The Cats took over at the Vikings' 24 following a short kick and scored on their first play. Rogers went to Gremore for 24 yards and a TD, and the Wildcats were up 14-0 after Rosa's second extra point kick.
Lynbrook managed a first down on its next possession, but Steve LaBarbera sacked the Lynbrook quarterback and the Vikings had to punt the ball away again.
This time it was Anthony Fitzgerald's turn to star. The junior speedster raced 53 yards with the kick, and the Cats were threatening at the Lynbrook 27.
Another play, another touchdown. Gremore took a reverse 27 yards for the score, and Rosa's kick made it 21-0.
Rosa boomed one of five kickoffs that went into the endzone, and Lynbrook continued to have problems. After picking up a first down, the Vikings fumbled and Austin Neale recovered for the Cats.
Davis carried for 17 yards inside the Lynbrook 10, and Rosa went the final six for six points.
Up 28-0 early in the second period, Gatos started to clear its bench. But the Cats continued to score.
The clubs exchanged punts before Justin Lehnert recovered a Lynbrook fumble at the Vikings' 28.
Rosa carried twice for seven yards before Rogers hit Gremore for 21 yards and a touchdown. Rosa's fifth extra point made it 35-0 at intermission.
Lynbrook received the second half kickoff, but wouldn't keep the ball for long. Fred Luminoso sacked the quarterback, forcing a fumble that he recovered himself.
Davis picked up 12 yards and LaBarbera 11 more. Rosa carried three times for 20 yards, including the final yard for the TD.
That was the end of the night for the first-string, but not the end of the Gatos scoring.
LaBarbera broke one 23 yards and David carried twice for nine yards. Tom Barrera tossed six yards to Fitzgerald before John Stengele took a reverse 27 yards for a touchdown. Gremore kicked the extra point, and it was 49-0.
Rosa led the Gatos ground show with 87 yards on nine carries and Davis picked up 44 yards on just six carries. LaBarbera added 40 yards on four tries and Gremore, Stengele, Chris Cavanaugh and Ben May all took turns carrying the football.
Gremore caught the two passes for 39 yards to lead all receivers and Rosa, Townsend, Fitzgerald, Ryan Baldinger, Austin Glover and Matt Grover also nauled in passes.
LaBarbera, Charlie Cucco and Mike Schnitzer led the Cats with nine tackles each and Cavanaugh, Ross Troquato-Perrotti and Pat Bartelmie were in on eight tackles each. Bartelmie had four quarterback sacks.
"We wanted to see how some kids looked playing with the first team," Cattolico said, "and Bartelmie had a pretty good day."
The coach was also pleased with the work of David, LaBarbera and Mike Manson.
This article appeared in the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, October 2, 1996.
©1996 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved