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At most schools, a 9-3 record and a league football championship would mean cause for great celebration.
But Los Gatos High School is not like most schools.
The Wildcats won the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League De Anza Division title last fall and won nine of 12 games. But Los Gatos sets its sights higher than that.
"Improve, improve, improve—those are the key words for the 2004 season," Gatos head coach Butch Cattolico said.
Los Gatos boasts a 57-4-1 record over the past five seasons, a mark that includes five straight league titles and three Central Coast Section crowns.
"At many schools, 9-3 is not a bad season," the coach said, "but at Los Gatos 9-3 is a season in which improvement is not only necessary, but very much expected."
Improving on that mark will be no easy task, though, considering the tough slate that faces the Wildcats in 2004.
Gatos will open the season at home against powerhouse Aragon on Sept. 10, 7:30 p.m., before facing St. Francis, Cupertino and Wilcox.
"The first four games will be quite telling for this team," Cattolico said. "By that time it should be obvious whether this team has improved over last year or is not ready to play primetime Los Gatos football."
Aragon will return a number of players from a league championship team of a year ago, and St. Francis annually figures as a power in the West Catholic Athletic League and CCS. Cupertino is a strong title contender in the SCVAL's El Camino Division, and Wilcox is annually strong. In fact, the Chargers are the only team to have beaten Los Gatos in league play over the past five season.
The tough De Anza Division schedule also includes battles with Saratoga (the defending El Camino champion), Palo Alto, Gunn, Milpitas and Homestead. Los Gatos will fill its league bye with Mountain View on Oct. 8.
Tough slate facing the Wildcats
At most schools, a 9-3 record and a league football championship would mean cause for great celebration.
But Los Gatos High School is not like most schools.
The Wildcats won the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League De Anza Division title last fall and won nine of 12 games. But Los Gatos sets its sights higher than that.
"Improve, improve, improve--those are the key words for the 2004 season," Gatos head coach Butch Cattolico said.
Los Gatos boasts a 57-4-1 record over the past five seasons, a mark that includes five straight league titles and three Central Coast Section crowns.
"At many schools, 9-3 is not a bad season," the coach said, "but at Los Gatos 9-3 is a season in which improvement is not only necessary, but very much expected."
Improving on that mark will be no easy task, though, considering the tough slate that faces the Wildcats in 2004.
Gatos will open the season at home against powerhouse Aragon on Sept. 10, 7:30 p.m., before facing St. Francis, Cupertino and Wilcox.
"The first four games will be quite telling for this team," Cattolico said. "By that time it should be obvious whether this team has improved over last year or is not ready to play primetime Los Gatos football."
Aragon will return a number of players from a league championship team of a year ago, and St. Francis annually figures as a power in the West Catholic Athletic League and CCS. Cupertino is a strong title contender in the SCVAL's El Camino Division, and Wilcox is annually strong. In fact, the Chargers are the only team to have beaten Los Gatos in league play over the past five season.
The tough De Anza Division schedule also includes battles with Saratoga (the defending El Camino champion), Palo Alto, Gunn, Milpitas and Homestead. Los Gatos will fill its league bye with Mountain View on Oct. 8.
Keep an eye on these guys in the coming year
Westmont
* Tyler Porras (6-foot-2, 245), Sr., OL/DL, all-league
* Daniel Weller (5-foot-9, 170), Sr., RB, all-league
Del Mar
* Mike Howery (6-foot, 200), Sr., OL/LB, all-league, three-year varsity starter
* Danny Hauff (5-foot-10, 170), Sr., RB/LB, second team all-league, three-year varsity starter
* Johnny Daniels (6-foot-1, 170), Sr., QB/DB, all-league
Valley Christian
* Dominique Hunsucker (5-foot-10, 180), Jr., HB, WCAL sophomore of the year
* Joseph Townsend (6-foot-4, 280), Sr., OT/DT, all-league
* Mark Pirotta (5-foot-10, 240), Sr., C/DT, all-league
* Kyle Thompson (6-foot-3, 210), Sr., DE, all-league
* J.R. Adams (6-foot, 180), Sr., HB, all-league
* Mike Gintler (5-foot-11, 180), Jr., HB, WCAL JV MVP
Los Gatos
* Erik Rollin (6-foot-5, 207), Sr., QB, third year varsity, all-league
* Mike Brienzo (6-foot, 181), Sr., WR/DB, SCVAL De Anza Division Junior of the Year
* Evan Wynne (6-foot-4, 248), Sr., OG/DT, all-league, "could be one of the best we have ever had"
* Liam Smith (6-foot-6, 240), Sr., OT/DT, three-year starter, all-league second team
* Devin Lopez (6-foot, 250), Sr., NG, "a throwback to some of the best nose guards we have had at this school"
* Vince Bellotti (6-foot-3, 190), Sr., FS, all-league second team
Branham
* T.J. DeStefano (5-foot-7, 165), Sr., QB, all-league
* Nolen Robison (5-foot-8, 160), Sr., DB/RB, all-league
* Kyle Johnson (5-foot-10, 210), Sr., DL/OL, second team all-league
* Louis Sakoda (5-foot-9, 170), Sr., PK/SE/DB, second team all-league
Mitty
* Joe Ciesinski (6-foot, 183), Sr., DB/RB, WCAL Junior of the Year
* Malcolm Odoh (6-foot, 243), Sr., DL
* Brian Dressman (6-foot, 170), Sr., QB, all-league
* Richard Ricketts (6-foot-3, 230), Sr., DL, all-league
* Kyle Hansen (6-foot-2, 225), Sr., DL/OL, all-league
* Matt Guild (5-foot-8, 165), Sr., LB, all-league
Lincoln
* Raul Figueroa (5-foot-8, 180), Sr., RB, all-league
* Chris Garcia (5-foot-8, 200), Sr., OL/DL, all-league
* Patrick Yanez (5-foot-9, 180), Sr., OLB
Saratoga
* Phil Spencer (5-foot-8, 170), Sr., RB/CB, all-league
* Adam Sato (6-foot-2, 225), Sr., TE/LB, all-league
* Brent Walter (6-foot-3, 215), Sr., DL, all-league, all-state wrestler
* T.J. Florence (5-foot-7, 175), Sr., FB/LB, all-league
Harker School
* Ben Shapiro, Sr., QB, all-league, three-year varsity starter
* Kevin Park, Sr., RB, all-league, three-year varsity starter
* Eric Gavarre, Sr., TE, all-league, three-year varsity starter
Leigh
* Kiel Trudeau (6-foot-2, 180), Sr., QB, BVAL Mt. Hamilton Division Junior of the Year, No. 2 rated passer in CCS
* Brian Wendt (6-foot-3, 215), Sr., TE/LB, all-league, led the division in tackles
* Jon Brown (5-foot-10, 210), Sr., FB, second team all-league
* Matt Hoffman (6-foot-2, 180), Sr., WR
* Mike Edwards (5-foot-9, 185), Sr., LB, second team all-league
Leland
* Kirk Andre (5-foot-8, 180), Sr., RB/LB, all-league
* Gabe Castaneda (6-foot-3, 305), Sr., OL/DL, all-league
* Alex Gregarick (5-foot-11, 205), Sr., OL/DL, all-league
The King's Academy
* J.T. Martin (6-foot-1, 160), Sr., WR/FS, all-league
* Ji Jo (6-foot-1, 220), Sr., FB/DT, all-league
Willow Glen
* Matt Arevalo (5-foot-10, 210), Sr., LB, all-league
* Nate Torrez (6-foot-2, 250), Sr., DL, all-league
* Eugene Martinez (5-foot-7, 175), Sr., LB/FB, second team all-league
* Tim Cremer (6-foot-2, 235), Sr., DE/TE
Homestead
* Chris Morris (6-foot, 210), Sr., RB, SCVAL De Anza Division Offensive Player of the Year
* Jay Atkins (6-foot, 190), Jr., RB, all-league, transfer from Fremont
* Aaron Hickson (6-foot-2, 195), Sr., WR, all-league, transfer from Fremont
Fremont
* Nathan Carthcart (5-foot-10, 185), Jr., RB/CB, all-league
* Adrian Adrias (5-foot-9, 185), Sr., LB, team's leading tackler
Prospect
* Garrett Karren (6-foot-2, 210), Sr., TE/DE/PK, all-league, third year varsity
* Scott Skinner (5-foot-10, 185), Sr., RB/LB, third year varsity
Pioneer
* Collin McCarthy (6-foot, 200), Sr., LB, all-league
* Andrew Schultz (5-foot-8, 170), Sr., RB/DB, all-league
* Rolando Gomez (6-foot-4, 255), Sr., TE/DE, all-league
* Steve Matos (5-foot-9, 220), Sr., OL/DL, all-league
* Shaun Souza (5-foot-8, 170), Jr., RB/DB
Bellarmine
* John Gill (6-foot-4, 290), Sr., OL/DL, second team all-league
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Photograph by George Sakkestad